Five Missional Priorities

By Curt Watke PhD

Every Christian has Been Called by God to Serve in His Mission

Called in our conversion experience

God's call to Israel in the Old Testament was a call to return to the "way" in which the people of God participate in God's redemptive movement (Genesis 12:1-3). This return is the essence of repentance in which blindness is turned to sight, deafness is turned to hearing, and darkness is turned to light. This leads to a re-commitment to the servant role among the nations to which the people of God are called. This call is a call to mission as a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6) so that the salvation of God may reach the ends of the earth, as a witness for God (Isaiah 43:9,10-12, and as a proclamation of the good news of God's reign (Isaiah 52:7, 10). 

In the New Testament, followers of Jesus are also called to the "way" in which the people of God participate in God's redemptive movement through their inauguration into the Kingdom of God in salvation. Repentance returns the believer from blindness to sight (Acts 9), from deafness to hearing (Acts 9, 22, and 28), and from darkness to light (Acts 22:6,9,11; 26:18). The people of God are called in their conversion experience to mission as a light to the nations (Acts 13:47), as a witness for God (Acts 9:15, 22:15), and as a proclamation of the good news (Acts 9:20, 26:20). 

Throughout the scripture, the people of God are called in their salvation experience to serve in the mission of God by joining God at work in the world.

Called to Address Global Vulnerabilities

Many twentieth-century Christians argued over whether primacy should be given to evangelism (sharing the gospel with individuals), social ministry (serving the needs of humanity and communities); or social justice (standing on the side of the vulnerable and oppressed). However, this fracturing of the mission is not faithful to the whole counsel of God as given in the scripture (Acts 20:26-29; 2 Timothy 3:16). Instead, the mission of God places the gospel at the center out of which evangelism, social concern, earth stewardship, and justice flow. Twenty-first century Christians need to join God at work in the world in redeeming humankind, communities, and creation in ways that intertwine the gospel, society, the environment, and justice together. It is not an either-or, it is a both/and.

Redemptive Care - Called to Address Spiritual Vulnerabilities

(Acts 20:24; Matthew 9:35-38, 24:14; Mark 1:14-15, 13:9-11; 16:15; Luke 9:5-6, Acts 8:25,40; Acts 14:21; Romans 1:16, 15:16; 1 Corinthians 1:17, 4:15, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 2 Corinthians 4:4, 11:3-5; Ephesians 1:13-14, 6:10-20; Philippians 1:27-28; Colossians 1:21-23, I Thessalonians 2:3-5, 2:9-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; 2 Timothy 1:8-14; 1 Peter 4:16-18.)

“But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God,” (Acts 20:24 GNT).

What and Why Redemptive Care?

In the glocal (global and local) situation in which Christian believers live today, we are all called to redemptive care – sharing the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, nurturing the faith of others, and “fulfilling the work of faith with power” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

What Are Common Spiritual Vulnerabilities?

While all Christian believers are called to proclaim the good news of salvation to those who do not yet have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, global spiritual vulnerabilities continue to impact the spread of the gospel. Along with the rise of Islam, non-Christian religions such as Buddism, Chinese traditional religions, Hinduism, and the Baha’i Faith continue to grow globally. Significant numbers of religiously unaffiliated (including agnostics and atheists, often called “nones”) appear to be increasing along with secularization worldwide. With the decline of Christianity in the global north, the number of non-active but religiously affiliated persons (“dones”) is steadily increasing. The number of both Christian “dones” and world religion “dones” appears to increase in some places worldwide. At the same time the influence of Christians worldwide is marginalized as the numbers of active Christians decline in some places, and the numbers of nones, dones, and world religion adherents increase.

What Can Christians Do About It?

Some Christian organizations promote engagement in missional living, missional communities, and disciple-making activities. Other Christian organizations multiply missional leaders through church planting, congregational development, business-as-mission, marketplace, and non-profit ministries. Many Christian organizations specialize in addressing the need for postmodern and world religion adherents to hear the gospel presented in culturally appropriate ways. All Christian organizations need to join the mission of God in the world based on their study of the Scripture as the basis for both faith and practice.

