in the beginning God was Love, and God loved, and God was loved.
let's get this straight, right here, right now - God does not need Creation. God does not need Creation to love, nor to love Him. He is totally and completely Love all within Himself - The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father and the Holy Spirit is the wonderful Mediator of this love. God does not need us.
this makes it all the more wonderful, grace-filled and awe-full that this God, who is Love within Himself - freely, abundantly, generously chooses to love His Creation. He doesn't love you because he has to - he loves you because he loves you.
he loves you because he loves you.
so if this God loves the 'other' - his Creation - because he chooses to, and we image this God, perhaps this says something about how we might love the 'other' too.
we are not called to 'do mission' simply because it might seem like a good idea (which it is), but because we belong to this God who is Love and who chooses to love the 'other'. Mission is rooted in the very 'being' of God. This God, who we are made in the image of.
God is the first missionary. He is the One we follow.
I've just published an excerpt from a booklet written on the subject of 'Integrated Faith' by Jon Kuhrt (thanks Jon!). It's on the website on the articles page under 'theology and mission'
It is a very good short explanation of why Biblical theology and mission go hand in hand (and it's very easy to read too, even though I use the word 'theology')
If you like the excerpt you can receive the booklet for £1 from Shaftesbury Society on the telephone number listed.
let's get this straight, right here, right now - God does not need Creation. God does not need Creation to love, nor to love Him. He is totally and completely Love all within Himself - The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father and the Holy Spirit is the wonderful Mediator of this love. God does not need us.
this makes it all the more wonderful, grace-filled and awe-full that this God, who is Love within Himself - freely, abundantly, generously chooses to love His Creation. He doesn't love you because he has to - he loves you because he loves you.
he loves you because he loves you.
so if this God loves the 'other' - his Creation - because he chooses to, and we image this God, perhaps this says something about how we might love the 'other' too.
we are not called to 'do mission' simply because it might seem like a good idea (which it is), but because we belong to this God who is Love and who chooses to love the 'other'. Mission is rooted in the very 'being' of God. This God, who we are made in the image of.
God is the first missionary. He is the One we follow.
I've just published an excerpt from a booklet written on the subject of 'Integrated Faith' by Jon Kuhrt (thanks Jon!). It's on the website on the articles page under 'theology and mission'
It is a very good short explanation of why Biblical theology and mission go hand in hand (and it's very easy to read too, even though I use the word 'theology')
If you like the excerpt you can receive the booklet for £1 from Shaftesbury Society on the telephone number listed.
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