Theological Reflections on Commending and Sending



In the Nanning Covenant signed in China in 2002, YWAM set the direction for some of the current leadership issues we are facing today.  Further reflecting on the process of Commending New Ministries on how this will be done rests in the inter-relationship between commending bodies (oplocs and/or Elders), commended-sent ones*, and receiving communities.  At the end of the day, the commending ministry needs to be empowered to send; the commended ministry needs to have the authority of being sent; and the domain of receiving a new ministry needs to honored and respected.  If we can achieve this, YWAM will have moved into a missiological stance of win/win/win, which has great potential to unlock new strategies to reach new Omega Zones.

Therefore, commending needs to be done in such a manner that there is
·        Discernment on the Word of the Lord-Jerusalem Council; Paul to Macedonia
·        Empowerment in an impartational manner (laying on of hands) to the sent ones-Peter to Cornelius; Paul and Barnabas sent out from Antioch; Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and Judas with Jerusalem letter to Antioch and other Gentile Churches
·        Assurance of peace (shalom/harmony) being the predominant theme of the process-Gentiles receiving the Jerusalem Council’s letter Acts 15:33
·        Effective Communication of all parties-Periodic apostles reconnecting with those who sent them
·        Recognition of the strategic value of being received culturally, legally, linguistically, and locally- the shift from Jews to Gentiles
·        Ongoing interconnected, relationally-based and co-operative  partnerships to achieve kingdom growth- non-sectarian divisions in the Body of Christ verses diversity within the Body of Christ.

Scriptural prototypes for this process can be found in Jesus sending out the 12, the 70, and other New Testament apostolic ventures.  See Matt. 10; Luke 10; Great Commission-Matt 28; Mark 16; Luke 21; John 20; Acts 1; Peter to Cornelius’ household; Paul on missionary journeys; emissaries from the Jerusalem Council etc.   From the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, here are some major guideposts for best practices in the process of commending and sending

§  At the Jerusalem Council the letter sent to the Gentile churches was based on “it seems good to us and the Holy Spirit…” and those who received the letter received it as such, not as a decision from on high.  Therefore, there was a harmony in hearing from God.  Act 15:28
§  The sending process seemed to be governed by the Spirit’s presence in peace (shalom-community well-being/harmony).  Acts 15:33
§  Not only the wisdom of the Jerusalem letter, but also the freedom for the Gentile churches to govern themselves underlines the authority of the process transmitted by both letter and godly emissaries.  Acts 15:22
I would be an interesting integration of this process with the Nanning Tripod message in respect to the sending/commending process.  Very clearly we have hearing from God, godly relationship and the authority of Elders cooperating here for not only growth, but also in recognition that the Holy Spirit can govern.
*Both missionary and apostle are based on Latin or Greek words that mean “sent-ones”

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