Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Great Commission I

My focus here is on taking the gospel to the world; and not on taking the Urantia Book to the world. (However, it is noteworthy to say that CMC does both.)

The Urantia Revelations make two things very clear:
1) Personal, private ministry ('as you pass by') - your character and your one-on-one interactions proclaim truth, beauty and goodness, transforming lives.
2) Public ministry - proactively taking the gospel to people on a massive scale, from city to city, country to country. 



We see both in Melchizedek's Earth life. We see both in Jesus' Earth life. Jesus encourages us to do the same today. People who are only focused on private ministry should not tear down those who are focused on both private and public. We are a team! 
The Master sent out Kingdom believers TO PROACTIVELY GO TO VILLAGES AND CITIES TEACHING AND PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM... How can we effectively take the teachings of Jesus to every part of the planet - reaching thousands and millions, at a time, if we do not engage in some form of "conscious, calculated organization"? 
The Master commanded us to take his teachings all over the world. He led by example by sending out believers to different places to reach out to others; to preach and teach - publicly. Jesus had an "organized movement" in place. Different people had different tasks. For example, Matthew Levi was a fundraiser. Judas Iscariot was their treasurer. Simon Peter was an eloquent spokesman - preacher and teacher... There was a sustainable structure in place. 
To take the gospel to villages, cities and countries all over the world would require SOME (or A FEW) faith-liberated individuals to put in 20, 30 or even 50 hours of work per week. It requires a well coordinated and sustained effort. It requires planning, time and money. It requires setting up a structure - a 'movement'; an 'organization'; a 'church' or whatever is needed to get the job done. Let's not deceive ourselves. There's really practically no other way in this day and age.




A key objective for us is to clearly understand the duties and responsibilities placed on us, by the Fifth Epochal Revelation or the FER (The Urantia Book) and also those placed on us by the gospel message. They are greatly interrelated but they are not exactly the same. The FER may experience 'slow growth' but the gospel message does not have to. The majority of humans on Earth may not be ready for the FER but they are ready for the gospel teachings. Lack of understanding of this vital fact is a major reason why we are not doing so well - globally, in obeying the Master’s command. 

Some readers frown at Public Ministries because of the abuse they see amongst some tele-evangelists and some Church or Religious leaders. These things should not and must not make us reject "organizations" and public outreach work. Some humans may abuse power, authority, finances, etc but that does not mean the WORK ITSELF should not be done.

We have a great book - the Urantia Book, filled with nuggets to equip us with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. If any group of people should do better, then I think we ought to be that group. I see nothing to fear or be worried about. The Master knew quite well the fallibility of humans yet out of faith and trust, he commissions them to work under an umbrella as an organized team to do Public Outreach Work. With the knowledge we have, we should be able to do better than our 'stigmatized' tele-evangelist brothers and sisters... ...But should we fail, we learn, we grow, we evolve. We get wiser. There's really no other way.

Picture Art of FOGBOM by Tery McCade.

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