Community Care - Called to Address Social Vulnerabilities

(Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Isaiah 11:2-4, 29:16 & 20-21, 32:7, 42:7, 48:16, 49:9, 57:15; Luke 7:22, Acts 10:38)

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1)

What and Why Community Care?

Caring for our community is rooted in the “Great Commandment” - to love our neighbors as ourselves. Our neighbors are certainly those in our own communities. Addressing the social vulnerabilities within our communities enables the message of redemption and reconciliation to take root in a more receptive environment.

What are Common Social Vulnerabilities?

The spread of the gospel is often negatively impacted in societies that have significant social vulnerabilities such as low socioeconomic status, large numbers of elderly and youth populations, diverse ethnic and language groups, and crowded housing communities. Large numbers of people in poverty are vulnerable to the lack of gospel witness due to the inability of indigenous, sustainable missional movements to grow. These societies often have large numbers of elderly and children under age 18 which contribute to the lack of resources and abilities to develop and sustain missional movements. They are often polarized by disparate, ethnic language groups which also are often unreached with the gospel due to the lack of an indigenous or contextualized gospel witness. Moreover, large numbers of persons in crowded, low-income residential communities often face social issues that impede the spread of the gospel and sustainable missional movements.

What Can Christians Do About It?

Some Christian organizations engage in Christian community development through holistic, congregation-based empowerment of people within the community to create long-term solutions to the problems they face. Other Christian organizations participate in community life while advocating for the equitable treatment of those experiencing social issues and problems. Moreover, many Christian organizations address the needs of immigrants and refugees by providing resources and services to those who have resettled from outside their communities. All of these Christian organizations need to engage vulnerable communities based on their study of the Scripture as it relates to community-based social issues.

Culture Care - Called to Address Cultural Vulnerabilities

(Genesis 4:21; Exodus 25:40, 28:3, 31:1-6; 35:1-5 & 31-33; 36:1; 1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 22:15-16; 2 Chronicles 2:7 & 13-14; Job 19:23-24; Psalms 19:1, 97:6; Prov 22:29; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Song of Solomon 7:1; Isaiah 43:15-19; 44:13; 48:6-7, 64:8; Jeremiah 10:9; 18:3, 31:22; Romans 11:29; 1 Corinthians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 3:23-24; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 18:22)

“And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs.” (Exodus 35:31-32)

What and Why Culture Care?

At the core of the great mandate is the concept of humanity serving as image-bearers – representing or imitating God on earth. Humans uniquely reflect the image of God within them when they express their God-given creative abilities. So, humanity can create cultures rich in beauty and goodness which represents the nature of God authentically. However, because humanity is sinful, it can also be tainted by sin and some of it can be demonic. (Lausanne Covenant, para. 10). Thus all cultures are integrated systems of beliefs, values, customs, and institutions that are impacted by sin.

What are Cultural Vulnerabilities?

Human creativity itself is both deeply rooted in all cultures and grounded in diverse, intersubjective understandings of values, morality, and beliefs which often produce conflict and misunderstanding. These creative processes are shaped by the representations, concepts, symbols, and norms that are derived from individual and group contextual experiences. Differing culture-based creativity processing patterns produce diverse outcomes based on conceptual boundaries defined by existing cultural norms. Approaches to assessing product-based as well as performance-based creative outcomes are shaped by cultural understandings determined by diverse individual and group settings.

What Can Christians Do About It?

In this context of human creativity, Christians have the opportunity to reflect godly perspectives of creativity, shape creative processes in line with Biblical norms, produce diverse outcomes based on boundaries that authentically reflect who God is, and assess those outcomes in light of scripture. Culture care enables Christian believers to use their creative expression to reflect the image of God within them and to represent God to the larger society. Biblical expressions of creativity stand in stark contrast to that of creativity driven by sinful beliefs, values, and customs.

