{"id":2282291,"date":"2024-06-23T17:52:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-23T21:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-is-gods-mission-in-the-world\/"},"modified":"2024-06-23T17:58:38","modified_gmt":"2024-06-23T21:58:38","slug":"what-is-gods-mission-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-is-gods-mission-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is God\u2019s Mission in the World?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-is-gods-mission-in-the-world%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2282291&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>This commentary from the Theology of Work Project, posted on June 23, 2024, \u2062emphasizes the Christian belief in the intrinsic goodness of God\u2019s creation and the vital\u200b role \u2062of human work\u200d in God\u2019s mission \u200cto restore the world. It outlines\u200c the notion \u200cthat God\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lifting-sanctions-may-help-russians-supply-spy-satellites-to-iran\/\" title=\"Lifting Sanctions May Help Russians Supply Spy Satellites to Iran\">mission includes<\/a> not just the creation but also the redemption of the \u200bworld, enhanced by \u2063human creativity and \u2064cooperation. This work takes various forms, ranging from church activities to secular engagements across different workplaces, exemplifying the breadth of God\u2019s kingdom&#8217;s influence.<\/p>\n<p>Churches play a \u2064crucial role by equipping believers to extend this mission into their daily lives and \u200dprofessional environments, thereby fostering a \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-prepping-3-4-trillion-spending-push-democrats-likely-have-to-kill-filibuster-to-pass-it\/\" title=\"Biden Prepping -4 Trillion Spending Push; Democrats Likely Have To Kill Filibuster To Pass It\">broader impact<\/a> that reaches beyond the church&#8217;s walls. This approach is supported and complemented by different theological stances among churches, with some \u2064focusing on evangelism in\u200b workplaces, while others embrace a role in\u2064 broader cultural engagement and making. This \u200cdiversity of approach reflects a shared understanding of\u200c the missional \u200cnature of work, which not only contributes to immediate societal\u200b betterment\u2062 but is \u200dalso viewed as\u200c part of the\u200d eternal establishment of God&#8217;s kingdom on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>Key thinkers like John Stott, Lesslie Newbigin, and Miroslav Volf have influenced these churches&#8217; evolving perspectives, encouraging \u2063a Christianity that interacts constructively with worldly affairs without losing its spiritual essence. This transformational \u200boutlook is seen as a path to reframe traditional views on salvation and \u200dthe church&#8217;s role, emphasizing active participation in worldly restoration as integral to Christian doctrine and practice. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-washington-post-is-more-dangerous-than-so-called-russian-propaganda\/\" title=\"The Washington Post Poses Greater Risk Than Alleged Russian Propaganda\">article \u200bsuggests<\/a> that this holistic approach \u200bto \u200cChristian mission is gaining traction among diverse \u200dtheological communities, focusing\u200c more on integrating \u200bbelievers into God&#8217;s \u200bwork in the world rather than confining religious expression to church-oriented activities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/commentary\/\">  Commentary <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/theologyofwork\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/theologyofwork\/%20\"><span>Theology of Work Project<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   June 23, 2024 at 1:00pm <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>First of all, God\u2019s mission is to inspire people to work with the materials He provides to bring forth new and good creations and to order the natural world.<\/p>\n<p>The world God created is good, and when humans begin to work alongside God in creation, things become \u201cvery good\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis+1%3A31&#038;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Genesis 1:31<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, because of the Fall of humanity, the world comes up far short of God\u2019s intent, and the human condition ranges from very good (still, at times) to dismal or worse. Nonetheless, over the entire course of history \u2014 concentrated first in the nation of Israel, centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and continuing in God\u2019s people today \u2014 God gives people the grace to return to Him.<\/p>\n<p>He heals the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/equality-miserific-vision-leftism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">World\u2019s brokenness<\/a>, and He opens the way to fully restore His original intent for the world, including humanity\u2019s role of co-creativity with Him. Both the creation of the world and its redemption by God\u2019s grace are therefore the mission of God.<\/p>\n<p>Christians participate in the mission of God through every activity of life that expresses God\u2019s creativity, sustains God\u2019s creation, and cooperates with God\u2019s redemption. The church \u2014 including church-related organizations \u2014 is the one body exclusively dedicated to advancing the mission of God, so all Christians are part of the church.