The power of the world's evil is far greater than the sins of its individuals. We need a biblical theology that is equal to the challenge of social.

The power of the world's evil is far The power of the world's evil is far greater than the sins of its greater than the sins of its individuals.individuals.

We need a biblical theology that is We need a biblical theology that is equal to the challenge of social and equal to the challenge of social and individual sin.individual sin.

Robert Linthicum

To bring about systemic change in To bring about systemic change in the world, individuals, structures and the world, individuals, structures and values are all part of the equation.values are all part of the equation.

For further study, see Naming The Powers, Unmasking the Powers, Engaging the Powers by Walter Wink.

OT Overview of What the World OT Overview of What the World Should Look likeShould Look like

Deuteronomy as a templateDeuteronomy as a template Relationship is centralRelationship is central

Societal functions facilitated by institutions Societal functions facilitated by institutions where all people have reasonable access to where all people have reasonable access to “basic life”“basic life”

Equity that serves all the people—systems Equity that serves all the people—systems that affirm human effort, but protect against that affirm human effort, but protect against human greedhuman greed

The Shalom CommunityThe Shalom Community

A comprehensive community concerned A comprehensive community concerned with wholenesswith wholeness Bodily health—Ps. 38:3Bodily health—Ps. 38:3 Security and strength—Judges 6:23; Deut. Security and strength—Judges 6:23; Deut.

10:1910:19 Long life ending in natural death—Gen. 15:15Long life ending in natural death—Gen. 15:15 Prosperity and abundance—Job 5:18-26; Ps. Prosperity and abundance—Job 5:18-26; Ps.

37:1137:11

What keeps going wrong What keeps going wrong with the picture with the picture Deuteronomy paints?Deuteronomy paints?

Jesus’ proclamation of Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom is a final the Kingdom is a final and complete vision of and complete vision of the intention of the intention of Deuteronomy 15.Deuteronomy 15.

All those under the tyranny of…All those under the tyranny of…

Self-destructive personal decisions that Self-destructive personal decisions that separate us from Godseparate us from God

Oppressive systems that have robbed us Oppressive systems that have robbed us of human dignityof human dignity

Lives lived under a law that could not yield Lives lived under a law that could not yield abundant lifeabundant life

The lost vision of Deut. 15The lost vision of Deut. 15

……now have access to the good news now have access to the good news of the kingdom.of the kingdom.

““If theology and ethics are linked If theology and ethics are linked together in the Jewish tradition together in the Jewish tradition reflected in the Old Testament, so is reflected in the Old Testament, so is the move between moral principle the move between moral principle and its specification in concrete and its specification in concrete action. Jesus provides cases for real action. Jesus provides cases for real life application of theology and ethics life application of theology and ethics to concrete situations.”to concrete situations.”

Murray Dempster in Murray Dempster in Mission as Transformation, p. 62Mission as Transformation, p. 62

CASE 1CASE 1Treatment of Those Unlike Our GroupTreatment of Those Unlike Our Group

Luke 10:25-37Luke 10:25-37

Note Jesus combines love of God Note Jesus combines love of God (Deut. 6:4-5) with love of neighbor (Deut. 6:4-5) with love of neighbor (Lev. 19:18) toward a unified (Lev. 19:18) toward a unified commandment.commandment.

Jesus lets the marginalized define Jesus lets the marginalized define who the neighbor was—not the who the neighbor was—not the “established lawyer.”“established lawyer.”

CASE 2CASE 2Exploitation of WomenExploitation of Women

Mt. 19:3-9; Mk 10:2-12Mt. 19:3-9; Mk 10:2-12

Rather than get caught in a flurry of legal Rather than get caught in a flurry of legal citations, Jesus focuses on men and citations, Jesus focuses on men and women in God’s own imagewomen in God’s own image

You can’t use Mosaic law to dehumanize You can’t use Mosaic law to dehumanize womenwomen

Men and women deserve fidelity in Men and women deserve fidelity in marriage—anything less and you get the marriage—anything less and you get the same kind of betrayal always present in same kind of betrayal always present in adulteryadultery

CASE 3CASE 3Payment of the Poll TaxPayment of the Poll Tax

Mk 12:13-17Mk 12:13-17

We are all valuable because we bear the We are all valuable because we bear the image of Godimage of God

What bears the image of Caesar belong to What bears the image of Caesar belong to Caesar, but what bears the image of God Caesar, but what bears the image of God is God’s and cannot be trumped by is God’s and cannot be trumped by Caesar.Caesar.

