a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

nations.’ 127 However, the Spirit took the initiative when He asked the church in
Antioch to set apart and send Barnabas and Saul for a mission beyond Palestine.
Subsequently, they embarked on a missionary trip to various regions outside
Palestine (Act. 13: 1-4). Later many such missionary journeys were undertaken.
As a result, a large number of people from various communities came to Christian
faith, and several churches were planted in Asia Minor and its surroundings. It is
significant that the Holy Spirit took a special lead in these journeys so that many
times He interrupted the schedule and plan of the missionaries. For example, the
missionaries were forbidden by the Spirit to preach in Asia (Act. 16:6). Paul and
his companions wanted to go to Bithynia, but were forbidden by the Spirit (Act.
16:7), and Paul was guided by a vision to go to Macedonia (Act. 16:9-10).
6.2.2.5 The Spirit and Global-Local Tension
As discussed above, the event that led to the Council of Jerusalem in Act 15 must
be primarily regarded as a religio-cultural issue. At the same time, this event can
be used as an example of global-local tension. Nevertheless, the global-local
categories were not developed in those days as they are today. Certain men from
Judea came with their theology, which was shaped by their religio-cultural
background, in order to influence the local Gentile community. This created a
tension, and the response of the apostles was the call for a council at Jerusalem,
where Paul and Barnabas reported the miraculous activities the Lord had done
among the non-Jews in other parts of the world. Having travelled to many places
beyond Palestine and met many other non-Jewish groups, Paul and Barnabas were
certain that the Spirit was at work in other communities. When the apostles in the
127 Allen, ‘Spirit the Source,’ 99.
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