Is not the Kehukee Association, with all her numerous and Is not the Kehukee Association, with all her numerous and respectable friends, called on in Providence, in some way to respectable friends, called on in Providence, in some way to step forward in support of that missionary spirit which the step forward in support of that missionary spirit which the great God is so wonderfully reviving amongst the different great God is so wonderfully reviving amongst the different denominations of good men in various parts of the world?denominations of good men in various parts of the world?

Elder Martin Ross, Kehukee Baptist Association, 1803 Elder Martin Ross, Kehukee Baptist Association, 1803

““O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid: O Lord, O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy” Habakkuk 3:2.years make known; in wrath remember mercy” Habakkuk 3:2.

Elder Martin Ross, June 1805Elder Martin Ross, June 1805

The Missionary QuestionThe Missionary Question

ParadigParadigmm

ParadigmParadigm:: A An accepted model or pattern.n accepted model or pattern. Paradigm ShiftParadigm Shift: : When the dominant way of When the dominant way of

thinking or organizing is replaced with a thinking or organizing is replaced with a radically different way of thinking or organizing.radically different way of thinking or organizing. Shifts occur dramatically not gradually.Shifts occur dramatically not gradually. Competing paradigms are incommensurable.Competing paradigms are incommensurable.

Paradigm Paradigm ShiftShift

Paradigm Paradigm Shifts in Shifts in MissionsMissions

#1 Proclaiming the Evangelical #1 Proclaiming the Evangelical MessageMessage::High Calvinism - Evangelical High Calvinism - Evangelical CalvinismCalvinism

#2 Utilizing Means to Advance #2 Utilizing Means to Advance World EvangelizationWorld Evangelization::Congregationalism - Congregationalism - DenominationalismDenominationalism

#3 Participating in the Mission of #3 Participating in the Mission of God:God:Anthropocentric and Denominational Anthropocentric and Denominational –Theocentric and –Theocentric and PostdenominationalPostdenominational

““Whether the command given to the Whether the command given to the apostles to ‘teach all nations,’ was apostles to ‘teach all nations,’ was not obligatory on all succeeding not obligatory on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world, ministers to the end of the world, seeing that the accompanying seeing that the accompanying promise was of equal extent.”promise was of equal extent.”

William Carey: Northampton Baptist William Carey: Northampton Baptist Association, September 1785Association, September 1785

The Missionary QueryThe Missionary Query

Heralds of Evangelical Heralds of Evangelical CalvinismCalvinism

““If faith in Christ be the duty of the If faith in Christ be the duty of the ungodly, it must of course follow that ungodly, it must of course follow that every sinner, whatever be his every sinner, whatever be his character, is completely character, is completely warrantedwarranted to to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for the trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of his soul. Andrew Fuller, salvation of his soul. Andrew Fuller, The Gospel Worthy of All AcceptationThe Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, , 17851785

Robert Hall, Sr., preached Robert Hall, Sr., preached for the Northampton Assn, for the Northampton Assn, May 26, 1779, on the text May 26, 1779, on the text “Cast ye up, cast ye up, “Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the stumbling-block out of the way of my people” (Isa the way of my people” (Isa 57:14).57:14).““The way to Jesus is The way to Jesus is graciously laid open for graciously laid open for everyone who chooses to everyone who chooses to come to him.”come to him.”Help to Help to Zion’s Travelers, Zion’s Travelers, 17811781

““The preaching that The preaching that has been most has been most blessed of God, and blessed of God, and most profitable to most profitable to men, is the doctrine men, is the doctrine of sovereign grace in of sovereign grace in the salvation of the salvation of souls, mixed with a souls, mixed with a little of what is little of what is called Arminianism.”called Arminianism.”John Leland, John Leland, Letter Letter of Valediction on of Valediction on Leaving Virginia in Leaving Virginia in 17911791

Baptist Missionary SocietyBaptist Missionary Society““Enlarge the place of Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them thy tent, and let them stretch forth the stretch forth the curtains of thine curtains of thine habitations: spare not, habitations: spare not, lengthen the cords, lengthen the cords, and strengthen thy and strengthen thy stakes” (Isaiah 54:2-3).stakes” (Isaiah 54:2-3).

““Expect great things. Expect great things. Attempt great things.” Attempt great things.” William Carey, May 30, William Carey, May 30, 1792 1792

Formation of Mission Formation of Mission SocietiesSocieties• English Baptists – BMS English Baptists – BMS

formed in May 1792 and sent formed in May 1792 and sent William Carey to India as a William Carey to India as a missionarymissionary

• American Baptists – in 1814 American Baptists – in 1814 Triennial Convention began Triennial Convention began supporting the mission work supporting the mission work of Adonirim and Ann Judson of Adonirim and Ann Judson in Burmain Burma

• European Baptists – Johann European Baptists – Johann Oncken lived the motto Oncken lived the motto “Every Baptist a missionary” “Every Baptist a missionary” ((Jeder Baptist ein MissionarJeder Baptist ein Missionar))

• African Baptists – Lott Carey African Baptists – Lott Carey 11stst American Baptist American Baptist Missionary to Africa. Worked Missionary to Africa. Worked in Liberia. Died in 1832. Lott in Liberia. Died in 1832. Lott Carey Mission ConventionCarey Mission Convention founded in 1897.founded in 1897.

How do we recover the How do we recover the compelling sense of compelling sense of universal missionary universal missionary obligation that earlier obligation that earlier generations understood at generations understood at least partially in national least partially in national terms and reattach that terms and reattach that compulsion to where, compulsion to where, theologically, it ought to be theologically, it ought to be fixed—to the Christian fixed—to the Christian doctrine of the church itself?doctrine of the church itself?

Brian Stanley, Historian of Brian Stanley, Historian of Missions, Edinburgh Missions, Edinburgh

UniversityUniversity

Recovering the Missionary Obligation Recovering the Missionary Obligation for afor a PostdenominationalPostdenominational ChurchChurch

in a in a PostcolonialPostcolonial WorldWorld

““As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

John 20:21John 20:21

The task of Christian The task of Christian mission, then, is mission, then, is simply understood as simply understood as proclaim-ing the proclaim-ing the kingdom of the kingdom of the Father, as sharing the Father, as sharing the life of the Son, and as life of the Son, and as bearing the witness of bearing the witness of the Spirit.the Spirit.

Lesslie Newbigin, Lesslie Newbigin, The The Open Secret: An Open Secret: An

Introduction to the Introduction to the Theology of MissionTheology of Mission, ,

19951995

Participating in the Mission of Participating in the Mission of GodGod

Living Missionally After Living Missionally After ChristendomChristendom

1.1. Practice the Practice the FaithFaithAs You Go … As You Go … Make DisciplesMake Disciples

2.2. Follow the PlanFollow the PlanBaptize and Baptize and TeachTeach

3.3. Go with GodGo with GodI Am With YouI Am With You

Are not Fellowship Are not Fellowship Baptists of North Carolina, Baptists of North Carolina, with all our many friends with all our many friends and partners, called on in and partners, called on in Providence, to step Providence, to step forward and participate in forward and participate in the mission of God, the mission of God, wherever and with wherever and with whomever, whenever we whomever, whenever we see God at work in our see God at work in our world?world?

Missional Query for an New MillenniumMissional Query for an New Millennium

How about you?How about you?