Creation Care - Called to Address Ecological Vulnerabilities

(Genesis 1;1,31; Leviticus 18:26,28; 25:2-5, 23-24; 26:3-4; Numbers 35:33-34; Deuteronomy 10:14; 20:19; 1 Chronicles 29:11; 2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Nehemiah 9:6; Job 12:7-10; 26:7-9,11-14; 41:11; Psalm 19:1-4; 24:1-2; 33:5-6; 65:9-13; 89:11; 95:3-5; 96:11-13; 97:6; 104:10-14,24-25,29-30; 107:33-34; 145:9,13,17; 148:7-10; Isaiah 5:8-10; 24:4-6; 41:18-20; 51:3; 55:12; Jeremiah 2:7; 3:2-3; 12:4,11; Ezekiel 34:17-18; 36:35; Hosea 4:1-3; John 1:3; Acts 3:21; Romans 1:20; 8:19-21; 1 Corinthians 10:26; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:15-17,20; Hebrews 1:2-3; Revelation 11:18)

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it.” (Genesis 2:15)

What and Why Creation Care?

In Genesis 2 Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden - a place where humanity was to live intimately with God. In this setting, humanity was given the charge to work or to serve in the temple-like atmosphere. Adam was given the task of watching over, guarding, preserving, and protecting the garden. As image-bearers of God, humans were given the task of “keeping” the garden just as the Lord “keeps” us and blesses us (Numbers 6:24-26, Psalm 12:7). This task was repeated in Genesis 3:23 after Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden. Thus, the task of caring for creation is central to our identity as being created in the image of God. The purpose for which humans were given dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28) is the peace and blessing that God intends for us and creation as we serve as caretakers of the creation God has entrusted to us.

What are the Major, Global Ecological Vulnerabilities?

Environmental degradation and natural resource depletion occur due to poor farming practices, excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers, leakage from landfills, strip mining, and other human actions that lead to loss of biodiversity, poverty, illness, and disease. Pollution of water due to illegal dumping and of the atmosphere due to particle pollution and depletion of the ozone layer creates climate change that negatively impacts the health of humanity. Rapid population growth strains natural resources; and creates greater demand for food, clothes, and shelter; which results in deforestation, greater food insecurity, pollution, and stress on waste management. Avalanches, quakes, tidal waves, storms, and wildfires crush animal and plant life, create long-term asset degradation, and severely impact human life.

What Can Christians Do About It?

Some Christian organizations address ecosystem degradation and depletion by teaching eco-friendly farming practices and regenerative agriculture techniques. Other Christian organizations address the issues created by pollution, climate change, and overpopulation by teaching environmental sustainability and ways to mitigate food insecurity, prepare for potential disasters, reduce pollution, and encourage better waste management processes. Christian organizations need to build their organizations on a solid foundation in ecotheology that provides a biblical theology of creation & stewardship, the land & environment, the built environment, and the future new creation. These organizations also need to develop a theology of resilience together with an understanding of ecomissiology which studies the mission of God as it relates to the environment.

Compassionate Care - Called to Address Public Health Vulnerabilities

(Exodus 23:25; Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Psalm 30:2; 42:11; 147:3; Proverbs 3:7-8; 4:20-22; 12:18,25; 13:12; 14:30; 16:24; 17:14,22; 21:13; 25:21; Isaiah 53:4-5; 58:11; Jeremiah 17:14; 30:17; Ezekiel 34:16; Matthew 25:37-40; Luke 3:10-11; 10:30-35; 14:13-15; 21:34; Mark 5:34; John 13:3-35; 15:12; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:9; James 5:13-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 5:7; 3 John 1:2)

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not my benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:2-15)

What and Why Compassionate Care?

The concept of health has been defined as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” (WHO: World Health Organization). While many people charge that this broad definition is idealistic and beyond the realm of reality, theologians counter that this definition mirrors the original state of humanity in creation as stated in Genesis 1 and 2 with the exception that it does not reflect humanity’s relationship with God. A biblical view of human well-being includes spiritual well-being as foundational to physical, mental and social well-being. In fact, since the loss of human well-being began with the first sin in Genesis 3, all humanity has suffered spiritual, physical, mental and social loss requiring healing of body, mind and spirit. God desires all of humanity to experience shalom, an inward sense of completeness or wholeness, that comes through peace with God (spiritual wholeness) combined with physical, mental, and social healing. The ministry of Jesus brought healing to human interconnected loss of well-being. Since life cannot be compartmentalized into the physical and spiritual, health care is truly compassionate care for the whole person encompassing forgiveness of sins (redemption), healing of disease (physical restoration), mental health (renewing the mind), and reconciliation of relationships (social healing).

