(First of a three-part series – the full-length version of this article appears in the Spring 2012 issue of Save Our World magazine from Church of God World Missions, available online at www.cogsaveourworld.org).
Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World
By Grant McClung
The Lausanne Covenant asserts that, “…evangelization requires the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.” I’ll change the order to “Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World” and use it as a three-fold outline to project some major missiological issues in the future of world evangelization. These larger global themes find their roots in scripture and are highlighted with the following “M” words, italicized throughout this three-part commentary:
(1) Missio Dei; (2) Missiology; (3) Miracles; (4) Message; (5) Mercy; (6) Mobilization; (7) Meeting with God [intercession]; (8) Monetary [Resources]; (9) Mutuality [cooperation]; (10) Maps; (11) Migration; (12) Mobility; (13) Megacities; (14) Multicultural [societies]; (15) Minors [children];(16) Militancy; (17) Marginalization; (18) Martyrdom; (19) Master [of the harvest]; (20) Maranatha [The Lord is coming!].
Each of the “M” words is a symbol or descriptive title for much broader and deeper missiological issues and trends that will require ongoing scripture reflection, and strategic projection. They are only a sample of terms and phrases to discuss traditional “missions” in a new way forward.
Whole Gospel
The “Whole Gospel” is the “gospel of God” (Romans 1.1) and mission is “Missio Dei “the mission of God.” As the gospel advances into new territories and among new peoples, we will need a scripturally-centered Biblical missiology that critically reflects on missionary practice in the light of God’s Word. We will also need a “missiology of pulpit and pew” as the local church gathers around God’s word for a fresh, 21st century rediscovery of the missio Dei. Predictably, this will precipitate a renewal of anointed Biblical preaching as a launching pad for new missional movements.
Prayer Points: Let us pray: (1) for missionary trainers and those developing a Pentecostal missiology; (2) for pastors as they develop and preach God’s mission from scripture; (3) for those who develop missions preaching resources and curriculum for pastors and local church Christian educators (Sunday School and Bible study leaders, etc.).
The “whole gospel” will continue to be the Spirit-empowered “full gospel” accompanied by miracles, signs and wonders, powerful demonstrations of, “…the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16.20). This was, without apology, central to the message of the early church who understood that Biblical evangelism is supernatural evangelism (Romans 15.19; 1 Corinthians 2.1-5).
Missional Pentecostalism also mandates a whole gospel of message (word) and mercy (deed) with a Biblical balance of evangelism and social action. It practices a “public Pentecostalism” in the political arena, advocates peace, justice, human rights, and addresses the care of creation and the environment.
Prayer Points: Let us pray (1) for Pentecostal lay witnesses and full-time evangelists as they proclaim the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, with signs and wonders following; (2) for Pentecostal peace and social activists in their ministry of benevolence and positive social change; (3) for Pentecostals in governmental leadership in the public arena.
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Grant McClung is the author of Globalbeliever.com: Connecting to God’s Work in Your World (www.MissionsResourceGroup.org 2010) and International Missionary Educator with Church of God World Missions.