Explore The Strategies Of Pauls Missionary Journeys Religion Essay

Introduction

In this essay, I am traveling to research the schemes of Paul ‘s missional journeys and how it can by applied as a theoretical account for the twenty-first Century churches. I will get down by specifying the significance of mission, and discourse the function and the part of readying to the success of missional journey. Furthermore, I will analyze the seven rules of Paul ‘s missional journey in Acts 13:4-12 as a theoretical account for mission work in our modern twenty-four hours society. Finally, I will reason by reflecting on the scheme which we have employed in our church mission programme.

DEFINITION OF MISSION

The words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19 “ Go ye hence, and learn all states baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost ” . This is the great committee ; the church has been mandated by Christ to ship on a planetary evangelization. Therefore, mission work should be the focal point of the church. A mission work is a transverse cultural sharing of the good intelligence of the land. The early church was made up of the Judaic believing community at the infant phase. Peter ‘s experience at the house of Cornelius was the first transverse cultural brush with the Gentile universe ( Acts10: 1 – 48 ) .

Fishermans of Work force

Harmonizing to Andrew Perriman, Jesus compelled the church to pray that God the Father will direct laborers into His crop. Furthermore, Jesus beckoned on the Fishermen, Simon and Andrew to follow Him ; he informs them that he will do them “ fishers of work forces ” . The harvest field is already mature and ready to be harvested harmonizing to the statement of Jesus. The authorization of Jesus to do disciple fishers of work forces has provided the focal for the twenty-first century mission work. Andrew Perriman describes mission as the art of raising up work forces to travel into the universe so as to change over the people into the adherents of Christ.[ 1 ]

Effective Missionary

In other to be an effectual missionary, one must put in acquisition and analyzing the civilization and the linguistic communication of the people you want to make. The first-class manner to make the people is by pass oning the Gospel truth in the spirit of love. Furthermore, the method and linguistic communication of pass oning the Gospel posed a great challenge in a transverse cultural scene. The end of this essay is to analyze the schemes employed by Paul in his missional journey and besides find ways in which his method could be applied by the twenty-first century church.

2 ) Principle OF PREPARATION

The first missional journey of Paul revealed certain basic missional schemes that contributed to his success. The Godhead call and vision, the Holy Spirit authorization and the committedness of Paul and his missional squad ensured an overall success. The jurisprudence of readying is a critical rule that preceded the first missional journey.

The Call and the Vision

The leaders of the Antioch church came together for the intent of ministering to the Lord through fasting and worshiping. In the procedure, they received the vision from the Lord to put Paul and Barnabas apart for the missional work. The Godhead call and the vision for mission work was received in the topographic point of fasting and supplication. These tools should besides be applied by the twenty-first century church, in other to have godly way. The practise of fasting and supplication additions sensitiveness to divine way. The Antioch church prayed and the Lord of the harvest gave them the programs for the mission work.

Planning

Roland Allen, points out that the Apostles started out with a definite program which they received from the Lord and they carried out their programs. Acts 14:26 clearly stated the Apostles returned to Antioch after they had fulfilled the work. Hence, the twenty-first Century church should put quality clip into be aftering before get downing any missional activity. This is because ; proper planning enhances better public presentation in any mission work.[ 2 ]Twelve old ages elapsed between the clip of Paul ‘s call and the puting apart by the Antioch church. One may deduce that God used those old ages to fix Paul before shiping on his first missional journey. The twenty-first century possible missionaries should let God ‘s proper timing before traveling into the missional field.

Trained Work force

Paul and Barnabas had received their ministerial preparation before the first missional journey. This is confirmed by their inclusion in the leading of the Antioch church as Nebiims and Teachers. Therefore, the 21st church should direct trained work forces to the mission field. Training is an on-going procedure in the life of the ministry of a true truster. Henceforth, the twenty-first century church should promote and warn possible missionaries to be trained before directing them into the field.

