It seems to me at this point in time that there is so little discussed regarding the mission. However perhaps the other discussions were needed to clear the air and to lead up to discussing this issue.

The first part of the mission is in prayer, I would like to ask the following questions.

1. how much time do we spend in prayer daily weekly etc

2. do we pray with others or on our own

3. how do we pray

4. do we really expect God to answer our prayers

5. Do we listen for the voice of God to direct our prayer life, and how do we hear him

craig - To him who is able to do immeassurably more than all we ask or imagine (think)

I just want to plug an up and coming prayer event that is being held in various locations accross our nation.

“Australia Worships” - A night devoted to prayer praise and worship.
Saturday 1st March 2003 - State Sports Centre - Olympic Boulevard (Cnr Sarah Durack Avenue) Hombush NSW. 7pm-9pm.

This is the 2nd year in a row this has been held at this centre and the 4th one to date. Last year it was fantastic to be involved with 3000 plus people praying for our nation. (It was also the night of the mardigra sydney - God answered our prayer in regards to this celebration of unrighteousness in our nation as they have gone bankrupt)

As prayer is the 1st part of our mission, I ask do we only pay lip service to prayer, or is it truly a vital part of our mission? or do we let others do the praying for us.

www.ausprayernet.com
craig. To HIM who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.  lets ask big prayers, lets think big prayers and lets imagine big prayers, because God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine he will do.

I want to think more about those questions before responding to them, but it’s interesting you start with prayer, Craig. We’ve been studying it at church, following Carson’s “A Call to Spiritual Reformation”. I also started the “Bold I Approach” studies on prayer with friends and was lent Spurgeon’s “The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life”. All helpful and interesting reading.

In terms of mission, though, you may also be interested in Piper’s “Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions”. I confess I put it down halfway through to study for exams and must now start again, as I’ve left it too long. But I enjoyed what I read very much and it was very challenging and interesting. If you’re prepared and keen to think, you won’t be disappointed!

Piper begins by referring to the Westminster Catechism’s first question: “What is the chief end of man?” The answer? To glorify God and enjoy him forever. He starts with the supremacy of God in missions through worship, then in prayer and in suffering (Part One). Part Two looks at making God supreme in missions - “Christ’s supremacy as the conscious focus of all saving faith” and “The supremacy of God among “All the nations"”.

It was inspiring reading in anticipation of a mission trip, but I think it (what I’ve read so far, anyway) is a relevant and important discussion about why we do mission, the relationship between the church and mission and the role of every Christian in going out to all the world - wherever that is.

The first step may be for some of us (maybe me included) to rethink our approach. I’ve been to lots of evangelism training, including the latest hot technique, ‘dialogue evangelism’ but am coming to the view that the ‘systems’ I’ve been encouraged to adopt are not helpful.

Looking at the way Jesus communicated, although we only have very brief, I suggest, summaries, in the NT, the essence seems to be responsiveness to the other person. Jesus acknowledged and dealt with their issues or concerns, then moved to the gospel in a manner relevant to those issues or concerns. Of course, for us, this might take many conversations and inevitable mutuality in relationship (that means mutual vulnerability) and co-understanding of each others’ ‘spiritual’ journey (even pagans have one of these, I’ve discovered). But these things have never been discussed in any formal evangelism course I’ve done.

The other thing for us, is that we don’t need to ‘show all’ at the first encounter. It seems that many Christians think they have to tell the whole gospel at once. I don’t think this is so, as the key to any conversation should be, I think, dealing with the issues that arise. In one hospital I was in I overheard a Christian nurse sympathising with a relative of a dying patient who was asking about suffering. She was not after a theological explanation of suffering, but sympathy and acknowledgement. The nurse gave this to her, leaving the way for that relationship to be further built. The nurse didn’t think it even appropriate to mention God or our Saviour; but from what I heard it was a very Christian, caring and open encouter, buring contact with the sorrowing person.

I think the key here is, as a person, in relationship with another person, we both have questions, hurts and perplexities, I am not there to ‘instruct’ the other, but to live with them in relationship through which the gospel may shine and be communicated. Thus ‘relationship evangelism’ perhaps!

Now, to Paul. Paul in his gospelling to non-believers (most of his recorded work is with believers) really gets on their wavelength, knows and uses their culture and discusses. Acts 17 and his work in the hall he hired are in my mind on this.

I don’t know if we are encouraged to discuss; but rather to ‘conclude’ and I think we may be uncomfortable with loose ends, always encouraged to ‘drive’ for a commitment or a formulaic prayer, of fill in a naff and intrusive ‘response’ card. Some things we do, I think, we must critically re-think. This is most pronounced in the evangelistic talks that I’ve heard. I remember hearing the same talks in ‘fundamentalist’ churches in the 60s and 70’s where they were of as little effect as they seem to be today (the one’s I’ve been to, ie.). I think today we find credibiltiy in authentic relationships, not stern and sometimes patronising lectures from someone who seems to be set up as an expert in life (this is the way unbelievers have put it to me, btw, not my words).

On this basis a suitable action would be to go off and join an organisation/club/society where we’ll meet unbelievers so we can have (open mutual) relationships with them.

Anyway, my 2c.

DG