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the church itself is not the kingdom of God, and church work is not the only way believers go about the work of advancing God\u2019s kingdom. As <a href=\"https:\/\/dwillard.org\/resources\/articles\/foreword-whole-life-transformation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dallas Willard<\/a> put it, \u201cThe church is for discipleship, and discipleship is for the world.\u201d Gathered in churches, Christians advance the mission of God through a wide variety of activities.<\/p>\n<p>Scattered into an amazing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/graduate-punished-proclaiming-gospel-finally-gets-diploma-speaks-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">variety of workplaces<\/a>, we have opportunities to advance the mission of God through daily work in every sphere of society. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theologyofwork.org\/key-topics\/the-equipping-church\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anglican Bishop D.T. Niles<\/a> of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) pointed out that \u201cthe Church is the only society which exists for the benefit of its non-members.\u201d The church comes into contact with non-members primarily through its people\u2019s daily interactions with people in their places of work.<\/p>\n<p>The result is that churches do the mission of God themselves, and they equip Christians to do the mission of God in other spheres of life and work. The latter role \u2014 equipping Christians for work outside church bodies \u2014 is essential, because unless Christians are trained and supported for it, our work is likely to have little positive effect toward God\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n<p>Churches that support Christians at work find themselves on a journey in mission. Their focus has expanded from concentrating on what God is doing in the church to include what God is doing in the world. They also help church members gain a glimpse of the God who goes before them into their workday worlds and invites them to operate as partners in God\u2019s work there.<\/p>\n<p>Among churches that have undergone this shift in perspective, different theological emphases may be seen.<\/p>\n<p>For some churches, it is an expansion of their existing evangelistic emphasis. They now more deliberately recognize workplaces as a strategic priority in their evangelistic outreach. After all, this is where most people spend the majority of their time and where Christians are most often in close contact with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/op-ed-bible-foundation-debate-even-unbelievers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">non-Christians<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For other churches, understanding God\u2019s mission has involved embracing a broader view of mission that involves participation in the creating, sustaining, and redeeming work of God the Father, Son, and Spirit.<\/p>\n<p>Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, for example, has developed a remarkable faith and work program dedicated to \u201cthe renaissance of Christian cultural engagement in New York City.\u201d They understand that God\u2019s mission includes \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Culture-Making-Recovering-Creative-Calling\/dp\/151400576X\/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.88ytldFSTbQwo9hkZbRaFrRiVZlDBJVqVKwHVast2V6_jfZVEoILklAxHIC2i4DVRGr_u8KEtp_5u2JU4K95EA.ZdY09QR0xzrmPWIcyKiGDho2ZvNHCbn4YfvRwcv72ro&#038;dib_tag=se&#038;keywords=Culture-Making%3A+Recovering+Our+Creative+Calling&#038;qid=1719039618&#038;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">culture making<\/a>,\u201d in the city at large, in addition to calling people to come to Christ through the church.<\/p>\n<p>Churches embracing this understanding of mission are often shaped by the influence of thinkers such as John Stott and Lesslie Newbigin. Stott\u2019s influence has helped some from conservative evangelical backgrounds to add a new concern for serving others and caring for creation through their work, in addition to introducing people to Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>Lesslie Newbigin warned churches in the West against separating personal spirituality from the way we live and the issues we address at work and in the community. Miroslav Volf, coming from an eastern European Pentecostal background, adds an emphasis on work in the spirit.<\/p>\n<p>For some other churches, understanding God\u2019s mission in the world has meant re-thinking their perspective on our destination of salvation. These churches have discovered that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/share-gospel-everyone-no-case-hopeless-jesus-lives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">salvation in Christ<\/a> is not the escape of souls from this world, but the transformation of the world to become <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theologyofwork.org\/new-testament\/revelation\/a-tale-of-two-cities-revelation-17-22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the kingdom of God on earth<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This restored world will be brought to fulfilment when Christ returns to earth, and the work we do today contributes to the restoration of the kingdom of God in eternity. Thus, work has an inherent or eternal value on a par with evangelism and worship. Darrell Cosden\u2019s book \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Heavenly-Good-Earthly-Work\/dp\/0801045967\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12TJNRSJUFRZV&#038;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EWwHbTmktTp4jdRZLzSzYwAcKs9ymvidDZ9mH4sgBh2krVvTQ6HmBle2YtlP41DqB7jomNQsvX6YivYzIFQc7hRZGH9RHup6fhGQBPT1jaFLCa29VDNkTZDVdbKXSxkNcgU67hi-NOKkUEOB5iKTWIVt-tRAlV88rZOJU0TR9IFqTxMaKYrO33p6-sA6X5697dnk0sNCavc4nLY0kk7lFOrLR5WT0hzgXg0Kz0SwzYU.ROkPiM20-FB_DwK63_SkcSZvqrhk0_tuszBKRzbP1GI&#038;dib_tag=se&#038;keywords=The+Heavenly+Good+of+Earthly+Work&#038;qid=1719039831&#038;sprefix=the+heavenly+good+of+earthly+work%2Caps%2C121&#038;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Heavenly Good of Earthly Work<\/a>\u201d is a good source for exploring this topic in biblical and theological depth.