CASE 4CASE 4Underemployed, Unemployed Underemployed, Unemployed

and the Poorand the PoorMt. 20:1-5Mt. 20:1-5

Verses 13-15—The crux of the issueVerses 13-15—The crux of the issue

Do you begrudge my generosity?Do you begrudge my generosity?

God’s bounty is His to give whether God’s bounty is His to give whether you merit it or not—generosity is the you merit it or not—generosity is the character of Godcharacter of God

CASE 5CASE 5Dignity of ChildrenDignity of Children

Mark 10:13-15Mark 10:13-15

Not a romantic view of “little people”Not a romantic view of “little people”

A clear declaration by Jesus that A clear declaration by Jesus that where God reigns, the unimportant where God reigns, the unimportant and powerless are recipients of the and powerless are recipients of the blessing of the Kingdom.blessing of the Kingdom.

Paul and the ChurchPaul and the Church

1.1. ChurchChurch—an eschatological community —an eschatological community

2.2. Eschatological frameworkEschatological framework—eternal —eternal concerns—destiny as a focusconcerns—destiny as a focus

3.3. Eschatological Eschatological salvationsalvation through death through death and resurrection of Christand resurrection of Christ

4.4. JesusJesus, as Messiah, Lord and Son of , as Messiah, Lord and Son of God, God, is the focusis the focus of this people. of this people.

FoundationFoundation—A gracious and merciful God who —A gracious and merciful God who is full of love toward all.is full of love toward all.

FrameworkFramework—The fulfillment of God’s promises —The fulfillment of God’s promises as already begun but not yet completed.as already begun but not yet completed.

FocusFocus—Jesus accomplished eschatological —Jesus accomplished eschatological salvation for humanity through his death and salvation for humanity through his death and resurrection.resurrection.

FruitFruit—the church, as an eschatological —the church, as an eschatological community. becomes God’s new covenant community. becomes God’s new covenant people.people.

Paul, the Church, and the KingdomPaul, the Church, and the Kingdom

If the church is going to be effective in our If the church is going to be effective in our postmodern world, we need to stop paying postmodern world, we need to stop paying mere lip service to the Spirit and to mere lip service to the Spirit and to recapture Paul’s perspective: the Spirit as recapture Paul’s perspective: the Spirit as the the experienced, empoweringexperienced, empowering return of return of God’s own God’s own personal presencepersonal presence in and in and among us, who enables us to live as a among us, who enables us to live as a radically radically eschatologicaleschatological people in the people in the present world while we await the present world while we await the consummation. All the rest, including fruit consummation. All the rest, including fruit and gifts (that is, ethical life and and gifts (that is, ethical life and charismatic utterances in worship), serve charismatic utterances in worship), serve to that end.” to that end.”

Gordon Fee in Gordon Fee in Paul, the Spirit and the People of GodPaul, the Spirit and the People of God

Holism and PrioritismHolism and PrioritismA Dialogue by David HesselgraveA Dialogue by David Hesselgrave

The Christian Gospel is true news and The Christian Gospel is true news and good news.good news.

Both Isaiah and Jesus intended that the Both Isaiah and Jesus intended that the good news to the poor had first to do with good news to the poor had first to do with the salvation of sinners.the salvation of sinners.

Christian mission has to do with making Christian mission has to do with making known the true and good Gospel of Christ known the true and good Gospel of Christ to those separated from centers of Gospel to those separated from centers of Gospel knowledge and influences. knowledge and influences.

We are not absolved from our We are not absolved from our responsibility to respond compassionately responsibility to respond compassionately to the needy, but the primary concern of to the needy, but the primary concern of our Lord is meeting spiritual needs and our Lord is meeting spiritual needs and physical and social needs.physical and social needs.

Strategies and people should be Strategies and people should be focused on those providentially focused on those providentially prepared to hear, understand and prepared to hear, understand and respond to the Gospel.respond to the Gospel.

““The poor are given hope of relief in The poor are given hope of relief in the future and even now by means of the future and even now by means of the themes of eschatological reversal the themes of eschatological reversal and economic repentance. But the and economic repentance. But the final theme, economic discipleship, final theme, economic discipleship, points to the priority that even the poor points to the priority that even the poor must give to the spiritual good news. must give to the spiritual good news. The last poor person we meet in Luke The last poor person we meet in Luke is the destitute widow who gives to is the destitute widow who gives to God through the temple treasure “all God through the temple treasure “all that she had” (21:3).that she had” (21:3).

