What Is the Essential Activity of Christian Ministry
WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL ACTIVITY OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
A PAPER
PRESENTED TO
DR. CLARK
LIBERTY BATIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF DSMN-500
BY
TAKYSHA CRAWFORD
JANUARY 29, 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
EDUCATION, DISCIPLESHIP, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION 1-2
SIMULARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 2
CHURCH MINISTRY 2-3
CONNECTION TO WORSHIP 3
ESSENTIAL ACTIVITY 4
EVIDENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP 4
CONCLUSION 5
INTRODUCTION As a children’s Sunday School Teacher, I am responsible for teaching the word of God to the young in a way that they can interpret and understand. It is important to me to make sure they understand the basics of Christianity in a way so that at the age of understanding they make the decision to follow Christ. Once a child accepts Christ as their savior then what? What is then the essential activity of Christian ministry? Is it enough to just teach what the bible says, and encourage them to be active and use their spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church itself, or is their more to Christian ministry than teaching, learning, and working in the church? How does the great commission, in which Jesus tells us to go ye therefore and make disciples, fit into church ministry? Are we as church leaders really making disciples, who will in turn make other disciples, or are we developing church members.
EDUCATION, DISCIPLESHIP, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION In Colossians 1:28 Paul writes, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” This tells us that part of out job as Christians is educating others so that they can be perfect in Christ. In his book Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples Mitchell writes, “Education is the creative process of utilizing external and internal forces to facilitate the functions of
A PAPER
PRESENTED TO
DR. CLARK
LIBERTY BATIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF DSMN-500
BY
TAKYSHA CRAWFORD
JANUARY 29, 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
EDUCATION, DISCIPLESHIP, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION 1-2
SIMULARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 2
CHURCH MINISTRY 2-3
CONNECTION TO WORSHIP 3
ESSENTIAL ACTIVITY 4
EVIDENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP 4
CONCLUSION 5
INTRODUCTION As a children’s Sunday School Teacher, I am responsible for teaching the word of God to the young in a way that they can interpret and understand. It is important to me to make sure they understand the basics of Christianity in a way so that at the age of understanding they make the decision to follow Christ. Once a child accepts Christ as their savior then what? What is then the essential activity of Christian ministry? Is it enough to just teach what the bible says, and encourage them to be active and use their spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church itself, or is their more to Christian ministry than teaching, learning, and working in the church? How does the great commission, in which Jesus tells us to go ye therefore and make disciples, fit into church ministry? Are we as church leaders really making disciples, who will in turn make other disciples, or are we developing church members.
EDUCATION, DISCIPLESHIP, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION In Colossians 1:28 Paul writes, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” This tells us that part of out job as Christians is educating others so that they can be perfect in Christ. In his book Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples Mitchell writes, “Education is the creative process of utilizing external and internal forces to facilitate the functions of
Bibliography: Brown, Candy Gunther, Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing, Oxford University Press, 2011 Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline: A Path to Spiritual Growth. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. Funk, Robert W. and the Jesus Seminar. The acts of Jesus: the search for the authentic deeds of Jesus. HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. Mitchell, Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and Home Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010. ----------------------- [1] Funk, Robert W. , The acts of Jesus: the search for the authentic deeds of Jesus. (Harper San Francisco. 1998.) 51 [2] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline: A Path to Spiritual Growth. (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1998). Pg5 [3] Brown, Candy Gunther, Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing, (Oxford University Press, 2011) p 23 [4] Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and Home, 258.