history of missions acts & paul - lesson 3

Missions History of Missions

Dr. Robert PattonMissionary to Suriname,

South America

Paul rejected those who rejected the gospel

Paul did not stay for years where men would not listen, but showed clearly that he was leaving them because he wanted to go to where men would listen and respond

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Paul’s teaching

The problem even at the beginning is that the people are trained to depend on the missionary for all decisions, outreach, evangelism, etc rather than to depend on the Holy Spirit!

The missionary robs them of their strength and teaches them the wrong type of dependence.

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Inordinate dependency causes problems

The national has only a few choices Work as the missionary wants,

without freedom to work as is natural to him

Work outside the frame of the church Put aside the spiritual desires and

work in secular employment Paul founded churches; we often

found missions! 04/10/2023 4

Paul avoided a “mission complex”

He did not have a group of buildings, structures, finances, etc set up apart from the church which may create a double system with conflict of loyalty

Finally we can expect that the nationals will resent not being independent

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Paul’s method

It appears that he was in Lystra about 6 months and left chuches standing. He went back 18 months or so later for a few months, and then 3 years later, but the churches were really established on his first trip. He was in Thessalonika about 5 months, and Corinth 18 months

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Paul’s teaching

He focused on the death and resurrection of Christ. He did outline the Lord’s supper, and information on baptism. Later he wrote more about church leadership, etc.

He left quite early, making the church dependent on its own leaders

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Paul’s churches were missionary churches

Paul’s converts were generally very active as the Spirit of Christ, the greatest missionary, worked in their hearts.

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Paul’s instruction of new converts

It appears he would baptize on evidence of belief coupled with repentance. He did not require a long period of instruction to “prove oneself”.

In fact, are we asking someone to prove themselves – in their own strength??? (Note – Allen is a sacramental high churchman)

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Who made the decision about who could be baptized?

It was really decided by the church, and gave them mutual responsibility. The church should decide who is admitted, and take responsibility of taking them into the fellowship

The church also had elders out of their own church, again with mutual responsibility; their qualifications were moral

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More than one leader per church is apparent

Not all the power is concentrated in one individual. Of course, congregational government will broaden the responsibility

We may educate leaders to the point that they are no longer in touch with the congregation they are to serve, and deprive the church of natural leaders and naturally gifted teachers

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Church discipline, etc

Paul did not legislate in the areas of immorality, eating food offered to idols, although both were mentioned in the agreement in Acts 15. He points them to the Holy Spirit and their need to rely on Him to keep them holy. Thus Paul kept them from depending on him or on rules, but on the Holy Spirit

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The situation with idols

Paul again left this to the person and the Holy Spirit. Some were slaves and had no choice but to work in such places. Others might otherwise lose the work of the guild. Paul let them work out the situation.

Paul stressed a spiritual separation from the heathen; not a physical one

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Church discipline

The discipline needs to come from the church, and the church as a whole needs to avoid the offender so that the offender feels the punishment of exclusion. The disapproval needs to be church-wide for the good of the church as well as the individual – the church’s conscience must be exercised. The Holy Spirit dwells in the body of the church

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Paul did not insist on transplanting Jewish customs

Even though the church in Jerusalem was first, he did not take it as a model to be used for all churches

He did not establish a central authority to decide issues

He never had universal application of precedents but used spiritual unity through the Holy Spirit04/10/2023 15

Unity

All men are brothers Universal acts of mercy – mutual He encouraged mutual

communication We must be careful not to maintain

unity by applying western cultural decisions uniformly to planted churches in other cultures

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Problems the missionary church faces

The church is viewed as foreign Missions are dependent on foreign

leadership, funds, training Western pride and racial superior

attitudes in place of humbly seeing ourselves as servants of God carrying His message

We are incomplete without them04/10/2023 17

Paternalism

We have done much FOR them and little WITH them. We have held the power for ourselves

We feel we are indispensible and fail to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach them as He has taught us. In trying to prevent trouble, we open the door for other troubles that would not have occurred

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Give the right to make mistakes

As long as you are not free, you sense no responsibility.

