Great Commmission Resurgence

I have been getting a lot of email about the new Great Commission Resurgence that has been proposed by Dr. Danny Aiken and signed by most every major leader in the SBC. I have read it a couple of times but did not really see it as that big of a deal. Today I got an email from a friend who asked me directly "what do you think?"
I decided that I would share my thoughts for her here so that maybe more people will read the Declaration or possibly the entire manuscript by following the link below or going to http://www.greatcommissionresurgence.com/media.
Here are my thoughts and an outline of the Declaration:
I like that this is basically a call back to the gospel. There is nothing in the statement that I have trouble with and I really trust the guys who are behind this. You can read online who has signed the document and I signed it today. It is really nothing new for me because I have been around these guys for 15 years or so. This is really the worldview and philosophy of ministry that I have always been taught from. It is a statement to extreme groups on both ends of the scale who would try to divide over secondary issues. I believe we are approaching time of persecution and oppression. These are times for unity in our diversity around the absolute truths of the word of God. The next generation will see a separation of the wheat and tares. It is time for true believers of all preference and personality to labor for the bond of unity that is the love of the Spirit of Truth.
Over 10 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Judge Paul Pressler, one of the key leaders of the Conservative Resurgence. When we met him and had him sign his book for us, my friend Jeff Jordan respectfully thanked Judge Pressler for fighting for us so that we did not have to. Pressler pulled Jeff very close and said something like this, "I did not fight so that you would not have to. I fought so that you might be able to. If you rest on what has been accomplished, it will be lost. You must fight and continue to fight for the word of God." I believe that is what this is, that continued fight.
What are your thoughts? I encourage everyone to read the statement and decide for yourself.

Toward a Great Commission Resurgence in the
Southern Baptist Convention
A Declaration
Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on
earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew
28:18-20, HCSB).
Preamble
Southern Baptists have always been a Great Commission people. Christ’s command to go, disciple, baptize, and teach is woven into the very DNA of our churches. By God’s grace, over the last thirty years the SBC has undergone a Conservative Resurgence that has brought substantive changes to many of our churches and all of our Convention’s seminaries and boards. We, the undersigned, are thankful for the Conservative Resurgence and believe that God has called Southern Baptists to a Great Commission Resurgence as the next step in the renewal of our denomination. It is our conviction that a Great Commission Resurgence must embrace the following ten commitments:
I. A Commitment to Christ’s Lordship.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to submit to the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ in all things at the personal, local church, and denominational levels. (Col. 1:18; 3:16-17, 23-24)
II. A Commitment to Gospel-Centeredness.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to make the gospel of Jesus Christ central in our lives, our churches, and our denominational ministries. (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:17-21)
III. A Commitment to the Great Commandments.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to recommit to the priority of the Great Commandments in every aspect of our lives and every priority we embrace as a network of local Baptist churches. (Matt. 22:37-40)
IV. A Commitment to Biblical Inerrancy and Sufficiency.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to unite around a firm conviction in the full truthfulness and complete sufficiency of Christian Scripture in all matters of faith and practice. (Matt 5:17-18; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
V. A Commitment to a Healthy Confessional Center.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to look to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a sufficient guide for building a theological consensus for partnership in the gospel, refusing to be sidetracked by theological agendas that distract us from our Lord’s Commission. (1 Tim. 6:3-4)
VI. A Commitment to Biblically Healthy Churches.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to focus on building local churches that are thoroughly orthodox, distinctively Baptist, and passionately committed to the Great Commission. (Matt. 16:13-20, 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 5)
VII. A Commitment to Sound Biblical Preaching.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to affirm and expect a pastoral ministry that is characterized by faithful biblical preaching that teaches both the content of the Scriptures and the theology embedded in the Scriptures. (2 Tim. 4:1-5)
VIII. A Commitment to a Methodological Diversity that is Biblically Informed.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to consider themselves and their churches to be missionaries in non-Christian cultures, each of which requires unique strategies and emphases if the gospel is
to penetrate and saturate every community in North America. (Phil. 2:1-5; 4:2-9)
IX. A Commitment to a More Effective Convention Structure.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to rethink our Convention structure and priorities so that we can maximize our energy and resources for the health of our local churches and the fulfilling of the Great Commission. (1 Cor. 10:31)
X. A Commitment to Distinctively Christian Families.
We call upon all Southern Baptists to build gospel-saturated homes that see children as a gift from God and as our first and primary mission field. (Deut. 6:1-9; Psalm 127, 128; Eph. 6:4)

