The Spirit Flattens All Hierarchies

We Only Have Them Because We Love Them

Welcome to “Global Witness, Globally Reimagined.” You get a glimpse here of the kind of work that I do both at Church Mission Society and Missio Africanus where I help students of all levels (from unaccredited courses to PhD) explore the theological (and missiological) implications of the rise of World Christianity. In the newsletter, I focus on the subject of global witness in the context of the twenty-first century. Every Thursday, I share a thought that has spoken to me in the week, one or two resources that I trust will be helpful to you, and three exciting quotes about mission to give you something to think about as you go through your day. I pray one of these will energise you.

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1. Thought I Can’t Shake Off

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The new life that Jesus initiates in the New Testament for his followers is totally dependent on the Spirit. The new covenant is entirely based on the presence and the work of the Spirit in the world, especially within and among God’s people. Jesus did not leave his disciples without help. The commitment to follow Christ, to spread the good news of his finished work of salvation, and to make disciples for him in the entire world need a life lived according to the Spirit. He encouraged his disciples, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” (Jhn. 14:26). Of course, he was talking this to fulfil Ezekiel 36:26-27 which says, “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you … I will put my spirit within you and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.” Later, he said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you ….” (Acts 1:8). Paul would later add that the Spirit gives life (Rom. 8; 2 Cor. 3:6), that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit (Rom. 14:17) and—this is the most critical for me—live by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16).

Following Christ is a spiritual endeavour. We can only follow Christ through the work of the Spirit inside us. It is one Spirit—the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God, God as Spirit—living inside all followers of Christ everywhere in the world. The Spirit of God has been poured out upon all humanity, no matter our geographical location or ethnic heritage, our social class or level of education, our gender or, indeed, the colour of our skin. In Paul’s language, the Spirit has been poured upon the Jew and the Gentile alike, upon men and women alike, and upon those who are free as well as those who are enslaved and, in so doing, flattened the social hierarchies that shaped the society around him. Today, we are reminded that the Spirit is poured among not only men and women but also the rich and the poor, black and white, as well as the educated and uneducated alike. In addition, the Spirit can work through any of those at any time. I like the fact that it is all about the Spirit; we all have equal access. The hierarchies are destroyed. There is no special code for some chosen people. For instance, some of the people who are most fluent in “Spirit” are the poor and the uneducated (though, of course, riches and education should not hinder our relationship with the Spirit). Unfortunately, many of us have been cultured and discipled to pay attention to certain classes of people and not others. Yet, God often uses the foolish things of this world. Those of us obsessed with hierarchies need to meet the Spirit afresh. After all has been said and done, Jesus promises that God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask (Luke 11:13).

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2. Resources I am Enjoying

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Book: Fohle Lygunda li-M, Transforming Missiology: An Alternative Approach to Missiological Education, (Carlisle: Langham Monographs, 2018).

To shift our missiology, we ought to explore the training models that shape our current thought and praxis. In this book, Fohle Lygunda li-M examines missiological education within the context of theological institutions in Africa, particularly ten Christian universities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Based on his findings and in-depth analysis, Lygunda li-M argues for a new strategy in the missiological formation of seminarians to prepare them to lead indigenous missional churches. Lygunda li-M's advocacy is certainly not only relevant to the African Christian tertiary institutions but also extends to the globe. It contends against the elevation and teaching of a dominant mission theory and practice as default, regardless of the obvious shifts happening in the history of the Christian faith, including the rise of indigenous expressions of Christianity. Lygunda li-M’s proposition is imperative for all theological institutions if they will not keep churning out ministers who are unfit to participate in God’s mission in this age effectively.

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3. Quotes I am Pondering

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• God is a missionary God inviting all people into communion with Him and with one another, sending them into the world to be involved in His ongoing creative work. — Samuel Deressa

• Missiological themes with regard to prosperity in our churches today should not offer an eschatological hope of “building castles in the air”, or adopt the globalization-appropriate mood of doubling wealth, but instead should insist on an ethics of work for personal responsibility and accountability before all God’s creation. — Faith Lugazia

• For the church to come to terms with the diverse needs of people, it is imperative that it starts going to them rather than wait for people to come to her … Accordingly, combining digital ministry with in-person church services is critical in maintaining the church’s holistic missional agenda in the post-COVID-19 era. — Justice Anquandah Arthur

I pray that you will be faithful in whatever God calls you to do this week.