Role Of Pastoral Ministry In Global Evangelism Series

Role of Pastoral Ministry in Global Evangelisation (Matthew 24:14).

Text:

“And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.”(AMP)

According to Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life estimates: the Cristian population is 31.11% in the world by 2020. It is believed and projected that by 2050, world Christian population will be 30.7% and the Islam will be 29.7%. The decline of the Christianity is obvious through this study despite big claims by churches and missionaries.

Let me try to explain the word ‘preached’ it’s used as proclaimed, announced, witnessed, spread out, shared through out the world, nations, ethnic groups as a witness or testimony. It’s no wonder this passage has been a motivation for missionaries and mission agencies for centuries. This is a great promise, but understood as a command.

Is Matthew 24:14 Jesus is offering his disciples a task to be accomplished or a promise to be trusted? Please note that the words such as Kerygma, Parousia, Ecclesia, Eschatology, and Maranatha are related to second coming of Jesus Christ.

It is referred to as the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of God, the Gospel of glory, the Gospel of peace, and my/our gospel. This gospel must not simply be preached or shared throughout the globe but must be believed in every nation. (C.J. Moore).

Kerygma means preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church. Early Christian catechesis was concerned primarily with exhorting those preparing for baptism to follow the way of “life” as opposed to that of “death”. Then kerygma became a word for the propaganda of the doctrines of salvation.

The idea understood by the church is that World evangelization will be completed by the time Christ comes back. However, we cannot know exact time specifically (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32). But some mission leaders had a target of AD2000, some as 2020 project, now is said as 2050. But the reality is that Christ would like to see the world is filled with his word, filled with his love and the name of Jesus is exalted.

Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess then the end would come. That is the meaning of the the end will come after the preaching of the Gospel. Global preparation is part of the preparation for the coming of the Lord through the preaching of the gospel.

The end is correlated to the preaching of the Gospel. We are called to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 24:14, Mark 13:10). Gospel is the property of all nations and all peoples. He has given authority to preach to all nations (Matthew 28:19). There is a crowd in heaven compressed of all languages, tribes, and nations (Revelation 5:9).

In what sense, then, would the good news of God's kingdom be heard "all over the world" before temple being destroyed, event occurred?" the good news of God's kingdom was indeed being proclaimed "all over the world" before the temple was destroyed." (Colossians 1:16, Romans 16:26, Romans 10:18, 15:18-24). Jesus did not state the Gospel would "go far outside Judea!" A normal reading of the text is clear. Jesus meant the whole world would be reached and then the end would come, the end of the age, not the end of the Temple. But, What happens to someone who dies without ever hearing the gospel? This question has been debated by missiologists, theologians, ministers, and pastors for centuries. (C.J. Moore).

The Greek word (Ethnos) is not a geopolitical nation. It is a body of persons united by kinship, culture, and common traditions people groups. The eschatological motivation frequently leads to pragmatic practices that hurt rather than help the Church’s mission. The proclamation of the gospel of Christ with a proper understanding of God’s sovereignty over the salvation of all and the Parousia will help the mission fruitful (C.J. Moore).

Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Paul declared that the gospel preached to every creature under heaven (Colossians 1:6,23). The preaching is not only a witness, it actually places more emphasis on the entire process of conversion, feeding, growing, and overcoming than merely witnessing. Disciples are created through steady feeding, a believing response in those who hear combined with overcoming. (John W. Ritenbaugh).

The Kingdom will be preached. God will see it done. He will preach it through whatever means, by whatever agency, and in whatever time, He has already ordained. The question for us, then, is whether we will be in alignment with Him and usable by Him so that we can be directed by Him as He completes His work. (David C. Grabbe).

The end of the age will be full of wars, famines, hatred, lawlessness, and even martyrdom. Yet there are two stunning promises. First, despite the opposition, those who remain faithful will be saved (v. 13). Second, before the end, the gospel will be heralded throughout the world (v. 14).