Barth: Ministry To The Community

ANALYSIS OF KARL BARTH
THE MINNISTRY TO THE COMMUNITY

Theological Foundations for Ministry DR 901
January 8, 2010

1. Barth states: “The ministry of the community is very definite, and therefore limited, but also full of promise” (p.830). How do you understand this statement? In what sense is the ministry of the Church definite, limited, yet full of promise?
The ministry of the community is definite because it has to exist actively for the world and execute its task within it by attesting to the Word of God.1 The ministry has its specific bases and existence because it is sent by God to men. Through ministry, the work of God takes place and he discloses himself and reveals himself to the people.
By doing that, people have the opportunity to listen to the message, accept it, and respond to it by receiving God and living according to the Gospel. Witness of the community is the sum of what must always take place in Christen ministry, which is the proclamation, explication, and application of the Gospel as the Word of God entrusted to the Church.6 The witnessing to the Gospel has the power not from Church but from God to transform people. The Church, as a witness, becomes a sign or a banner of God for the modern world.
Barth emphasizes that “the world needs the human historical fact of the declaration of the Gospel”.7 The church must proclaim the Gospel because it was mandated by Jesus and the Gospel news is still unknown in the world. The Church received this news and it must to understand it content as best as it can, live according to it, and to pass it on to others. The Church preaches, but the Lord converts the hearts of people. The church should not be worry about the success of its witness because it is the Lords whom the Church serves. The Church by its witnessing assists the Lord in transforming the
The first is our obligation to praise God. In praising God or worshiping God, the Church recognizes the One who in his internal majesty has become man in order redeem and save us. In worship, the Church confesses him publically as the only true God. The whole worship, its words and action (prayers, confession, proclamation of the Word, singing, and the liturgy) have to be for the glory of God. The second form of ministry is the proclamation of the Gospel. It takes place in the assembly of the community, in the midst of divine service, where it is heard directly or indirectly by the people. It is usually referred as preaching, and the pulpit is often called the “true arena of the kingdom of God.”13 Preaching does not reflect, reason, dispute or academically instruct, but it proclaims, summons, invites and commands people. another form of ministry is instruction in the community which encompasses the education of the Church members and the world at large. The Church has a duty to provide instruction and catechize young and old, members and non members in the form of Bible studies, catechism classes or other forms of education. The next form of ministry is evangelization which is called home missions. It means that the Church has to direct the message to those who are its members. Evangelization is specifically addressed to church members who where, for instance, baptized as children or those who