Theologue-Troy: Missiology

The April meeting of the Theologue-Troy Group was held this past Friday at Village Coffe in Troy, Alabama. We had one of our largest groups yet attend this month to hear Karen Alewine present on Missiology. We have included the outline of her presentation below.
The next meeting of Theologue-Troy will be May 1st. Reid Ward will be presenting on Ecclesiology. We hope you will all come be a part of the discussion.

Missiology

Misconceptions about missions:

1. Missions is a super special assignment for extraordinary people.

a. God uses the foolish, weak, and despised people of the world to bring glory to Himself (I Corinthians 1:26-31).

b. Paul wasn’t the only missionary of the first century. Others such as Barnabas, Silas, Mark, Aquila, and Epaphroditus, as well as many others, helped to spread the gospel during the first century.

2. World missions can be done by proxy.

a. Not everyone can be a missionary, but everyone can be on mission for God.

b. Giving is not a way of paying for your part of the command to go into all the world and preach the gospel.

c. Giving and praying are great, but do not fulfill the great commission by themselves.

I. Mission of God - to restore fellowship with man and to make him a partner in world redemption. (John 3:16)

A. The Nature of God

1. Powerful

Isaiah 40:12 – God has measured the earth and the heavens with His hands.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God

Jeremiah 32:27 – Nothing is too hard for God.

2. Loving

Psalm 8:5-6 – God shows His love for man by putting all things under his feet.

Genesis 2:8-14 – God placed man in the perfect environment and provided everything he needed.

3. Purposeful

Psalm 33:4-6, 10-11 – God’s plans stand forever

Psalm 19:1 – The astronomer can predict precisely the location and movement of the stars and planets because they were made according to the purpose of God.

B. The Nature of Man

Genesis 1:27 – God created man in His own image, which means that man is good, responsible, and capable of communion with God.

Genesis 2:7 – Man is finite and limited to time and space.

1. Relational

God made man to have a relationship with Him and with other created beings.

2. Responsible

a. Genesis 2:19-20 - Named all living creatures

b. Genesis 2:15 - Care for the earth

c. Genesis 1:28 - Have children

3. Finite

Genesis 3:16-24 – During the fall, man sacrificed his close relationship with God, destroyed his cooperative relationship with the created order, and became subject to sin and death

C. The Nature of Evil

John 14:30, John 16:11, 2 Corinthians 4:4 - Satan is the prince of this world

Ephesians 2:2 - Prince of the power of the air

Ephesians 6:11 - Heads a vast horde of demons, principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and wicked hosts of the spirit world

Matthew 4:1-11 - Claims authority over all the kingdoms of this world

D. The Nature of the Mission

Psalm 78:41 - God limits Himself because of the possibility of what He can do through us.

1. To Bring Glory to God

Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14 – God’s eternal plan is for His people to be the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 3:19 – God receives glory when man fully recognizes the purpose of his existence, consciously praises God for His grace, and joyfully demonstrates God’s grace by being filled with all the fullness of God.

2. To Share the Good News with the Alienated

Ephesians 2:10 – God restores man’s identity and his purpose for being.

Ephesians 2:13-22 – God creates a new society without barriers.

Ephesians 3:6 – The Gentiles are included in God’s plan.

3. To Display the Wisdom of God to Evil Powers

Ephesians 3:10 – Man becomes God’s display of His wisdom to Satan

II. Mission of God’s People

A. God’s Election of a People

Genesis 12:1-3 – God involved man in His purpose by choosing Abraham and his descendants.