Our own systems have problems, and we import and impose them on others

Only by exercising power can you grow

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Paul’s principles

He preached the gospel as opposed to the law. Paul preached that men need life – not just morals. That LIFE is found in Christ and is His life.

Paul worked by persuasion, not command. He left them to do things for themselves

Paul gave place to Christ04/10/2023 20

Roland Allen’s plea

We need to submit our methods and systems to faith in the Holy Spirit. What systems and safeguards cannot do, the Holy Spirit can do

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Methods of application

All teaching should be practical and used All organization must be understood and

able to be maintained – which they see as necessary and can maintain. It must be natural and maintained.

All business must be so that the nationals can manage and sustain it without outside finances

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Application

Funds should be locally managed and not pauperize or make dependent on outside funds

Christians have mutual responsibility to care for each other

Authority to exercise spiritual gifts should be given at once

Believe in the power of the Holy Spirit

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Missionary

Work like you have no successor Associate with people in all you do

and place the responsibility on the entire congregation. This is especially true in managing local charity.

Get the entire church involved in baptism as well as choice of ministers04/10/2023 24

Get the entire church involved

The church should be involved in church discipline

Teach the leaders to apply what they have learned

04/10/2023 Les 1 Santa Jejej 25

The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church

Roland AllenSummary by R. Patton

04/10/2023Spontaneous Expansion of

the church 26

The problem Allen faced

He was bishop of 6 Chinese provinces

Even with unlimited supply of men and money It would be foreign It would not grow if they depended on

him to plant churches Do not establish missions, but

establish churches04/10/2023 27

The problem Allen faced

He was bishop of 6 Chinese provinces

Even with unlimited supply of men and money It would be foreign It would not grow if they depended on

him to plant churches Do not establish missions, but

establish churches04/10/2023 28

We often start wrong

We start missions with the idea that we can back off and have indigenous churches

Open native churches with full power and authority as local churches

Then we show that we are helpers, and not seeking to dominate

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The Holy Spirit indwells

The Holy Spirit in the new Christian wants to share the joy with others. He speaks from experience. As he shares, he becomes stronger.

We teach, but not control. If it is of God, it is greater than we are, and we should not try to control it. We often restrain our converts rather than encourage them

04/10/2023Spontaneous expansion of the

Church 30

We are afraid of disorder

Godly zeal will help bring order. Self-will brings disorder. But we cannot restrain self-will without restraining Godly zeal – so encourage Godly zeal

Remember – foreigners cannot propagate a faith through an entire country. It must be naturalized and expand under its own power

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We often say we train leaders

But we are afraid to turn over the leadership to them

We fail to let them teach others, not realizing that this is the best way to learn. Thereby we teach inactivity and dependency.

We send “best men” to teach them hindering their own growth in the process04/10/2023 32

We need natives to teach natives

The heathen need to be confronted with the changes in the lives of the converts

Natives supporting the evangelists and the buildings which are necessary

The natives need to recognize that they are capable of organizing their churches04/10/2023 33

Christianity must propagate itself or languish & lose zeal

We have educated our converts in dependenceWe must avoid pride that our doctrine is always correct and that we are the guardians of their faith. If we decide that we must set a standard and maintain it, we need to work with care that we do not become the authority of their faith04/10/2023 34

Dangers of arbitrarily setting standards

The nationals may not understand or accept them but simply do them by rote

We avoid heresy at the price of sterility

We teach our converts that they must learn from paid teachers, etc.

There is resentment from external pressure of authority04/10/2023 35

Where does heresy come from?

In the ancient church – from the teaching centers

Today – in the seminaries The early church trusted the truth

was clear enough that converts could teach

Heresy comes from intellectual pride

Experience makes truth relevant and personal and powerful

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The truth of the Gospel

It is revelation of a person, not the expounding of a doctrine!

