The world church is much more global than we think.
Issues surrounding the world church:
*Economic Disparity
*Geographical Dispersion
*Theological Diversity
This are not new, but are normal issues in Christianity coming from the early church.
Economic Disparity
There needs to be a commitment to an equitable distribution of wealth among believers.
The early church shared all they had. This was by the leading of the Spirit and not compulsory. The people were expressing that they where the people of God.
Paul's gathering money for the church in Jerusalem is an example of the churches in the west crossing over to help those in the east. There are many examples of giving in the Scriptures from those who have to those who do not. This is a fundamental part of being a Christian and being the church. “Rich Christians in the age of hungry Christians” is scandalous! This a spiritual and theological issue that needs to be address within the church.
Geographical Dispersion
There is polycentric nature of the church and the multidirectional focus to missions. There is no center of the Christian church. There should be not other center than Christ! Christianity spread out from Jerusalem, but the city does not stay the center of the church. The church spread not only with Peter and Paul, but there many others, known and unknown (anonymous believers from Cyprus to Antioch, where believers where first called “Christian” (lit. Christ People)), who carried the message of Jesus around the world. The ends of the world are as much from Indiana as to India.
These travelers emphasized a relational commitment to their unity in Christ through personal visits, sending people with letters, asking for updates on churches and personal greetings despite their location.
Theological Diversity
There is a need for a cross cultural corrective when dealing with some theological issues. There needs to be an openness to looking at some of these issues and allowing other voices to help shape or reshape our understanding. These questions, debates and arguments are not new for us. Remember the NT church had many voices. They were faced the new questions and issues. Believers needed to bring new answers into the new context of the new church and a quick quote from the OT would not suffice.
There was a need to meld Jew/Gentile voices while being faithful to the Scripture.
There are divides across the evangelical church. Are we willing to listen to these different voices?
How do we respond to this?
Rejoice in the positive changes over the past 30 to 40 years:
Better access to theological education for pastors around the world.
The growing global conversation about issues.
Work on building strength while strengthening the weak:
There should not be an either/or mentality of where to spend our resources (either with the weak needing care or where growth is explosive). Should the church give several hundred thousand dollars to a Uganda school for a theological library or should we give $500 to build a roof on a room to house theological books in Sudan? Yes!
Recognize the divide is more than economic:
Some are money rich but spiritually poor.
Celebrate diversity and capitalize on it:
Value different voices, they have much to teach the west.
Educate the church in the west for its own good:
No longer is the world church calling for the western church to have pity on it and to save it. The world church is calling to the western church to join the party and to become involved with God’s movement there.
This was not new information, but a good concise presentation of the some global problems the western church needs to address and think statically about. The next generation (it already here)of Christianity is a going to be a global expression of the world church!
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