What are the Major, Global Health Vulnerabilities?

Over 150 countries have insufficient and non-robust health systems to treat the sick and protect health workers. They lack health capacity in clinics, hospitals, and community care centers. Thus billions of people worldwide lack healthcare access. Bacterial and viral infections, adult drinking and smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity are at significant levels in many countries around the world. Because of the limited access to health care and the prevalence of risky health behaviors, millions of people incur preventable hospital stays and lack mammography screenings and vaccinations. Many face food insecurity and the result has been significant numbers of Covid-19 deaths. In many countries, people live with poor physical and mental health. Low birth weights together with premature deaths increase the overall mortality rates.

What Can Christians Do About It?

Some Christian organizations provide healthcare while spreading the gospel by sending medical, dental, and surgical teams around the world on short-term trips and long-term mission positions. Other Christian organizations address health care needs by serving in outpatient primary care medicine and dentistry, and small and large hospitals by providing surgical services. Additional Christian organizations provide spiritual support through chaplaincy, pastoral care, and spiritual caregiving among vulnerable populations. However, all healthcare-related Christian organizations need to base their practice on the theological study of suffering, illness & healing, disability, mental illness, and death.

Equitable Care - Called to Address Justice Vulnerabilities

(Genesis 18:19; Exodus 23:2; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 10:18, 16:20, 24:17, 27:19, 32:4; Job 34:12; Psalms 33:5, 37:5-6,27-29, 50:6, 89:14, 103:6, 106:3, 112:5; Proverbs 2:8-9, 16:8; 21:3,15, 24:24-25, 28:5, 29:7, 31:8-9; Isaiah 1:17-18, 30:18-19, 51:4-5, 56:1, 61:1-11; Jeremiah 7:5-7, 22:3; Hosea 12:6; Amos 5:15,24; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 7:9-10; Matthew 7:12, 12:18, 23:23; Luke 18:1-8; James 1:27; I John 3:17-18)

“He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

What and Why Justice Care?

When Micah stated three actions that God requires of us, he summed up the core message of three prophets alongside which he served: Amos’ appeal for justice (Amos 5), Hosea’s message of steadfast love (Hosea 12:6), and Isaiah’s call to live in humble devotion to God (Isaiah 58). For the people of God, equitable care is rooted in the covenant relationship with God - which in the Old Testament was based on the covenantal relationship between God’s people (Israel) and God, and in the New Testament era is based on the new covenant that we have through salvation in Jesus Christ. Isaiah says that God desires his people to “Keep justice, and do righteousness” (Isaiah 56:1). Keeping justice and doing righteousness means to live according to the commandments that God has given us. “Loving kindness” refers to our relationship with others – which grows out of the “loving-kindness” God has extended to us. The requirement of “walking humbly with your God” means to maintain a vibrant relationship with God. Equitable justice encompasses loving to serve God and treating others justly while maintaining a proper relationship with God and others. Jesus summed this as the Golden Rule, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

What are the Major, Global Justice Vulnerabilities?

Many countries today encourage or allow violations of economic and social human rights; education rights, migration rights, the rights of the elderly, youth, and women; of privacy, racism, and the lack of freedom of opinion and expression, of peaceful assembly and association, and religion and beliefs. In addition, many people live in countries with a lack of rights in environmental and sustainable development, the right to health and mental health access, of clean water and sanitation. The lack of proper administration of justice, prosecution of human trafficking, sexual abuse, domestic violence, violent extremism, and criminal activity is rampant in many countries. Many individuals lack personal & public safety due to involuntary disappearances, coercive measures, unlawful detention, and terrorism.

What Can Christians Do About It?

Some Christians operate legal aid clinics, advocacy organizations, and legal defense nonprofits that serve the legal needs of the disadvantaged, advance religious freedom, and provide defense to victims of injustices. Other Christian organizations advocate for the rights of individuals and organizations across the globe due to human rights violations, environmental injustices, and personal safety issues, and public insecurity. However, these Christian organizations need to be informed by a theology of equitable justice rooted in thematic studies in the biblical theology of the missio dei (mission of God). Christian organizations also need to be informed by the study of social, public, and moral theology that grounds their practices in a biblical-theological and missional framework.