That we may be One..

Two days ago the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council on Inter-religious Dialogue (PCID) have released an historic document on the ethics of Christian mission – Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct. This historic document is in part a response to criticisms levelled at Christians by some religious communities in what they perceived to be a use of unethical methods. In some case these objections have led to anti-conversion laws and violence. The three main world Christian bodies have responded with this document that not only identifies the biblical call to evangelism but outlines the ethical mandates related to the Gospel.

The bigger story...

A couple of weeks ago Pastor Ronald Frias introduced me to this evangelism tool from James Choung of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and I must admit that I, as Choung said have seen the Gospel message in a very small level, meaning that I tend to go, look and present it in a very individualistic perspective which in a way negates from the the bigger story of redemption one: "that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)"

What exactly is our ministry of reconciliation?

Is it merely about proclaiming that Christ died for individual people? Yes its true he died for every single individual.

But at the same time he also proclaimed the Kingdom of God?

What is the Kingdom of God anyway?

Is this a mere paschal mystery that's better of discussed in the realms of metaphysical theology?

No.

The presence and coming of the Kingdom of God was the central message of Jesus. For example, "his teaching was designed to show men how they might enter the Kingdom of God (Matt. 5:20; 7: 21). His mighty works were intended to prove that the Kingdom of God had come upon them (Matt. 12: 28). His parables illustrated to His disciples the truth about the Kingdom of God (Matt. 1 3: 11). And when He taught His followers to pray, at the heart of their petition were the words, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6: 10). On the eve of His death, He assured His disciples that He would yet share with them the happiness and the fellowship of the Kingdom (Luke 22: 22-30). And He promised that He would appear again. on the earth in glory to bring the blessedness of the Kingdom to those for whom it was prepared (Matt. 25:31, 34)." ¹

Anthony Hoekema has described God's Kingdom as "the reign of God dynamically active in human history through Jesus Christ, the purpose of which is the redemption of his people from sin and from demonic powers, and the final establishment of the new heavens and the new earth."²

There is a bigger story in the Gospel message.

It is a big story because it sums up the plot points of the larger story in which we live and breathe. The most essential parts are the phrases: designed for good, damaged by evil, restored for better, and sent together to heal. They follow the biblical narrative: creation, fall, redemption, and mission.

All that is encapsulated in the message of the Kingdom of God.

The proclamation of that is part of our ministry of reconciliation.

It is my hope that as you watch this video that you'll be stirred to see the Bigger Story

For more information on this visit the following links:

Read about James Choung on The Christian Vision Project

Read From Four Laws to Four Circles on Christianity Today

__

Notes:

1 Ladd, George Eldon - What is the Kingdom of God? http://www.gospelpedlar.com/articles/Last%20Things/kogladd.html

2 Hoekema, Anthony - The Bible and the Future, p. 45.

Missions and Theology: Dignity in death

We didn’t have the chance to know his name. We only know him as Thin Yannat’s father. He was a living skeleton—with sunken eyes and protruding bones. He was suffering from AIDS. Narlin, Megan, Aye Phet, our Burmese co-woker and I had visited him in different occasion to bring food and medicine. We came to know him because we take care of his child for him and he was grateful to us for doing it. He wept when his child was kidnapped but managed a faint smile when we got her back.
Read more on: Missions and Theology: Dignity in death

Looking back at the smile that speaks the 'Good News'

When Grace Bible Church celebrated its 50th anniversary, a survey was published at the Gracean which lists ‘the 50 things about GBC that we should thank God for wherein it listed the Bible-based doctrine; to the Living Circle Ministry; to the church's rich heritage and history.

But of all the entries one thing caught my attention as I walked out of the church last Sunday afternoon, which prompted me to dig out that old copy of the Gracean out of my cluttered drawer and write this piece.

It was the 10th entry pertaining to Kuya Mar Cabiles, which reads:

"10. The smiling face of Kuya Mar, cool and composed..."

True enough he is exactly like that as last Sunday morning I saw him at church back with us to worship. Back from the mission field that was Kabul, Afghanistan. Back with his wife Ate Mida and their son Joshua. Back to shine a smile of encouragement to my weary soul that just came from a rollercoaster of emotions that was undergone from the untimely death of Jolas to a number of things that are now better left unsaid.

So as I shook his hand I began to remember him as he and Ate Mida gave me a copy of William McDonald's True Discipleship as a Christmas gift that I was not able to appreciate at the time because I was way too busy wasting my life in a state of hedonistic backsliding. Nevertheless I kept it, and a few years later I read it and learned from it and in its own little way helped me in bringing me back to the fold.

He was truly an encouragement and his presence at GBC is a delight that I've so often ignore during his stay there. I remember shaking his hand on right after they announced to the congregation that they're going as missionaries to Afghanistan, it was after a tearful conversation with my brother Kuya Benjie. I remember him talking about the doctrine of Eternal Security at Sunday school with Kuya Ponch.

And seeing him now makes me appreciate and feel gratitude towards the Lord for blessing GBC with Kuya Mar who has touched a number of lives including mine.

He and his family is a blessing to my spiritual pilgrimage as a Christian.

Later that morning I was also able to chat with his wife Ate Mida about their life in Afghanistan where they overhear the explosions of bombs and bear witness to the persecution of native Christians as they live life under a Muslim dominated society, and as of now as I have gone through a lot in these past few weeks it was a time of refreshing for me and the church as I was greeted with the truth of their faith most notably seen in the smile of Kuya Mar.

God bless them.