Communicating and Ministering the Power of the Gospel Cross-culturally: The Power of God for Christians Who Ride Two Horses

 

Conclusion

Jesus gave all Christians the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; I Cor. 12:13) and with him power and authority over all demons and all diseases (Mat. 10:1; Lk. 9:1; 10:17-19). He promised, furthermore, that we would do all that he did and more (Jn. 14:12). The greatest spiritual power in the universe is available to Christians through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, large numbers of Christians worldwide have not entered into this aspect of Christianity—an aspect that speaks strongly to socially inculcated felt needs. Most of the world’s peoples are keenly aware of the spiritual world. And for most of the peoples of the world, the quest for enough spiritual power to live their lives with a minimum of disruption is one of their top priorities.

Failing to find Christianity providing the answers they seek in the area of spiritual power, many Christians have either retained their previous allegiance to powers other than the Holy Spirit or sought new power outside of Christianity to meet their felt needs in this area. This ought not to be. And it need continue no further if we develop biblical strategies to deal with it. May God enable us to do so.

 

PR 

 

Notes

¹The truth is to be done not just intellectually known according to Jn. 3:21, “The one who practices [poieō “do, practice”] the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen that what he has done has been done through God.”

²Charles H. Kraft, Christianity With Power, Ann Arbor: Vine (Servant Publications), 1989; cf. Marguerite G. Kraft, Worldview and the Communication of the Gospel, Pasadena, CA: Wm Carey, 1978.

³Marguerite G. Kraft, Reaching Out for Spiritual Power (Ph.D. dissertation), Pasadena, CA: Fuller Seminary, 1990; id., Worldview and the Communication of the Gospel, Pasadena, CA: Wm Carey, 1978.

⁴David Barrett, Schism and Renewal, London: Oxford University Press, 1968.

⁵ See Kraft, Christianity With Power.

⁶ See Ibid.

 

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NIV®.

This chapter is from Gary S. Greig and Kevin N. Springer, eds., The Kingdom and the Power: Are Healing and the Spiritual Gifts Used by Jesus and the Early Church Meant for the Church Today? A Biblical Look at How to Bring the Gospel to the World with Power (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1993). Used with permission.

Tags: christians, communicating, crossculturally, god, gospel, horses, ministering, power, ride

Category: Ministry, Spring 2009