Deuteronomy 9:4-5; 7:7-8, Hosea 11:1-3, Jeremiah 3:4, Exodus 16:6 - God’s love, not Israel’s faithfulness is the reason for her election

The saved are elected to help bring the lost to a knowledge of God.

B. God’s Covenant with His People

Exodus 19:4-6 – God’s covenant with Israel shows that He chose them for service.

Galatians 3:13-16 – As Christians, we are elected in Christ and inherit the promises.

C. God’s Role for His People

1. A Disciplined People

Deuteronomy 7:6-11 – God disciplined His people and that discipline involved nurture for motivation, training for obedience, and punishment for correction in righteousness.

2. A Nation of Priests

Exodus 19:3-7, Isaiah 61:4-6 – God intended Israel to be His servants.

2 Peter 2:9-11, Revelation 1:6 – God has never wavered in His purpose

3. A Servant People

Isaiah 42:1-7 – God’s servant will bring justice to the nations.

Isaiah 49:1-12 – God has called Israel

III. Mission of Christ - God sent His Son, Jesus to fulfill the mission He had given to Israel.

A. The Incarnation

Philippians 2:7 – Jesus emptied Himself when He became man. He was fully man as well as fully God.

Luke 2:52 – Jesus had to grow in wisdom and physical stature.

Hebrews 5:8 – He had to learn obedience.

1 Corinthians 2:14, Hebrews 2:9 - The incarnation is illogical to the natural mind

Hebrews 4:15 – God took the risk that the Son could fail.

John 1:15-16 - The incarnation proves God’s commitment to man and his partnership in mission.

Philippians 2:7 - In the incarnation Jesus emptied himself of his power except that to be given by the Holy Spirit.

1 Timothy 1:15 - The incarnation demands that every person have the chance to hear the gospel.

B. The Crucifixion

Philippians 2:8 – The purpose of the incarnation was Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Revelation 13:8 – The crucifixion was not a surprise; it was planned all along.

Luke 22:44 – Satan assaulted the humanity of Jesus in Gethsemane to tempt Him from fulfilling His purpose.

Philippians 2:8 – Christ was obedient to the Father’s will.

C. The Resurrection

Matthew 28:18 - Through the resurrection Jesus gained all authority in heaven and in earth.

Colossians 1:20, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 - Christ reconciled the world to God.

IV. Mission of the Holy Spirit - God the Father and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to take Christ’s place.

A. The Inspirer of Missions

Acts 2:4-11 – When Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they spontaneously shared the gospel with people of all nations.

Acts 2:17 – Peter had to explain at Pentecost that what was happening was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions; and your old men shall dream dreams.”

Numbers 11:29 – Moses had wished that all God’s people would prophesy and that His Spirit would be on them. This wish was fulfilled at Pentecost.

B. The Empowerer of the Church

John 16:8-11 – Only the Holy Spirit can convict of sin, judgment, and righteousness.

C. The Guide in Missions

1. Jerusalem – Acts 2:1-8:4

2. Judea and Samaria – Acts 8:5-12:25

3. The Rest of the World – Acts 13:1-28:31

V. Co-Mission of the Church -

Ephesians 1:22-23 – The Church has two possibilities: the possibility of failing to accomplish God’s purpose as Israel did and the possibility of becoming the fullness of Christ.

A. The Church’s Possibilities and God’s Expectations

Ephesians 3:6 – God wants to make both Jews and Gentiles a new creation.

Ephesians 1:18 – Christians should have their eyes opened so that they may know the hope of God’s calling and the riches of the glory of God’s inheritance.

Ephesians 1:12 – God is made richer because of our praises.

Ephesians 1:23 – God expects us to be Christ’s body.

Ephesians 5:25-27 – God has not given up hope on the Church.

B. Priests of God: The Calvary Principle

Hebrews 8:6-13 – Through His death, Christ established a new covenant with us and gave us direct access to God.

2 Peter 1:3-4 – Christ redeemed us by His sacrifice and gave us even greater promises that Israel received.

Romans 12:1, Hebrews 13:15 – We are New Testament priests who sacrifice their living bodies, praise, thanksgiving, good works, and material possessions.