Others can experience Christ without expressing our doctrinal terms.

The person of Christ is far greater than any doctrine about HIM

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We need true converts

We need converts to trust Christ, and not just doctrines or morals concerning Christ.

Our aim should not be to have others simply accept our orthodoxy

We should fear the graduate more than the uninstructed new convert on fire with love for the Lord

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Morals in converts

Two methods Point to Christ and compare with Him

and ask His power to conform to Him Point to rules and standards as the

primary thing We have a tendency to set

standards for sins of the flesh, but not for sins of the spirit

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The question is sinning against the light

As we grow in Christ, our understanding also increases. But we often do not understand the implications of setting down an arbitrary law, such as monogamy.

It is different when you are sinning against the light you already have either in the culture, or as a Christian

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We are Christians because

God has given us HIS SPIRIT – not because we hold a higher moral standard. Christ came to save is both in our sins and from our sins. We must not confuse external compliance with an internal change

But external rules give a temporary edge at the cost of future spiritual progress. Abandon our righteousness so He can show His power

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Imposition of our morals limits spontaneous growth

We then say that the nationals cannot take over until they are capable of insisting on our standards without our help.

We must realize that it is the Holy Spirit who changes us from the inside out

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We must be careful not to set ourselves as judging culture

We have a tendency to live apart, and then to put rules and have our converts live apart from their people too.

We need to avoid the idea that intellectual understanding and social progress must occur before the gospel can spread. Christ transcends all conditions

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We must seek Christ first…seek ye first the kingdom of God

The prime cause of ignorance and misery is SPIRITUAL, and all progress through spiritual renewal through Jesus Christ.

Paul preached the cross, which is to the mind of man foolishness but shows the power of God. This power effects the mind, emotions and the will – more than mere doctrine

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Paul’s approach

Christ – not just a doctrine which can be accepted or rejected intellectually. The man must yield control to a divine power.

We must be careful not to put the wisdom of man (science) forward and hide the wisdom of the Cross. The wisdom of the world reaches the wise and the mighty

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Paul refused to hide the cross

We tend to try first to change education, morals, agriculture, health, etc to prepare for the gospel. We are erring – it should follow the gospel, not just precede it. We should be careful to use material improvement as the focus

True Christian education requires that we be IN Christ.

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We need to be careful about mission organization

The initial church organization was minimal. The church’s task was evangelization, so little organization was needed

Sometimes we so organize that we depend on our organization rather than God, and also support its existence after the need has been met

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If the Spirit is in the work

It will persist and give fruit If not – it will eventually die despite

organization. We tend to emphasize the material

and wealth through our organization, but we cannot organize true spiritual force

We tie people to location and buildings and limit them04/10/2023 48

Allen’s contention

Missionary outreach is the church’s job, and should be done through the church. It does not necessarily require parachurch organizations

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Be careful in your training programs

Often we train those who can grasp intellectual truths easily – usually the young – and ignore those who are wise in the traditions of the people.

We tend to overtrain intellectually and separate the men from their people so that they cannot minister effectively to them and identify with them

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We need to set up churches that can start other churches

The most important parts of the church life can only be learned by experience. We should make it possible for the local leaders to learn gradually and transmit their leadership to the others in their local groups.

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Paul’s prison epistles

It was really in prison that Paul expounded the doctrine of the church, and outlined the plan for this age.

We now see that God’s plan for our age is to call out a people for His name. It is no longer Israel calling “come” but the church going out into the world to seek those who are lost…

How far had the church spread by Paul’s death

Probably from Alexandria and region in the south to Rome in the north, and also Macedonia & Dalmatia

Possibly Spain in the west, to Babylon in the east

The vision of John - Revelation

Rev. 5:[9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

The vision of John - Revelation

Rev. 7:[9] After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;[10] And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

The age of grace is particularly the age of missions

We are called to seek out the lost, as in the parable of the great supper…

The parables of Matthew 13 apply especially for the dispensation of grace.

