Dr. Timothy Tennent: On Mission with God in the World
Ben Meyer once wrote that “Christianity has never been more true to itself, more consistent with the message of Jesus, or more evidently in route to its own future than in the launching of the world mission of the church.”[1] From the dawn of the Abrahamic covenant when God declared that in his seed “all nations would be blessed,” to those falling tongues of fire which erupted into global worship on the day of Pentecost, to that glorious day on October 27, 1771 when Francis Asbury first stepped foot onto this continent, and a thousand other examples which could be cited, the church, when true to itself, has always been about global mission: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15). Asbury Seminary’s founding motto, “the whole Bible for the whole world,” reflects in seed form this grand biblical vision. It is that vision which was made command through our Risen Lord Jesus Christ when he said, “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). We are the sent people of God – sent out as joyful participants in God’s redemptive mission in the world. The difference between a church which says to the world “come to church” versus a church which says to its own members “go to the world” is, perhaps, a more defining shift than has been fully appreciated. That movement from an attractional model to a missional model, from a seeker-sensitive model to a post-seeker model, from a programmatic model to a relational model, from a Christendom to a post-Christendom is profound and, in the process, might help us to rediscover the missional nature of the church of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the very phrase “missional church” is a grammatical tautology, like the phrase, “a male man” or a “four cornered square.” The church is by nature and calling missional – an outpost of the New Creation in Adam’s world.
This vision of a church on mission with the Triune God is not alien to our own Wesleyan tradition. Indeed, this is our truest identity. There has never been a more successful church planting movement in America than the story of the Methodist movement which is still the only church planting movement which planted a church in every county in the country. This vision was inaugurated by none other than Francis Asbury, one of the greatest pioneer church planters in the history of the church and from whom our seminary derives its name. As noted earlier, Francis Asbury arrived from England to the New World in October of 1771. He was 26 years old. Think about it – twenty-six years old, stepping onto this continent with nothing but a great vision! There are only nine Methodist preachers on the whole continent and only 316 Methodist Christians. Asbury knew that the only hope to evangelize the New World with only nine preachers was what he called “the circulation of preachers” – meaning keep them on the move, preaching the gospel and planting churches. If there was ever a missional vision, that was it – “the circulation of preachers.” Asbury from the start lived on horseback, never owned a home, never got married, never left this soil, and gave 45 years of ministry to this country, preaching his last sermon the same week that he died. Like Asbury’s founder H.C. Morrison who died after preaching a revival service, Asbury died with his boots on and his horse saddled. His whole life was defined by missional themes. Asbury preached in taverns, he preached in court houses, he preached in the public square, he preached in the tobacco fields, he preached in homes, he preached in prisons, he preached under shaded trees and yes, he even preached in churches! If he had been alive today, you would have seen him on YouTube and Facebook. He would have been waiting in the parking lot outside a Lady Gaga concert. Asbury averaged 6,000 miles per year; traveled over 270,000 miles on horseback and preached over 15,500 sermons (not counting exhortations). Is it any wonder that he is portrayed on horseback on the statue as you enter Wilmore? Isn’t it amazing that there are fifteen famous figures portrayed on horseback throughout our nation’s capital – fourteen of those famous figures are military leaders from George Washington to Joan of Arc. One – and only one – is dedicated to a preacher of the gospel – Francis Asbury. He ordained over 4,000 new church planting pastors. To read the conference journals on the growth of the church is inspiring. In the first year of ministry in the New World Asbury and his preaching band had led almost 1,000 people to Jesus Christ. By 1775 there are 3,148 members reported. By 1777, 5,000 Methodists are reported, and four years later, almost 11,000. By 1796 the church had over 70,000 members. One year, 1801, saw over 14,000 new people brought to Christ in one year, bringing the overall number to 104,070 and, from there, the growth became exponential, numbering eventually in the millions. Today there are 80 distinct Methodist movements worldwide comprising nearly 80 million people!
Let’s never forget that Jesus said, “I will build my church” – he said nothing about Methodists or Baptists or Pentecostals. However, all of these movements and hundreds more can become vivified when they become part of the great missio dei of God and the in-breaking of the Kingdom. Likewise, each of these movements can become fossilized when they turn into lumbering parochially minded institutions. May we never lose our commitment to be a part of God’s great mission in the world.
[1] Chuck Van Engen, People on the Way.
Thanks, Dr. Tennent, for this wonderful reminder of Francis Asbury’s amazing ministry that literally changed our continent! It’s easy to understand why some historians credit Asbury and the Methodist circuit riders with civilizing the American frontier. This is history we must never forget. Thanks be to God!
I have a replica of that statue of Asbury in my study. Every time I sit down there, I am thus reminded that our God is a missional God and those of us in the Wesleyan and Asbury tradition are a missional people. Thank you for the reminder!
Thank you Dr. Tennent. The missionary spirit was imparted and nourished in me while a student at the seminary. Dr. E. Stanley Jones preached a sermon in chapel that confirmed that calling.
At 79 I am still very much involved in India, Sri Lanka and wherever I travel in the USA and other countries witnessing the love of Jesus our Lord.
I am humbled beyond words concerning the devotion of Francis Asbury. Thank you for awakening me to God’s call to seek the refining fire of the Holy Spirit.