I Corinthians 3:16 – We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 9:23 – We are commanded to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Christ.

C. Servants of God: The Incarnation Principle

Matthew 23:11 – He that is greatest is the servant.

Acts 1:1 – First do, then teach.

D. Sons of the King: The Resurrection Principle

Luke 12:32 – It is God’s desire to give His Kingdom to His children.

Acts 4:20,29; 5:32,41; 7:60 – Even with the threat of persecution, the Church continued to witness and pray for others.

VI. Discipling: Mandate to Mission

A. The Impossible Task

B. Becoming Disciples

Luke 14:26-27 – We must deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Jesus in order to be His disciple.

1. Follow Jesus

2. Be an apprentice

Matthew 11:29 – Work alongside Jesus.

3. Be a Learner

Matthew 11:29 – Learn continuously from God.

4. Be a Representative

John 20:21 – Jesus has sent us to be His representatives to an unbelieving world.

5. Jesus: the Perfect Model for the Disciple

John 5:19 – Jesus did what He saw the Father doing.

John 5:20 – Jesus did what the Father showed Him.

John 5:22,30 – Jesus did not judge anything on His own initiative.

John 5:24-26 – Jesus gave life to the dead as He received it from the Father.

John 5: 43 – Jesus came in the Father’s name.

John 6:38 – Jesus’ one purpose was to do the Father’s will instead of His own.

John 6:39 – Jesus discipled everyone the Father gave Him.

John 7:16 – Jesus taught the Father’s teaching rather than His own.

John 7:18 – Jesus sought only the Father’s glory.

John 7:18 – Jesus saw Himself as the Father’s representative.

6. Holy Spirit: the Perfect Model of a Servant

John 14:16

John 16:13-15

C. Making Disciples

1. Model

Matthew 23:3 – Jesus reacted negatively toward the Pharisees who did not practice what they preached.

2. Selection

Luke 6:12 – Jesus prayed all night before choosing the twelve.

3. Partnership

Mark 3:14 – Jesus chose the disciples so that they might work with Him.

4. Life-Situation Learning

Jesus was always teaching them lessons from life.

5. Job-Related Training

Jesus was always teaching His disciples about the jobs He wanted them to do.

D. Global Discipleship

1. As disciples go about their daily tasks in the world, they will come in contact with unbelievers.

2. Some disciples go to other nations and cultures as missionaries.

E. Reproducing Disciple-Makers

Barnabas discipled Paul who discipled Timothy and so on.

1. The local body of believers wins converts and integrates them into the fellowship.

2. The local church provides small groups that help incorporate the group’s values into the individual’s own values.

3. The local church should contain disciple-makers who can advance the process of multiplication.

VII. Equipped for Mission

A. Who Are the Soldiers?

B. God Appoints Leaders to Equip His People for Mission

Ephesians 4:11-12 – God has given the Church certain people whose duty is to equip the saints.

Ephesians 4:1 – The equippers are to equip the saints to walk worthy of their calling.

Ephesians 4:7 – The equippers prepare the saints for ministry.

The equippers are to equip the saints to build up the body of Christ.

1. Apostle

An apostle goes to virgin territory, reaches people for Christ, plants churches, helps them grow, and then moves on.

The apostle equips the church for its missionary function by his example, his reporting, his exhortation, and his training of others for missionary service.

2. Prophet

The prophet proclaims God’s word and concern about nations, churches, and individuals.

The prophet equips the church with a holy value system, a sense of justice, and an urgency for the coming Kingdom.

3. Evangelist

The evangelist has a special ability to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers, both to large groups and to individuals.

4. Pastor-Teacher

The pastor-teacher nurtures the young and the weak in the faith, builds up the church, and equips each member of the body to fulfill his particular ministry.

C. Return to the Biblical Principle

We cannot expect one person (the pastor of a congregation) to do all these different jobs.

VIII. The People of God on Mission

A. Every Believer Is a Minister

There is not a distinction in the Bible between the clergy and they laity.

Ephesians 4:15-16 – Everyone is called to ministry.

