KEY BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES:

1. God’s people have always had to keep in step with God’s developing plans and changes in his world.

• Paul’s approach to reasoning with Jews in the synagogue is changed when he addresses Greeks in the market place at Athens [Acts 17:17 & 22]. 
• Paul does not regard every method as appropriate and some he declines to use [1 Cor 2:1-5] but he does justify using ‘all possible means’ to achieve his greater aim [1 Cor 9:19-23]. 

2. The ultimate goal of mission remains the glory of God.

• Although missions do benefit people, their goal is God-centred as both the OT and NT show that the redeemed glorify God for his mercy [Rom 15:8-12].
• Proclaiming Jesus aims to bring all nations to believe and obey him so that God should be glorified [Rom 16:25-27].

3. God’s mission purpose is focused on reaching ‘people groups’.

• As far back as the promise to Abraham God says ‘all peoples’ will be blessed [Gen 12:3] and the Great Commission explicitly refers to ‘all the nations’, although the Greek definite article is omitted in some English translations [Mat 28:18-20].
• The final goal of missions is not to obliterate the distinctions of the peoples but to gather them into one diverse but unified body of peoples [Rev 5:9].

4. God first communicated with humankind by the spoken word.

• In what was primarily an oral culture God’s revelation was expected to be passed on to the next generation by word of mouth [Ps 78:1-4],
• Since that revelation was intended for wider distribution much of it was then written down  [Jer 30:2].

5. Mother tongue communication is the ideal for evangelism & church growth.

• While other ministries have their place in mission, word-based ministries are essential to bring salvation to the lost [Rom 10:17].
• As soon as the Holy Spirit descended in power at Pentecost he enabled each person to hear the message ‘in his own language’ [Acts 2:5-11].

6. Local churches have real obligations as part of the universal Church.

• God has one single mission purpose involving both local evangelism and international dimensions which only the whole universal church can fulfil [Acts 1:8].
• Since Jesus’ plan involves not either/or but both/and then mutual partnerships with other churches and agencies are called for [John 10:16].

7. International obligations are part of the harmony of the Body.

• Collecting money in Greece for poor Christians in Jerusalem is seen as a privilege and a proof of love [2 Cor 8-9]. 
• Despite difficulties of travel, individuals did visit other countries to convey these gifts [Rom 15:25-27].

8. ‘Fellowship’ [koinonia] between Christians & churches covers a wide range of activities.

• Paul is thankful for his ‘partnership’ with the Philippian church, not only for their money but also for prayers and the friend they sent to encourage him [Phil 1:3-5, 2: 25, 4:14-19].
• Sharing with another church to assist their work is not meant to impoverish the giver but that there might be equality in the wider body of Christ [2 Cor 8:13-15].

9. Alongside language and evangelistic work a wider holistic ministry will demonstrate the compassion of the God we represent.

• God’s people are not only to speak out the truth, they are also to live it out by practising good works [Gal 6:7-10].
• Such good works will commend the gospel to outsiders and back up its message [Act 9:32-42].

How are we applying these principles?