The Enduring Significance of the Christian Faith

Introduction

In all levels, the Christian faith remains important and helpful to all citizens around the globe. Since the beginning of time, God has intended to make him known to those people in order to receive true worship. At different points of history, humanity abandoned God's ways and fell under Satan's influence and dominion. Confusion, hopelessness, and crises became the results of certain countries, affecting the citizens involved in their moral and social lives. In the form with his own son, Jesus Christ, God prepared a saviour who died to rescue those who came to him in faith. The Church's purpose is to carry out the Lord Jesus' instruction in Matthew 28: 19 where it is state that, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (NIV). The book of Acts 1:8 records Jesus' guidance to the disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Today’s Church should carry out the early apostles’ work by reaching out to the earth with the gospel word, which would offer redemption and hope to all citizens everywhere.

Mission's spiritual and physical difficulties

In several respects, the church's task is difficult. Many obstacles can stand in the way of God's plan for fruitful ministries. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul describes the fight against pagan powers in ministry: For our fight is not with flesh and blood, but against kings, authorities, entities of this dark universe, and supernatural forces of darkness in the celestial realms, (Ackerman, 2019).

The devil is really fighting all Christians, specifically those who are leaders in the mission. Occasionally, he threatens the bodily body bringing illness and even stress, impeding God's function for mankind. At other occasions, he would send persecution, discouragement, and unfounded allegations through other Christians. The devil will even strike the family and ruin the Christian's honour. Stephen Tomkins uses the suffering of John Wesley as an indication of the consequences of his missionary zeal: He was involved in a number of injuries and often suffered from a host of pains and illnesses. It is possible for the devil to strike any of the Christian workers everywhere around the world, causing ineffectiveness and a loss of focus in ministry, (Yoder, 2019). Furthermore, other missionary problems include physical suffering and oppression. In his terms, the apostle Peter confirms this: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you” as written in 1 Pet. 4: 12. The said persecutions of ministry can arrive in different shapes and sizes, however the Christian must conquer. The influence of unfinished hurts and disappointments, which can affect individuals in various forms, is a subtle thing that can ruin a person's ministry. Through all of this, Christians are encouraged to put all grievances to the Lord Jesus Christ, to that same cross.

Mission and culture

A people's community is concerned with diverse aspects of life which includes food, housing, family institutions, transportation, language and religious organizations. It also reflects the people's mutual interests, desires, belief structures, and common actions in that community. Culture is socially acquired behaviour that is handed down the generations, (Sheikhi, 2020).

Christians cannot neglect cultural issues in either manner, since this could be the most suitable vehicle for generating authentic confidence for the citizens. “Religion in Africa is cultural reality; for centuries, it has been an integral expression of the African cultural background” (Quenum, 2018). The church is unappealing to many citizens who saw Christians as losing their own life and dignity as a result of historical ignorance of the people's community.

A good missionary must thoroughly research, comprehend, and respect the culture of the people to whom he or she is ministering. Many individuals, for example, believe in God, our creator, but the approach that is taken regarding worship might prove inadequate. The missionary's job, as shown by Apostle Paul when he was in Athens in the book of Acts 17:1-64, shows and demonstrates the essence of true worship and partnership with God.

A collective of people's convictions and hopes in life must be the foundation for a successful witness of the gospel word. Furthermore, although certain cultures' conversion methods are individualistic and personal, many cultures' conversion becomes a massive movement in families. That evidence of conversions should be remembered together with all the comprehensive outreach of cultures, where the Christians desire to participate as well as proclaim the gospel of Christ Jesus for everyone. Any missionary might be dubious of the genuineness of such kinds of conversions, but it is possible for God to draw many such people through true faith in his unique way and using the influence that the Holy Spirit has. Furthermore, certain aspects of society may be utilized to facilitate successful outreach activities in a variety of settings. Cultural gatherings, for example, may be both a religious test and a mission tool.

Nonetheless, both societies contain certain detrimental sides, and Christians must overcome them in order to carry out this holistic project in every part of the world. In terms of promoting human rights and equality, certain cultural traditions may sometimes disagree with the Holy Scriptures. Such traditional traditions in the north involve the union of many wives, as well as relatives to the deceased family members, while conducting barbaric widowhood rituals. Furthermore, fear of evil and death forces can drive many people who are in such a society to seek for safety from the worship of false gods as well as jujumen at a high cost. People may have an issue in a society where they do not work hard but still engage in lavish festivities. As a consequence of these practices, more communities would be forced to depend on others for subsistence and growth.

