The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the Baptist Church is essentially a missionary denomination through the examination of the Baptist Confessions of Faith and historical data. The Baptist Confessions of Faith clearly states that missions...
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the Baptist Church is essentially a missionary denomination through the examination of the Baptist Confessions of Faith and historical data. The Baptist Confessions of Faith clearly states that missions are a duty for all believers. These characteristics are found not only in the Confessions of Faith but also in the writings and sermons of Baptist pastors and theologians. The theological characteristics of the Baptist Church are based on the belief in the inerrancy, sufficiency, uniqueness, and divine inspiration of the Bible, which leads to the unique ecclesiology of believer’s baptism and the believer’s church. Believer’s baptism is the epression of an individual’s confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, leading believers to unite with the local church.
The formulation of Baptist mission theology was founded by Andrew Fuller in the late 18th century. He emphasized, first, that all believers must accept the gospel with genuine repentance and obedience as a duty of faith. Second, he defined that salvation is not a contradiction between God’s sovereign grace and human duty of faith, but rather an emphasis on God’s sovereignty while clearly defining human duty. Third, he stressed the practical aspects of mission theology and mission. Therefore, believers have the responsibility to actively spread the gospel so that everyone can fulfill the duty of faith. Fuller’s theology provided the theological foundation for the modern missionary movement that began in the late 18th century.
Missional hermeneutics is a method of interpreting the Bible that presupposes Missio Dei. This approach appears to provide a unified and consistent interpretation of the Bible. However, the comprehensive mission concept of Missio Dei allows for various perspectives in interpreting the Bible, leading to multiple forms of missional interpretation. Missional hermeneutics can thus be viewed as an interpretation of the Bible from the intended perspective of the interpreter. Evangelical missional hermeneutics, as examined through the writings of Christopher Wright, Michael Goheen, and Arthur Glasser, interprets the Bible from the perspective of Christ’s redemption, emphasizing that only God’s people, or the redeemed, participate in God’s mission. This has similarities with the Baptist concept of the church.
Missional hermeneutics, which emphasizes social participation and ethical practice by God’s people, reinforces the concept that the church should be composed of believers. This means that the church can fulfill God's mission when it is composed of believers. The New Testament demonstrates that the disciples knew Christ through the Old Testament, believed in Him, and understood themselves as believers. This self-definition led them to carry out their mission. Mission is actively and voluntarily participated in by believers who have found their identity by believing in Jesus as Lord and Christ. Therefore, the church can fully accomplish its mission when all its members are believers.
Baptists form the concept of the believer’s church through biblical interpretation, with believers managing the church as members of the local church congregation. Each local church voluntarily unites with other churches to fulfill the global missionary mandate. The Baptist concept of believers ensures that the church fulfills God's mission and reveals God's glory. This understanding of Baptist missions provides missional theological lessons for the modern church.