This article addresses questions such as: Are our Bible translations accurate? Were the original sources accurately copied? Were these originals truly the best sources? Were the original authors mistaken? The conclusion is certain: we have every reason to believe the Bible is reliable.
This chapter is a short apologetic for the truthfulness of Scripture.
Chapter 2 wants to answer the question, “What is the church’s mission in the world?” The authors think it best to start with the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19. First, they examine a few other passages that are sometimes understood as offering a fuller mission identity for the church: Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 19:5–6, Luke 4:16–21.
The following words of Stephen Neill are used to introduce chapter 1: “If everything is mission, nothing is mission.” The chapter wants to introduce the concerns of questions like, What is the mission of the church? Is the mission of the church the same as the mission of God? Should we distinguish between the mission of the church and the responsibilities of individual Christians? Is Jesus’ mission continued by the church?