We are to reach every people and nation… see the great commission.

Spread of the church – advantages at the time

Pax Romana Good roads Universal Greek language Availability of synagogues Spirit of openness to new

ideas

Early witness of the believers

Preaching & teaching of evangelists

Personal witness of believers Acts of kindness & charity Faith shown in persecution and

death Intellectual reasoning of apologists

based on history and fact, and not just theory

The power of the early church

Every believer is a witness despite the possibility of persecution

They lived lives of sacrifice for the gospel

However, there were many who turned back under persecution

Summary:

God has always wanted the salvation of all men: Jn. 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9, etc.

During the dispensations of Innocence, Conscience, Human Government – God was dealing with all mankind: Genesis 1-11

Beginning with the time of Promise, God chose a people, Israel Genesis 12

Early Christianity during the apostolic period 35-95

Paul spread in Achaia, Macedonia, Asia, Galatia, & prob. Spain by his death 67 A.D.

The church grew in these areas through the first 2 centuries

Paul arrested

Paul shipwrecked

Paul’s execution

Persecution helped the spread of Christianity

Spread the word by spreading the believers

Purify the church Removed apostates and mere

professors Strengthen witness through the

testimony at death Tertullian: the blood of the martyrs is

the seed of the church

Most if not all the apostles died a martyr’s death

Peter – crucified upside down at Rome by Nero

Paul – beheaded at Rome by Nero Thomas – speared in India In one catacomb in Rome, there

are the bodies of 174,000 martyrs Others flayed, dragged by horses,

etc.

Peter crucified upside down

Depiction of Thomas

Phillip stoned at Hieropolis

John sent to Patmos

James the Just – stoned & clubbed to death

James beheaded

Andrew crucified

Barnabas burned at Salamis

Mark dragged to be burned

Martyrs deaths of the early church

James beheaded by Herod Agrippa, who also killed a number of other early Christians

Phillip – scourged, imprisoned and crucified in Phrygia

Matthew – killed by the sword James the just – thrown from the

temple, stoned and clubbed to death

After 100 AD

Two main problems: Persecution by Rome False teachers

These two problems occur on multiple occasions in the history of the church

Reasons for persecution – political

Rome wanted a uniform world under Roman government, and the worship of the Emperor was a stabilizing factor

The Christians were tied by spiritual factors and placed Christ before Caesar and undermined the classic culture Rome wanted to propagate. They held secret meetings at night

Reasons for persecution – religious

Christians prayed but not to idols – this must be atheism

Christians had a “kiss of peace- this must be immorality

Christians “ate the body of Christ” = cannibalism

You could have another religion, but secondary to that of the state

Reasons for persecution – social

Christians said all people are equal; the pagans believed in a rich aristocracy

The Christians led pure lives, a rebuke to the lives of many pagans

The Christians did not participate in many of the rites and entertainment of the masses

Reasons for persecution

Christianity was seen no longer as a Jewish sect – thus illegal

The Christians threated the economy of many idol-makers, etc.

Initial persecution – Nero who sought a scapegoat for the burning of Rome; killed Peter & Paul

95 – Domitian – exiled John

Rome persecuted the church

Most of the emperors were considered a god which must be worshipped

They opposed the church and its power

There were 10 major persecutions between Nero in 64 A.D. and Diocletian in 303 A.D.

Persecution 100-250

Emperor Tragan – 112 – don’t seek out Christians, but if one is so, ask three times. If affirmative – kill him

Later in Smyrna – Polycarp killed Marcus Arelius persecuted

Christians – he was a Stoic who believed Christians caused the problems in his time – Killed Justyn Martyr

Vitalius, Roman nobleman, buried alive

Window depicting Perpetua and her slave Felicia martyrdom

Ignatius, a follower of John, devoured by lions

Phocus, bishop of Sineppe, thrown in lime kiln