B. Every Believer Has a Spiritual Gift

1 Corinthians 12:7, Romans 12:4-6, Ephesians 4:7, 1 Peter 4:10 – God has given every believer one or more spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:11-18, 25 – Spiritual gifts are spiritual abilities given to persons to enable them to minister to the entire body.

Galatians 5:22-23 – A life that has spiritual fruit is a life in which spiritual gifts can flourish.

1 Corinthians 12:11-27 – The purpose of the different spiritual gifts is that the body would be unified and interdependent

C. Every Believer Extends the Body to the World

Early churches grew because they served in the world. They worshipped and ministered in homes.

Acts 8:4 – In the first century Christians went everywhere for various reasons, but they preached the gospel wherever they went.

Acts 13:3; 14:26-27; 15:40 - Model for sending missionaries: Spend time in fasting and prayer. Send your best equippers. Cooperate with the Holy Spirit to send missionaries. Commend them to the grace of God for mission work. Receive reports of the fulfilled ministries of the missionaries. Commend them to return for further missionary service.

IX. God’s Go-Between

A. Purpose of Prayer in Missions

Prayer is the mighty means by which the church is empowered to demonstrate the wisdom and power of God to Satan and his hierarchy of rulers and demons.

Prayer is God’s way of giving the church on-the-job training in overcoming the forces hostile to God.

B. Pattern of Intercessory Prayer

2 Chronicles 20:1-25 – Win the battle in prayer first.

The purpose of intercessory prayer in missions is to overcome the spiritual powers that rule the nations and the hearts of unsaved men.

God uses His people as intercessors to train them in His purpose, to direct them in His battles, and to display to the evil powers His glorious plan of eternal partnership with man.

C. Power of Praying According to God’s Will

Prayer is designed to involve us in God’s purpose, not to involve God in our plans.

In order to pray successfully, we must know God’s will. We can know God’s will through the study of His word.

Matthew 9:37-38 – The reason there are so few people reaping the harvest is because we are not praying that the Lord will send out laborers.

D. Position of the Intercessor

The intercessor stands between God and the one for whom prayer is made.

E. Plan for Intercession

2 Corinthians 10:5 – Pray for protection of your mind.

Revelation 12:11 – Claim your right to pray.

Psalm 145 – Praise God for your salvation and assurance.

Ephesians 5:19-20 – Praise God for your salvation and all its blessings.

Romans 8:5 – Claim the mind of Christ.

Psalm 139:23-24 – Ask God to search your heart and show you any wickedness in it.

1 John 1:9 – Confess any sin that the Spirit has revealed in your heart.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – Claim Christ’s righteousness as the substitute for your sin.

Ask God to not let your emotions cloud the truth.

Isaiah 52:7-8 – Be prepared to take the gospel to anyone for whom you pray.

Ask God to fulfill the promises He gives in His word.

Ephesians 6:19-20 – Ask that God’s plan be executed and that His gospel be proclaimed boldly.

F. Priority of Intercessory Prayer in Missions

Movements of God are born in the prayer of His people.

G. Practice of Prayer for Missions

Every local church should have an intercessory prayer ministry enveloping local, associational, state, national, and international missions.

X. Mission Accomplished

A. The Will of God

2 Peter 3:9-12 – We are to evangelize the world because God wills it.

B. Needs of the World

Man’s greatest problem is lostness.

C. Uncertainty of the Future

The impending wrath of God on all unrighteousness has been withheld only because of God’s longsuffering toward man.

The uncertainty of the future demands that we take the gospel to every nation while there is still time.

D. Possibilities of This Age

Matthew 28:20 – God is working in the lives of His children to send them into the harvest.

God’s hand is moving throughout all the affairs of men and of nations to produce a harvest.

There may be people who reach a future generation, but if we do not reach our current generation it will be lost.

E. Imminence of Christ’s Return

Matthew 24:42-44 – Christ will return without warning.

Source: Biblical Basis for Missions by Avery T. Willis, Jr.: http://imb.org/core/biblicalbasis/default.htm