3 ) THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PAUL ‘S MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES IN ACTS 13: 4 -12

To this terminal, I will analyze the seven rules of Paul ‘s missional activities in Acts13:4 – 12.

1 ) The Mission Team

Three work forces made up the first missional squad. The Lord had sent out his adherents in squads of two ( Mark 6:7 ) . This theoretical account of squad work was established by Christ Jesus. Therefore, the missional work is a squad attempt. Paul was ever with an associate / associates[ 3 ]Howard Clark Kee confirms John Mark was identified as an “ helper ” – hyperetes to Paul and Barnabas. The modern twenty-four hours mission work, should promote the development of squad spirit by advancing the growing of squad work among the possible missionaries.

2 ) The Culture

Paul ‘s first missional journey reveals there are cultural alterations in any foreign land. Hence, one should non travel instantly from a familiar civilization to a wholly foreign one. The more familiar Cyprus, became the topographic point of readying for the cultural version for the apostles. Potential missionaries of the twenty-first century church should put resources in larning the civilization of their possible hereafter audience. In world, I am a missional to the United Kingdom. The fact that I was raised in a former British settlement, enabled me to set to the British civilization.

3 ) Target Audience

Saul and Barnabas preached foremost to the Jews. Their immediate mark Audience was the Jewish community in Diaspora. Paul used the Synagogue as the get downing point of his mission work. They used the temples to perforate the community. In add-on, they capitalized on the preconceived construct of God in the heads of the Proselytes and the Gentiles in the Synagogues. Therefore, a possible missionary in the twenty-first century church should web with bing trusters in new districts in other to distribute the Gospel of the Kingdom. Roland Allen studies that the proselytes, and the God fearing Greeks from the temples, played a critical function in the hereafter of the leading squad of the churches established by Paul[ 4 ]

4 ) Strategic Location

The missional work is an itinerary ministry. Missionaries move from topographic point to topographic point, They reside in an of import location for a period of clip. The intent of the missionaries was to set up churches instead than remaining in topographic point for good. Key population Centres were targeted by Paul in seting churches and distributing the good intelligence. For Cyprus, the Centres were Salamis and Paphos. Rolland Allen affirms that Paul planted churches in metropoliss which were Centres of Roman disposal, Grecian Civilization or under Judaic influence[ 5 ]. The twenty-first Century church should follow this scheme by establishing mission work in widely distributed metropoliss. Hence, urban missions should be the focal point of the church in today ‘s modern society.

5 ) Resistance to the Gospel

A possible missionary should anticipate resistance to the Gospel message in a foreign state. The forces of darkness will oppose the sermon of the good intelligence, so as to maintain the people in bondage. Elymas the magician tried to forestall the proconsul from having the good intelligence ( Acts13: 6 – 8 ) . The twenty-first century missionary should fix to confront resistance in the mission field.

6 ) Divine Empowerment

Paul was filled with the Spirit ; he was able to show the workings of the gifts of the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit, enabled Paul to react efficaciously to the onslaughts of the enemy. The function of godly authorization in battling the forces of darkness is a critical ingredient in mission work. To be a successful missionary in the twenty-first century, one should pay the monetary value for authorization. Howard Clark Kee confirmed that the mission work has a Godhead beginning through the bureau of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Antiochene leading yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit by puting of custodies on Paul and Barnabas.[ 6 ]

7 ) Expectation of the Harvest

Paul and his missional squad expected consequences. They anticipated a religious crop, due to divine enablement by the Holy Spirit. Expectations are the female parent of manifestation.

Therefore, to be an effectual missionary in this twenty-first Century, one should anticipate consequences guaranteed by Godhead backup.

Decision

In decision, the leading of our church ( Abundant life household church, East London ) , has been using the rules of Paul ‘s scheme to mission work. We started a mission work to the University pupils at Docklands Campus. East London is a cardinal population Centre under the Newham borough. Therefore, the population of pupils at the University of East London is a huge mission field for our campus outreach.