Movements

I’m reading Steve Addison’s Movements that Change the World. There’s lots of good stuff in here and I’m being reminded of some of the teaching I received as I was ministering on campus in my university days. I remember talking about a movement that would capture the hearts of students to follow Jesus and disciple others. I didn’t fully get it in those days and I’m not sure I fully get it now. It’s just that there are moments in the history of humanity that change everything that follows and creates a way of thinking that seemed impossible before that moment happened. Those moments are when movements are started. The following is a brief quote from his chapter on “Why Movements Matter.”

“Mission has a threefold reality. First there is a message: mission assumes a distinct view of truth concerning the nature of God and the nature of salvation. Second mission involves the communication of both truth and a new way of life. Third the purpose of mission is conversion. People accept the message, are integrated into the community of faith and begin to practice a new way of life – a new life committed to following Jesus and sharing the truth about him with others.

“As a missionary movement our message centers on Jesus Christ the son of God who was crucified for our sins and is the only source of salvation for a lost world. Second as a missionary movement we have an agenda for change. Jesus calls all who would follow him to a new life of obedience to his will. Third mission involves the conversion of individuals and their inclusion into the body of Christ, which is the church, the people of God. There is no mission without the church and there is no discipleship without the community of faith.

“If this is what it means to be the missionary people of God what do "missionaries" do? Eckhard Schnabel explains: “Missionaries establish contact with non-Christians, they proclaim good news of Jesus the Messiah and Savior (proclamation, preaching teaching, instruction), they lead people to faith in Jesus Christ (conversion, baptism), and integrate the new believers into the local community of the followers of Jesus (Lord's supper, transformation of social and moral behavior, charity).” We have the message of the cross. We have new life in Christ. We have a mandate to make disciples and multiply churches everywhere. We are a missionary people.”