Community Mission Action

In the New Testament we find some examples of mission done in and from the context of a special type of community.

Jesus and the Seventy

Jesus sent out seventy evangelists. They did not go alone. They went in pairs. They were not left to work out their own agenda. Jesus told them what they should do. They were not left to their own devices. They were accountable, and underwent debriefing when they returned. They were not to see themselves as adequate to meet the task alone. They were to pray for other “labourers for the harvest”. (Luke 10: 1-20)

Disciples on Day of Pentecost

When the Holy Spirit first fell upon them, they were in fellowship together. Their outreach was done together. The new converts prayed, learned and fellowshipped together, and had a corporate way of meeting material needs. (Acts 2: 41-47)

Antioch Church releases Paul and Barnabas

The church at Antioch enjoyed the ministries of Barnabas and Paul, and they also fasted and prayed together. In this context of united prayer, they were able to hear and receive God’s call upon them to let Barnabas and Paul go and do mission overseas. (Acts 13: 1-4)

Jerusalem Synod

When there was misunderstanding about how to do cross-cultural mission, the problem was resolved together, with a recognition that some things apply everywhere, but that the Gospel transcends culture. The “circumcision” issue was partly about how the Gospel relates to culture, in that no cultural expectation can be added to the Gospel of grace alone, rceived through faith alone. . The manner in which the decision was made was a community decision, done in good fellowship. (Acts 15)

All major mission grew out of the fellowships of the new communities of God’s people, and broke new ground in the surrounding cultures.

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