Jesus, by approval of her act, Jesus, by approval of her act, relativizes the physical-economic relativizes the physical-economic need in favor of the spiritual. In need in favor of the spiritual. In Luke’s gospel the final word about the Luke’s gospel the final word about the poor is not the good news of what poor is not the good news of what they will receive to alleviate their they will receive to alleviate their need, but the challenge of what they need, but the challenge of what they must give as part of the life of radical must give as part of the life of radical discipleship in devotion to Jesusdiscipleship in devotion to Jesus.”.”

William J. Larkin as quoted in William J. Larkin as quoted in Paradigms in ConflictParadigms in Conflict

by David J. Hesselgraveby David J. Hesselgrave

There are good people and convincing There are good people and convincing arguments to be made on all facets of the arguments to be made on all facets of the holism and prioritism argumentholism and prioritism argument

www.emsweb.org www.emsweb.org http://www.dake.com/ems/bulletins/OB_Fall_07.pdfhttp://www.dake.com/ems/bulletins/OB_Fall_07.pdf

http://www.dake.com/ems/bulletins/hesselgrave.htmhttp://www.dake.com/ems/bulletins/hesselgrave.htm

The Kingdom

of God

National Kingdom Idea:

1st Century Sadducees and Modern Jews Millennial Kingdom

Idea

Widely held until Augustine; modern

premillenarians

Celestial (heaven) Kingdom Idea

Popular view of numerous Christians

Ecclesiastical Kingdom Idea:

Roman Catholics (Visible church);

Reformers (invisible church)

Spiritual (heart) Kingdom Idea:

Popular View: A. B. Bruce

Moral Kingdom Idea:

Immanuel Kant

Liberal Social

Kingdom Idea:

J. F. D. MauriceCharles Kingsley Shailer Matthews

W. RauschenbuschBromley Oxman

Modern KingdomEschatological Kingdom Idea:

Schweitzer (Delusion) Karl Barth

Emil Brunner (Supra-historical)

Before you react, always ask the Before you react, always ask the questions:questions: Why does this person take the perspective Why does this person take the perspective

they do?they do? What event(s) might have triggered this What event(s) might have triggered this

perspective?perspective?

Model for Keeping your EquilibriumModel for Keeping your Equilibrium

1.1. Personal relationship with Jesus ChristPersonal relationship with Jesus Christ

2.2. Develop a personal and corporate ethicDevelop a personal and corporate ethic

3.3. Understand the ethics of love—the ethics of Understand the ethics of love—the ethics of God’s reign must wait for the final God’s reign must wait for the final consummation, but in its reality, kingdom consummation, but in its reality, kingdom ethics can be participated in here and now.ethics can be participated in here and now.

4.4. The actual social context is not a starting point, The actual social context is not a starting point, rather an insertion in to the ministry process as rather an insertion in to the ministry process as a result of the spiritual, radical transformation a result of the spiritual, radical transformation we have undergone.we have undergone.

5.5. Emphasis not only on the poor, but anywhere Emphasis not only on the poor, but anywhere we find human need. Love is the great we find human need. Love is the great equalizer.equalizer.

6.6. The kingdom of God which will consummate at The kingdom of God which will consummate at the end of this age has already broken into the the end of this age has already broken into the present. present.

Dynamically active among all peopleDynamically active among all people Those submitted to the rule of the King can expect Those submitted to the rule of the King can expect

to be agents of the kingdom for justice and to be agents of the kingdom for justice and redemptionredemption

The redeemed community will stand as a sign-post The redeemed community will stand as a sign-post declaring for all to hear that the kingdom of God has declaring for all to hear that the kingdom of God has come.come.

Doug Petersen in Doug Petersen in Called and EmpoweredCalled and Empowered, p. 56, p. 56

Model for Keeping your EquilibriumModel for Keeping your Equilibriumcont.cont.

