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The Whole Gospel idea

WITNESSING TO THE 
"WHOLE GOSPEL"

by Gene TeSelle
[fall 2000]

The Witherspoon Society is committing itself for the next three years to an in-depth exploration of what it might mean to be a "whole Gospel congregation." This understanding will reach beyond the popular tendency to split "evangelism" from "service," and to reduce our faith to an individualistic way of "salvation." Board member Kent Winters-Hazelton writes about plans for a consultation in May of 2001, moving toward larger events later on.

Responding to the false dichotomy of "evangelism versus social advocacy," the Executive Committee of the Witherspoon Society has given priority to defining and promoting the "whole gospel" -- not just an individual and private gospel, not just a "social gospel," but a gospel that takes all dimensions of human life seriously.

 

You'll be hearing more about this as we try to fill out a definition of the "whole gospel." In the process we seek your insights. Especially valuable will be your experience with "whole gospel congregations" which have combined evangelism, service, and advocacy. We know that there are many such congregations in the PC(USA). We also know that there is great variety among them. We would like to recognize these congregations and develop as full a description of whole gospel activities as we can.

In the meantime, here are a few reflections on why it is important to preach the whole gospel.

First, it was what Jesus preached. He knew about the "Solomonic ethic" of his own day, the notion that those who are wealthy and powerful have been rewarded by God for their piety and virtue, and he didn't have much good to say about it. He healed the sick and forgave sins; he ate with tax collectors and pronounced judgment on those who were too comfortable. It was what Paul preached, too, first telling people about justification and new life, then exhorting them to walk accordingly. And it is what our confessions teach in a consistent way, most strikingly, perhaps, in the Confession of 1967 when it says, "To be reconciled to God is to be sent into the world as God's reconciling community" (C-9.31), and goes on to say that Christ's life "involves" the church, his service "commits" the church, his suffering "makes the church sensitive," his crucifixion "discloses" to the church, and in his resurrection the church "sees" the promise of renewal and victory (C-9.32).

Second, it is what the church has experienced over and over. It has never preached the gospel in isolation from dealing with human problems, and often the church's deeds are what make its words convincing. I have noticed that when Catholic bishops speak about social and political issues -- in their letters on the economy and on nuclear weapons during the 1980s, for example, or in the response of Oscar Romero and many other Latin American bishops to repression in their own countries -- they often begin with a statement to the effect that "we as pastors cannot be unaware of or indifferent to . . . " Presbyterian ministers do not see themselves as "pastors of the flock" with quite the same authority, but they often respond in the same way. And pastoral responsibility is not simply for our own membership, either. It often involves service to the whole community surrounding the building where the church gathers.

Third, we are all aware of bad examples and negative possibilities -- of statistical soul-saving and membership development which is indifferent to the conditions of people's lives, of religion used to gloss over injustice and heal wounds lightly. Often it is unconscious; perhaps there are circumstances beyond anyone's control. But we always have the obligation to be aware of the consequences of our actions. Anyone who has been to Latin America, for example, has seen the way North American money can change the dynamics of a local community, disrupting efforts at self-sufficiency and introducing new kinds of economic advantage which also carry dependency with them. That is why the policy of Worldwide Ministries is to work with indigenous churches, respect their priorities, and watch out for unintended consequences of North American largesse. That is also why the policy of the PC(USA) in both national and global ministries is to encourage self-development. All of this, as it turns out, is part and parcel of the responsible preaching of the gospel. Shortsighted concern with budgets and efficiency and measurable results could undo the insights of generations of faithful stewards.

 
 

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An index of our reports from

 

 

 

BECOMING NEIGHBORS:
An Invitation
to Global Discipleship

A Witherspoon conference
on global mission and justice

September 16 - 19, 2007
Louisville, Kentucky

 

Check out our report from the Conference
on
Terror, Torture,
and Security

 

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