The Mission of the Church in a Changing World (and Church)
Do the particular truths of the Christian faith generate options for the faithful exercise of the Church's mission to the world, and at the same time rule out some missionary efforts, models, and approaches as not in keeping with the Christian faith?
Twenty years ago, in his book The Gagging of God, D.A. Carson titled one of his chapters “on drawing lines when drawing lines is rude.” The Church has long understood that effective missionary work throughout the world requires clearly understanding the line beyond which our effort to reach the lost on their own terms quickly and easily becomes a compromise of the Gospel itself. Drawing those lines, however, in the context of missionary work does seem rude, especially in a world and in a culture where having good motives is supposed to be more than enough. In recent years, the work of Christian missions has been further complicated not only by a rapidly changing world, but also a rapidly changing Church, and the result has been a great deal of concern—sometimes a rather urgent concern—that the truth of the Gospel is being lost in well-intentioned but misguided efforts to reach the lost.
These few simple but important observations about the state of missionary work throughout the world prompt the introduction in today's episode of The Southgate Fellowship: “In the summer of 2016, a group of theologians, missiologists, and reflective practitioners convened to discuss the state of missions within the evangelical world. Drawn from Europe, Canada, and the US, participants reflected a variety of backgrounds and church denominations. Following the success of this initial symposium, it was decided to establish a formal identity with a clear mission. This group began to meet again under the title of The Southgate Fellowship.”
These lines of description are taken from the Fellowship's website. It continues: "The Southgate Fellowship is a fellowship of theologians, missiologists, and reflective practitioners fully committed to the visible church and her Christ-appointed mission. In obedience to Christ and his Word, TSF exists to advance biblical thinking and practice in world mission, as captured in the solas of reformational theology. The summum bonum of mission activity is the glory of God. This ultimate aim—under Jesus Christ, Head of the church and Lord of the nations—must retain uncompromising primacy for each and every missionary and mission endeavour. In order to bring glory to Christ in the fulfilling of his mandate (Matt 28:18–20), we must let God’s authoritative and sufficient Word define the design and execution of mission strategy. In short, all mission activities must draw upon Scripture and its self-interpreting authority. To heed Scripture is to obey the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the church and the Head of her mission."
In the text above, The Southgate Fellowship explains itself, and on their website readers can find a set of 100 affirmations and denials regarding the state of Christian missions in the world today. It may be surprising to discover that this statement of affirmation and denials surveys the vast terrain of basic theological topics and explores contemporary questions and challenges in the Church's mission in light of the key commitments of the Christian faith itself. But this is a reflection of what The Southgate Fellowship is concerned about when it comes to the Church's mission in the world. A number of recent models and initiatives for disciple-making and outreach have, according to the Fellowship, compromised some of the key tenets of the Christian faith and how the Church exercises her calling in the world.
For today's episode, Dr. Mark A. Garcia speaks with Dr. Flavien Pardigon, a Greystone Fellow and council member of The Southgate Fellowship, about the Fellowship and the pressing questions of faithful missionary activity in this rapidly shifting international and cultural situation.