Baptism of the Spirit and Its Social Baptism of the Spirit and Its Social Implications of EmpowermentImplications of Empowerment

Doug Petersen— Doug Petersen— A Moral Imagination: Pentecostals A Moral Imagination: Pentecostals and Social Concern in Latin Americaand Social Concern in Latin America (See Moodle) (See Moodle)

Not by Might, Nor By PowerNot by Might, Nor By Power—Regnum Books—Regnum Books Pentecostalism and Social Transformation: A Global Pentecostalism and Social Transformation: A Global

AnalysisAnalysis (University of California Press, 2007) Donald E. (University of California Press, 2007) Donald E. Miller, Tetsunao YanamoriMiller, Tetsunao Yanamori

Murray Dempster has done the most comprehensive work Murray Dempster has done the most comprehensive work at connecting a Pentecostal social ethic to Spirit baptism. at connecting a Pentecostal social ethic to Spirit baptism. See “See “The Structure of Christian Ethic Informed by The Structure of Christian Ethic Informed by Pentecostal Experience: Soundings in the Moral Pentecostal Experience: Soundings in the Moral Significance of Glossolalia” in Significance of Glossolalia” in The Spirit and The Spirit and SpiritualitySpirituality, eds. Wonsuk Ma and Robert P. Menzies (NY: , eds. Wonsuk Ma and Robert P. Menzies (NY: T&T International, 2007), 108-140.T&T International, 2007), 108-140.

The Baptism of the Spirit provides:The Baptism of the Spirit provides: Democratization of religious lifeDemocratization of religious life

The promise of physical and social healingThe promise of physical and social healing

Compassion for the socially alienatedCompassion for the socially alienated

Practice of spiritual empowermentPractice of spiritual empowerment

Framework for EvaluatingFramework for Evaluatingthe Gospelthe Gospel

““The Pentecost narrative is the story of the The Pentecost narrative is the story of the transfer of the charismatic Spirit from Jesus to transfer of the charismatic Spirit from Jesus to the disciples. In other words, having become the disciples. In other words, having become the exclusive bearer of the Holy Spirit at His the exclusive bearer of the Holy Spirit at His baptism, Jesus becomes the giver of the Spirit at baptism, Jesus becomes the giver of the Spirit at Pentecost…By this transfer of the Spirit, the Pentecost…By this transfer of the Spirit, the disciples become the heirs and successors to disciples become the heirs and successors to the earthly charismatic ministry of Jesus that is, the earthly charismatic ministry of Jesus that is, because Jesus has poured out the charismatic because Jesus has poured out the charismatic Spirit upon them the disciples will continue to do Spirit upon them the disciples will continue to do and teach those things which Jesus began to do and teach those things which Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1).”and teach (Acts 1:1).”

Murray Dempster in Murray Dempster in Called and EmpoweredCalled and Empowered, p. 23, p. 23

Kerygmatic LensKerygmatic Lens

The kerygmatic ministry of the church, from the The kerygmatic ministry of the church, from the Pentecost/kingdom perspective, aims at calling Pentecost/kingdom perspective, aims at calling the poor and all who are in need to experience a the poor and all who are in need to experience a profound personal conversion in which God’s profound personal conversion in which God’s reign become the transforming center of life…reign become the transforming center of life…One of the most effective ways the church One of the most effective ways the church validates the gospel is by translating the “truths” validates the gospel is by translating the “truths” it proclaims in the it proclaims in the kerygmakerygma into the way it into the way it structures and lives out its own congregational structures and lives out its own congregational life. life.

Murray Dempster in Murray Dempster in Called and EmpoweredCalled and Empowered, p. 27, p. 27

Koinoniac LensKoinoniac Lens

Aims at embodying in its own life and Aims at embodying in its own life and activities a partial picture of what life looks activities a partial picture of what life looks like where God reignslike where God reigns

The church takes on it responsibility to be The church takes on it responsibility to be a witnessing community, a counter-a witnessing community, a counter-community, a moral community, and an community, a moral community, and an anticipatory community.anticipatory community.

Murray Dempster in Murray Dempster in Called and EmpoweredCalled and Empowered, p. 32, p. 32

Diakonic LensDiakonic Lens

The church attempts to foster a greater measure The church attempts to foster a greater measure of justice for all people, especially the persons of justice for all people, especially the persons Jesus identified in his kingdom manifesto—the Jesus identified in his kingdom manifesto—the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed (Lk. 4:18-19)(Lk. 4:18-19)

Transforming power of God experienced at Transforming power of God experienced at conversion is manifested in the world through conversion is manifested in the world through church’s moral deeds of caring for the welfare of church’s moral deeds of caring for the welfare of the needy and the church’s programs of social the needy and the church’s programs of social action aimed at changing the social systemaction aimed at changing the social system

Murray Dempster in Murray Dempster in Called and EmpoweredCalled and Empowered, p. 38, p. 38