The Theology of GO Mission

Summary

Understanding the theology of what it means to GO on mission builds our faith to share the gospel with joy. 

The Theology of GO Mission

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This is meant to build a theological foundation of how every disciple of Jesus is to live on GO Gospel mission individually and in community. I pray the Spirit uses these Scriptures to give us a joyful conviction to keep pushing the GO mission forward.

1. God is a sending missionary God

God sent Jesus to rescue you through His life, death, resurrection and ascension. Because Jesus was sent, you are redeemed, justified and adopted into His family.

• “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” – John 17:18
• “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’” – John 20:21

The Father and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to make you born again, to baptize, comfort, encourage, convict and guide you as well as pour God’s love into your heart.

• “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14:26
• “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” – John 16:7

Jesus sends you to carry His presence into all the world. (Matthew 28:19-20).

• “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” -John 17:18–20

2. Every disciple is to intentionally GO make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

3. Every disciple is to “love their neighbor as themselves”

• “And the second is like it; You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:39

4. Every disciple is to love their neighbor through hospitality

Hospitality – Making outsiders feel like insiders. (Matthew 25:42-46; Luke 14:12-14)

• “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” – Romans 15:7

Jesus came eating and drinking with sinners. (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34, 15:1-2)

• “And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.’” – Luke 5:29–32

5. Every disciple belongs to Jesus so they will proclaim Christ

• “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9
• “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17–20

6. Every disciple is to live in such a way that unbelievers see their good deeds and ultimately glorify God

• “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” – 1 Peter 2:12

7. Groups of disciples are to gather together with the unconverted so they will see genuine love and unity, leading them to believe

• “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35
• “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” – John 17:23

8. Every disciple must be filled/baptized in the Holy Spirit for the power and love to live as a missionary sent by Jesus on Gospel mission

• “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’”. – John 20:21–22
• “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:6–8