Pioneering A Biblical Evangelical - Ecumenical Missiology
By Anton Williams, Founder
The idea of ecumenical work is favorable to some Christians and repulsive to others. Many who discourage ecumenical work do so because they believe that there is not a single set of objective beliefs to guide faith and practice
One of the reasons I founded GMNF Global Mission Society was to be able to unite the various practitioners who adhere to denominations within Roman Catholicism, Orthodox and Protestant Christians under biblical Christianity.
The core teachings of the bible are shared among Protestants, Orthodox and Roman Catholics (God, Trinity, Jesus virgin birth, Atoning death and resurrection, Justification by faith, etc) even though there are difference. At GMNF we adhere to the Bible's instruction regarding liberty for non salvation faith issues (Romans 14) while acknowledging conformity to the doctrines in the scriptures. Regardless of denomination, following a unlimited inerrant sacred scripture is what makes us unique as opposed to mission organizations which focus on Social Support and/or the Social Sciences
There are two main areas of pioneering work in biblical evangelical-ecumenism that I have sought to advance
1) Professional Biblical Evangelical-Ecumenical
2) Academic Biblical Evangelical-Ecumenical
PROTESTANT
ORTHODOX
CATHOLIC
Work/Professional
As a global evangelical organization within a ecumenical structure we place the priority on sacred scripture as the fully unlimited inerrant Word of God. Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants within our organization are united around this. All traditions and operations must have precedence and conformity within the Bible or it is not a practice within GMNF GMS
GMNF GMS has some operations it initiates with and to Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant Christian Missions in outreach areas such as work in prisons, homeless, food banks, counseling, orphan, health care etc.
GMNF GMS also has some projects it participates in which are led by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches and Non profit organizations
Academic
At GMNF GMS, we strategize and market (via surveys and other communications) to reach out to Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants for missiology degrees at some of the premier theological institutions
Fuller Theological Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School are the two leading schools for missiology in regards to having the most influential scholars
As part of GMNF's unique input is to have an ecumenical missiological practice among the top tier theological schools
Missiology as an academic discipline is essentially the same regardless of being Roman Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant:
Core courses include:
Missiology as a practice
Cross Cultural Communication
Theology of Mission
Anthropology/Social Sciences
Contextualization