THEOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT (Essay Sample)

THEOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT Student’s Name Course Title Date The call to global engagement as followers of Christ is based on the commission given to Christians through scripture, which mandates that we love people and make disciples of all nations. This stewardship means that we must also provide for society's basic physical needs along with preaching the word. This essay seeks to assess the integration of these two concepts evident in the ministry of Jesus Christ, who had an integrating concern for the human person's religious, physical, and psychological well-being. That connection between satisfying physical needs and evangelism is symbiotic and inextricable, as evidenced by Christ's incarnation. “Jesus was conscientious in attending to the body, soul, and spirit of those he interacted with, which shows that discipleship cannot ignore the physical.”3 For instance, Hebrews 4:15 points out that “Christ, our High Priest, is not alien to our weaknesses because He became one like us.’’2 This identification is essential in the ministry as it helps one to relate intimately with the people one is serving in a way characterized by God's love. While defining globalization, it is essential to work and proclaim the gospel while at the same time feeding the hungry. The case of making himself a Jew to Jews and a Gentile to Gentiles in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 is an excellent example of flexibility and cultural awareness in evangelism.1 This approach can be understood in light of incarnational ministry in which the missionaries and church planters live among the people without necessarily suffering extreme poverty but portraying the love and might of Christ. 1 Escobar, Samuel, The New Global Mission: The Gospel from Everywhere to Everyone (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2003). 2 King James Bible, Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1769) 3 Padilla, C Rene, Mission between the Times: Essays on the Kingdom (Carlisle: Langham Monographs, 2010). Incarnational ministry also entails living out Christ's life and teachings within the relationship sphere. Jesus was sent to teach the disciples by example, and he stayed with them, teaching them how to practice what he was preaching. This relational aspect is seen when Paul writes, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).4 For the church, this suggests that ministry ought to involve not only addressing physical needs but also building rapport, which opens up opportunities for discipleship in the long run.5 In conclusion, the balance between addressing phy...