Christian Mission, Godly Order, and Tradition

But all things should be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:40

God is the God of order and truth. He created order and light out of chaos and darkness, and that is why He wants order in His church and in His mission in the world. Christian mission is not our mission. It is HIS mission committed to us to fulfill faithfully and in an orderly manner. To do so, there are important principles we must follow.

Faithful Preaching

First, Christian mission is about preaching the gospel of Christ faithfully with integrity. Make sure you are preaching Christ and His gospel, not yourself or your personal kingdom- building. Preaching your version of the gospel is not Christian mission; also, preaching the gospel of Christ isn’t enough because the Bible commands us to live in a manner worthy of the gospel we preach so that the gospel will not be undermined by our actions. We must preach the saving and transforming gospel of Christ and His Cross. To do that faithfully and be effective Christian missionaries, we must deal with pride, divisiveness, love of money and position, bitterness, bad temper, wickedness, sloth, deceitfulness, penchant for self-glory, envy, self-centeredness, tendencies to being racist and tribalistic, narcissism, dishonesty, hypocrisy, and malicious egotism in our lives.

Lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

Hebrews 12:1

Tend to the garden of your life and deal with the little foxes and serpents that ravage the garden and ruin God’s plan for your life. Preach Christ, build His kingdom, follow the Scriptures, and do it in a godly manner.

Anglican Tradition

Preaching the gospel and following the tradition of our Anglican Church are important in Christian ministry and mission. We don’t preach the gospel in a vacuum—there are civil, legal, socio-cultural considerations, church procedures, and multifaceted contexts within which we do it. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Church in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, said:

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

The role of Clergy and Bishops in the Bible and in the Anglican Church is not only to preach the gospel but also to uphold the godly traditions of the church that make for decency and order. Failture to do so is a violation of our ordination vows as Anglican Clergy and Bishops.

St. Paul admonishes the Corinthian Christians who were aiding and abetting disorder in the Church in the name of being “led by the Spirit” with this words:

But all things should be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:40

The Anglican Church is an ordered and orderly church; it’s not a free-for-all kind of church where anyone can do as they please, as we find in many denominations today. In Anglicanism, a diocese doesn’t plant and supervise a church in the geographical boundaries of another diocese without the consent of the host diocese, and neither does a Province plant a church or create dioceses or missions and supervise such new missions in the geographical boundaries of another Anglican province without the consent of that host Province. That’s the Anglican way and part of our Anglican tradition within which we preach the gospel and do mission and ministry to maintain ORDER rather than conflict. Whenever we violate our Scripture and our tradition, conflict and distraction ensue.

So, preach the gospel, but do it in an ordered and orderly way.  Just because all Christians are called to preach the gospel does not mean that a layman can simply buy a clerical shirt and collar and start preaching in an Anglican Church without ordination, licenses, or permission. It’s important to follow the traditions and rules of your denomination. If you find yourself unable to do so for any reason, consider leaving your denomination and joining one where you can faithfully follow God’s Word and tradition in good conscience.

The Golden Rule

The biblical principle of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12), proclaimed by our Lord Jesus Christ, is crucial in the Christian life and mission. Avoid engaging in practices of Christian mission that you wouldn’t want another church group to do in your own community. Remember, the seeds you sow will determine what you reap in return. Acting with godliness and integrity is vital.

Diligent Prayer

Last, be diligent in prayer. Seek the Lord’s wisdom, understanding, guidance, and anointing. Remember that Christian work can only be accomplished with the power of the Holy Spirit and in alignment with God’s Word. Reject any notion that dismisses the need for the Holy Spirit’s power and the authority of God’s Word. We rely on both for the work of God.

If modern Anglicans are not vigilant, the current trend of a “free for all” approach under the guise of preaching the gospel or doing mission could result in chaos, confusion, and conflict, ultimately eroding order and decency within the Church. This issue is already manifesting in various places today in the name of preaching the gospel and being led by the Spirit.