<\/p>\n<p>One source that may be useful to churches exploring how to better equip their people for daily work is the Theology of Work Project\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theologyofwork.org\/about\/foundations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Theological Foundations<\/a> outline.<\/p>\n<p>It is encouraging to find these common concerns among <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/leftists-cry-separation-church-state-new-ten-commandments-law-history-lesson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">church<\/a> leaders and thinkers from such <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sharon-stone-cancel-culture-is-the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-seen-happen\/\" title=\"Sharon Stone: \u2018Cancel Culture Is The Stupidest Thing I Have Ever Seen Happen\u2019\">diverse backgrounds<\/a>. In spite of many differences, in each case the starting point is the understanding that mission starts with what God has done and is doing, including not only what we do at church, but also our everyday work at our jobs, at home, and in voluntary service in the community.<\/p>\n<p>God\u2019s mission is not primarily about getting people more involved in what churches are doing, but getting churches more involved in what God is doing in the world. It is a shift in emphasis from attracting crowds to church meetings toward equipping and supporting followers of Jesus for their work in the world.<\/p>\n<p>This is not to suggest that gathering for worship and church meetings is not still important to these churches. Rather these churches recognize the importance of both gathering Christians together and sending them out to do the work of God in the world.<\/p>\n<p>Sending people out has become a more serious attempt to forge stronger links in people\u2019s experience between Sunday and Monday in order to help them become more effective participants in God\u2019s work in the world.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article appeared originally on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theologyofwork.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Theology of Work<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"author-info-45832\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/theologyofwork\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-45832\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-45832\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-45832\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>  The Theology of Work Project (TOW) is an independent, international non-profit organization dedicated to researching, writing, and distributing materials with a biblical perspective on non-church workplaces. The Project\u2019s primary mission is to produce resources covering every book of the Bible. We are also developing resources for the most significant topics in today\u2019s workplace, such as calling, ethics, truth &#038; deception, provision &#038; wealth, motivation, finance, and economics and society. Wherever possible, we collaborate with other faith-and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/balancing-rhythms-of-rest-and-work\/\" title=\"Finding Harmony Between Rest and Work\">-work organizations<\/a>, churches, universities and seminaries to help equip workplace Christians for meaningful and fruitful work of every kind. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Commentary by Theology of Work Project, June 23, 2024, at 1:00 pm: God&#8217;s mission encourages us to utilize His provided materials to create and organize the natural world. The inherent goodness of God&#8217;s creation is enhanced when humans collaborate with Him in their endeavors<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3167,"featured_media":2282292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Vintage-world-globe.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[7425,5250,7877,10655,4697],"class_list":["post-2282291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-god","tag-faith","tag-mission","tag-purpose","tag-world"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Vintage-world-globe.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2282291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3167"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2282291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2282291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2282292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2282291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2282291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2282291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}