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

will ‘convince sceptics …that Christians have been caught up into the eternal love
of the Father for his unique Son.’ 171
The above discussion leads to the conclusion that there are various factors that
have brought Christians together in Rajasthan. The persecution factor has drawn
people from all segments of Christianity to rally against the atrocities committed
against them. The missionary task motivates people to stand for a common cause.
Spirit experiences join people’s hearts and cause them to stand before God in
worship, while disregarding all their differences under the guidance of the Spirit.
Therefore, a contemporary contextual missiology must be an ecumenical
missiology.
6.3.3. Transformational Missiology
Another important feature of contextual missiology of the Spirit is that it
considers spiritual as well as socio-political transformation. Although Pentecostals
engage in both, spiritual transformation of individuals and society is given
primary focus in Pentecostal mission. Early Pentecostals had a missiology that
gave priority to evangelism. There is no doubt that such ‘prioritism for
evangelism’ is evident in Pentecostal mission from its very inception. For
Pentecostals, what matters most is people coming to the saving knowledge of
Christ. Such a plea was evident in the voices of its founding figures like William
Seymour, who was reported to have admonished the people after experiencing the
revival: ‘Now, do not go from this meeting and talk about tongues, but try to get
171
Vinoth Ramachandra, The Recovery of Mission: Beyond the Pluralist Paradigm (Carlisle:
Paternoster Press, 1996), 276.
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