GOCN의 선교적 교회론과 교회 성장학적 평가

A Critique from the Perspective of Church Growth on the GOCN’s Missional Ecclesiology

The purpose of this study is to analyze The missional ecclesiology of GOC (Gospel and Our Culture Network) organized in North America late in The 1990s and criticize it positively from The perspective of church growth. The term 'missional ecclesiology. ' often called missiological ecclesiology, point s to an academic discussion of The relationship between the church and mission . Comprehensively speaking, it as an academic field where missiology and ecclesiology cross involves all studies of The ministry and organization of the church, which is based on The basic proposition th at the church is naturally missionary. GOCN's missional ecclesiology starts from the publication of Missional Church-A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America ( 1998) edited by Darrell L. Guder. Dealing with mission issues in The interrelation of the Gospel, the church. and the culture is one of import ant methodologies to construct the missional ecclesiology of GO . The church works in the reciprocity with The Gospel and the culture. The church should exist as the Gospel-centered community as well as the communicator of the Gospel according to its missional nature 10 the world. The missional ecclesiology of GOCN has four core subjects . Firstly ,it emphasizes God's redemptive reign as the foundation for the nature, The ministry, and the organization of The church. Emphasis is laid on God's sovereignty it self. Here is an intention to overcome distortions that attempt to restrict the church into the institutional, functional. and organizational dimensions. Secondly. it is based on God ' s Mission (Missio Dei). This concept, which is 10 a striking contrast to human mission(Missio Hominum) and the church's mission(Missiones Ecclesiarurn), makes clear th at God Himself is the motivation, instrument, and goal of mission . Thirdly, it rediscovers the significance of local hurches, which functions an element to emphasize contextual dimension in GOCN's missional ecclesiology. Lastly, it lays stress on The concept of the public discipleship to overcome The limitation of individualistic faith caused by The harmful effects of modern culture. Basically, the missional church refers to the social community created by the Holy Spirit, which is called and sent to participate God 's mission in The world . In understanding of The concept ' the missional church ' of GOCN , the crucial issue is about using The term 'missional' . By using the term , scholars in GOC advocate a new paradigm of mission which abolishes the old mission paradigm found in Christendom and The modern world. The missional church movement by GOCN could g ive some positive effects on the school of church growth th at has developed since The 1950s. Especially, GOC 's missional ecclesiology could contribute to the ongoing development of church growth theology. It could also help to expand the narrow concept of mission to which church growth scholars mostly adhere. However , although GOCN's missional ecclesiology has many theoretical strengths , it exposes a weakness that its concept of 'missional' life of the church or God's people is obscure. Because of this weakness, GOC 's missional ecclesiology is less pragmatic in relation to planning and strategy . Today, there is a strong need for God 's people to be The true church th at experiences real church growth by living out as The missional church in its own context. In order to meet the need , GOC ' s missional ecclesiology and church growth should learn each other.