Planting Churches Among the City's Poor - Volume 2

98 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 2

Missionary Calling The Ground of Apostolic Mission Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

Paul, an apostle – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead – and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ~ Galatians 1.1-5 (ESV) Stories of individuals being called to a life of discipleship are a common feature of religious and philosophical biography in antiquity (e.g. Philostr. VA 1.19; 4.1, 24; 8.21; Porph. Plot. 19–20; and, in general, Bieler 1935–36: 1.122–29). The Gospels contain similar accounts of the miraculous effect of Jesus’ call to discipleship. What distinguishes these narratives, however, is the importance placed on the initiative of Jesus and the demand for an immediate and unconditional response on the part of the prospective disciples (Mark 1.16-20; 2.14; 5.18-19; 10.17-22; 10.46-52; Luke 5.1-11; 9.57-62; John 1.35-51). On this the tradition is unambiguous: one can become a disciple of Jesus only on the basis of a call (TDNT 4:444; Schweizer 1978: 394). Indeed, there is not a single instance in all the synoptic tradition of an individual successfully volunteering to become a disciple. Nor do the Johannine call stories differ fundamentally in this regard (John 1.35–51; cf. 6.65; 10.3–5, 14, 26–28; 15.16; 21.20–22). ~ Arthur J. Droge. “The Call.” The Anchor Bible Dictionary . Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Electronic Edition, 1992.

Critical Questions and Concerns

• What is the nature of an authentic missionary call? • What is the relationship between the nature of apostleship and the missionary call today? • What are some biblical examples of those who received an authentic missionary call from the Lord? • What are the critical implications which flow from a solid understanding of an authentic missionary call?