Mission and leadership

Leadership has often been a critical topic in the Church's mission role. The role of leaders in the development of the church's overall purpose is critical. Max De Pree wrote, “Leadership may be good work, but it’s also a tough job. There is always more to do than time seems to allow.” The quote correctly emphasizes the seriousness of the role of representatives of numerous organisations that are involved in God's task.

The effect one has over others who imitate him or her is referred to as leadership. It is the opportunity to unite citizens behind a shared goal. Leaders must have a clear motive for leading, as Dale Galloway notes about Leading through Vision: True inspiration should be intended for their service as well as their life into having a positive effect for Jesus Christ; all leaders in Christianity should strive to optimize and multiply the benefits of the services they offer by achieving more by guiding others which is more than they could even achieve while doing it alone. Authentic kingdom leaders, above all, would desire a fulfilling life of service filled with maximum usefulness to the cause of Christ. A missionary leader must be someone who is constantly willing to help the people he or she is attempting to meet with the gospel word. The leader must therefore have a mission that leads to good outcomes: A charismatic leader attracts supporters by calling citizens to kingdom causes that have noble aims and everlasting outcomes built in.

Finally, strong and successful leaders will mobilize other leaders to continue God's purpose. God's task since birth, as well as the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection of mankind, has been made possible by leaders who have pursued God's plan and will to reach out to the earth. The mission, though, is to create and educate knowledgeable and skilled leaders in the church, leaders who are an inspiration to the faith of the people who follow them because they have God's calling, a feeling of intent, is able to project very compelling visions, and also lead a church to growth. (Deegbe, 2017) Every leader should find, mobilize, and prepare more representatives to carry on the challenge, which is an immediate mission for the leader of a church in northern Ghana. The leader must be led by the Holy Spirit to find someone to train by divine guidance and example.

Mission priority

Over the years, the Church has been active in a variety of worthwhile endeavours around the globe. This has been active in global, economic and social matters that have been providing free assistance and improving the lives of many disadvantaged and marginalized citizens around the globe. Nonetheless, the primary calling and mission of the clergy should be prioritized on the Church's agenda. God's work and the role it plays should be the church's highest priority with all it does. Guder et al. state that, “mission ecclesiology takes seriously, the organisational life of the Church in both its expression of the local mission congregations in a para-local mission structure” (Resane, 2020).

In God's task, the church seeks to find the various human communities who have never seen the real message of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Lonergen, 2021). A third of the total population in the world is yet to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, which gives heaven to everyone. Moreover, the remaining third of those people who received the gospel message yet they had not replied enthusiastically should be questioned again. The apostles' and early missionaries' example are the model for the church to adopt today. The early missionaries' and apostles' example is a model the church should adopt today. Ruth A. Tucker asserts unequivocally what the church needs to do now with the role God has given it. Missions and Christianity are inextricably related. Without the lively missionary outreach that arose after Pentecost, it is difficult to envision Christianity as a thriving faith today. This missionary vision was an integral part of the church's existence.

The aim of the early Church was to be a part of God's mission, which was to spread the gospel of the known universe at all expense. The church must educate, inspire, and equip all of its adherents around the world to share the gospel with their neighbours and beyond, (Pillay, 2017). Samuel Escobar correctly states: “Christian mission in the twenty-first century has become the responsibility of the global church.” To help accelerate the rerun of the Lord Jesus Christ, the entire church in the whole world must carry the entire gospel to the whole planet (Matt. 24: 14). When the church fulfils its purpose and has an effect on the environment in other aspects of human need, it increases in sophistication and size.

When the church exhibits such qualities, it is prepared to be a benefit to the world in a variety of respects. In several places, the church aims to educate the people by educating them to read their native language as well as the other languages. Churches continue to educate professionals to represent the city in several places. People benefit emotionally, emotionally, and economically as a result of the comprehensive mission being practical. The churches that are being established should be locations where people can get answers from the Lord, get blessings in their lives, and acquire a precious understanding of God, (Burrell, 2019). People who reach God through Jesus should be shown how to believe in him for their everyday problems. Physical and social rewards are added blessings in God's task to God's citizens.

Conclusion

The church should accept its call to mission, and the quest should also be holistic. It is imperative be relevant to every aspect of human life: social, physical, and moral. It must have an effect on a person's and a community's overall growth. For genuine repentance and devotion to the Lord Jesus, biblical teaching of the gospel word must be prioritized. Many channels, such as schooling, health care, agricultural programs, and intermittent assistance with relief, may be used as important means of reaching out in this phase.

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References

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