Proclaiming the Big Picture of the Bible
A missional hermeneutic sees mission as the core theme of the biblical story. The big picture envisioned in a missional hermeneutic moves from Creation - Fall - Israel - Jesus the Messiah - Church - New Creation.
Preach the big picture of the Bible regularly. A foundation of a missional hermeneutic or approach to Scripture is a commitment to the whole of Scripture as the story of God’s mission in the world. The Christ following community needs to hear the biblical narrative as a whole proclaimed in a single message or teaching block. Just as many churches regularly preach series on their core values, communities of faith who desire to live out the biblical narrative need to hear it in its totality often. I would recommend beginning each year with a message that succinctly captures the overarching contours of the Bible. Rehearing the story from Creation to New Creation provides the foundation for rooting the self-understanding of the community in God’s mission. God’s people are a missional community that reflects God’s character to/for/in the world.
Proclaiming the biblical narrative of God’s mission sets the rest of the teaching and preaching ministry of community within the broad contours of biblical theology. Instead of a disjointed approach to the Scriptures, all preaching and teaching can be understood within the big story. This allows for coherence and continuity within the community of faith.
Such an approach initiates outsiders and recent converts to the contours of the Bible. In our post-Christian reality, the biblical message must be (re)taught continually. A basic knowledge of the Gospel message can no longer be assumed. It is vital for the Christ following movement to move away from fragmented approaches to preaching and teaching to a wholistic approach in which the preacher/teacher walks the tightrope between in depth study of discrete parts of the Scripture and the rooting of discrete texts within the broader contours of the Gospel.
Allows for continual formation of Christ followers. We need constant reminders of the story into which we have been cast. The Gospel is counter-cultural, but for it to function as a critique of the dominant stories of the wider culture, it must be proclaimed continually and boldly.
Encourages individuals and groups to read the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. By supplying a framework for understanding the whole, communities who regularly teach the whole story empower individuals to engage the Scriptures on their own.
What do you think?
© 2009 Brian D Russell
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[...] Brian Russell at the Real Meal Ministries blog suggests that it’s important for pastors and teachers to regularly teach the broader narrative or overview of scripture in a post titled, Proclaiming the Big Picture of the Bible. [...]