Re:Form The Holy spirit and The revitalization of Christian Mission (e-book)
Re:Form The Holy spirit and The revitalization of Christian Mission (e-book)
In this second book in the Re:New series, Pastor Jervis offers a systematic and biblical case for the renewal of the Christian mission. In all, he makes two broad propositions for missional renewal. Firstly, he suggests that the mobilization of the whole Church for mission is necessary for missional success. In other words, we need to ensure that every member of the Church, clergy or non-clergy, is actively fulfilling their part of the corporate mandate to make disciples of all nations before our Lord returns. Thus highlighting key theological considerations like the call to self-denial, the meaning and scope of "ministry" in the bible, and the Church as one body with many gifts, Jervis offers a fresh vision for the rallying of the whole Church for its God-given task.
Next, Pastor Jervis presents a case for missional renewal by arguing that foundationally and biblically, the Holy Spirit is, and should continue to be, the ultimate power that guides and empowers all our Christian ministry. In other words, it's one thing for the whole Church to be mobilized for the mission. It is yet another for the mobilized Church to be effective at being witnesses to Christ. Therefore from both personal stories and that of biblical figures like Jesus, Peter, Paul, Philip and Stephen, Jervis presents biblical paradigms for the mission of the 21st century Church. Accordingly, he proposes that our Christian mission be empowered, filled, inspired, motivated, led and animated by the Spirit. Because unfortunately, too often, this is not the case.
The restoration of this kind of Spirit-empowered ministry, he says, will not only heal the rigid clergy and laity divide (mobilizing the whole Church—male, female, young and old), but it will also ensure that a fuller dimension of the Spirit's high power, including the care for poor and marginalized, is duly restored. Indeed, here is a timely call to action for the Church today that should not be taken lightly!