Breakout Session One - Missional Orphan Care - Michael Stewart

What does missional orphan care mean?

We read the Bible like we go to Wal-Mart.  What does the Bible say about (blank)?  We are looking for something particular and once we get it we just move on.

Problem is that it becomes centered on me.  We go to Wal-Mart to get our needs met.  Meeting my needs.  The Bible is not primarily about us.  The Bible is more than fire-insurance and going to heaven.

We need to look at the Bible and see the whole story.  The Bible is a story from beginning to end.  God is telling us a story.  It is the story of God.  It can be summed up in Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation.

Colossians 1:19-20:

[19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 

God is redeeming and renewing.  The Gospel is not just a wonderful plan for my life, but a wonderful plan for all of creation.  Gospel centered people don't just urge people to be converted but to also see peace and justice in our cities.  We seek the shalom of the city.

Jesus taught us to pray for the renewal of things now ("on earth as it is in heaven").

The Bible is all about God's mission.  His mission is to save sinners and ultimately the whole creation.  He has come to redeem and restore through the work of Jesus.


Four implications:

1.  History is all about the mission of God.  Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation.
2.  If you understand this story salvation becomes more than fire insurance.  We join God in his mission to redeem and renew when we do good deeds in the name of Jesus.
3.  We can never separate word and deed.  Justice, mercy, orphan care are always linked to our salvation.
4.  We are to join God in his mission to redeem and renew.


Four applications:

1.  What is doing justice? - According to the OT, God's justice means to share food, shelter, resources, etc. with those who have less than we do.   Doing justice is something setting things right, the way they should be according to God.

2.  Who should do justice? - Anyone with the resources, power, connections.  We think of justice in terms of "what I deserve".  You get what you deserve.  The Biblical idea of justice is that we owe one another what we have.  We should never withhold our resources from those in need.

3.  How do we do justice? - Proverbs 11:10 - The righteous are those who are willing to disadvantage themselves to advance the community.  The wicked are those who are selfish.

4.  How can you do justice for orphans? - More on this to come in the following breakouts...