A Reflection on Michael J. Gorman's Becoming the Gospel

A Reflection on Michael J. Gorman's Becoming the Gospel

Introduction

Michael J. Gorman’s book titled “Becoming the Gospel” is a profound attempt to

reflect on how the church as a living organism can and ought to index the gospel in its life.

Gorman, a New Testament specialist, expounds on the fact that admonish is not only

evangelism’s oral, theological expression but a holistic program of redemption. The book

provides the reader with a critical perspective on the contemporary concepts of evangelism

and making disciples in the context of the Postmodern society and calls for a radical appraisal

of the work of the church in the salvation and the mission of the world.

lived in Christ.

The aim of this reflection is to experience the concepts discussed in Becoming the

Gospel more profoundly and at the same time try to analyze to what extent I have been

affected by the discussed concepts of theology of the gospel and philosophy of ministry.

When I was reflecting on Gorman’s ideas, there were a few notions that touched me deeply,

giving a new perspective on how to embrace the Gospel message embracing the twenty-first

century. In this reflection, I shall attempt to identify three concepts if the book that I found

most valuable and a source of positive change. Besides explaining one idea that I found

unconvincing, I will state the flaws I found in it and offer a more persuasive opinion on the

matter.

The second idea that I found helpful and that impacted my thinking is called missional

ecclesiology. Gorman outlines the task of the church as missiological because the church is to

be a sign of and participant in God’s mission. This new dramatic stance recasts its mission

and function and its public vocation by emphasising social involvement, justice, and

missional testimony.

The third of the major themes espoused by the church is cruciformity which

essentially means letting the life of the church to be formed by the cross as was with Jesus

Christ. Gorman posits that the Gospel message as expressed by Jesus self-giving love and

sacrificial death should be patterns for Christian discipleship and church fellowship. They

arm the church itself in a cruciform way of living as a challenge that must be humble, serve,

and show vulnerability.

more specifics to give a fair analysis and to offer a moderate view that is based on the

concern for the self and the others.

The purpose of this reflection is to have a critically analytical reflection on the book

‘Becoming the Gospel’, by Michael J Gorman, focusing on the usefulness of the book in

enriching the theological and ministerial formation, besides raising concern on contentious

issues as well. In this way, I would like to outline a vision of Constantine and his mission that

is more accurate and encompassing for the postmodern world of the Seventh-day Adventist

Church.

Participatory Soteriology

Focusing at its centrepiece is the concept of participatory soteriology developed by

believers are invited to hear, receive, share and live the gospel, that means to live the life, die

the death and rise again in newness of life in Jesus.

Christ" involves a transformative journey where believers become co-participants in the

divine nature (2 Peter 1: Participants rated their study experience as follows: 4). The kind of

participation here is also individual as well as corporate, as the church is depicted as the body

of Christ. Participatory soteriology means that the church on the basis of the gospels calling

should show the possibility of redemption in the world.

Participatory soteriology makes the gospel to be more dynamic and relational,

therefore helps me to understand it better than the traditional perspective where it is viewed

Indeed, the Bible is full of mezotheistic examples witness of participatory soteriology.

Holy innocent suffering is what Paul details in his Romans and Galatians letters stating that

the believer must be joined with Christ in His dying and rising. Romans 6:4 states, “We were

therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised

from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ” These and other

verses show that a new life is not just in the sense of being saved from sin but a Divine call to

turn a new page and live as Christ would want his followers to.

Theologically, this is in line with the theory that the believers are sanctified and

develop into the image of Jesus as portrayed. It also correlates with the concept of deification

(theosis) in the Orthodox Church and the salvation model where one is made or becomes

God. The participatory soteriology propounded by Gorman mediates between these

systematic theological faculties, providing an integrated understanding of salvation as both

Justification, sanctification and glorification.

fosters a holistic view of discipleship. In this context, this can be effected through the

following manners in a church production. Firstly, discipleship programs can be established

to contain theological education and spiritual formation which would involve the believers

into times of prayer, fasting and charitable works.

the believers have something to share and a common purpose. Second, they can be formed as

missional missional-communities to accomplish common aims and goals as a small group

that is portraying the gospel through performing acts of service and justice. It is through such

communities where people are able to put into practice what they believe in, pass on the

gospels and, in the process, meet the needs of society.

Lastly, incorporating of practices of the liturgy can also help bring about a

strengthening of participative soteriology. Thus, the Eucharist can be viewed not only as a

In my opinion, participatory soteriology is a perfect approach to ministry as it was a

joy to implement. It has engaged me for demanding a way of thinking of ministry shifted

from mere programming to relationship and transformational one. I have observed this

strategy in my congregation where people look forward to fulfilling the plans and purpose of

God as posited to being mere spectators of religious activities. This shift has made a

community lively and active one that displays their faith through action and doing things.

Missional Ecclesiology

Another of the profound ideas offered by Michael J. Gorman in Becoming the Gospel

is the concept of the ‘Missional ecclesiology’. This preunderstanding reconceives the church

as not only missional but as fundamentally missional, set apart and sent to bear witness to and

perform the mission of God in the world. Carmen describes a church as being more than just

an organization that is consumed with its preservation but as a living organism called into

being by God to be involved in restoring creation.

(Matthew 28:19-20) and prayer in Johns chapter seventeen where Jesus sends His disciples

on to as He himself put it ‘finish the work.’ He writes that when it comes to the matter of the

church and the gospel, it is not only with lips and words that the church is to proclaim the

gospel but with lives and actions.

theology by turning from attractional to missional theology. It views the church as a sent

people, journeying in God’s mission to put the world right. It dissolves the existing

stereotyped attitudes toward church’s activities and suggests the community expands its

means of impact on the world.

Missionally, the basis of William’s ecclesiology comes from the concept of church as

the body of Christ and its mandate to continue the work of Jesus. Ephesians 3:10-11 states,

“And this was according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord

noteworthy that the church is involved in the ongoing work of God as the sign, or even the

foretaste, as well as the instrument of the kingdom of God. Gorman’s understanding of what

This missional ecclesiology refocuses the perspective of ministry and restructures its

organizational and relational approach to ministry, in ways that transcend the mundane in

implementing practical changes that affect the churches and their communities. Also, the

concept of community emerges as a core value that puts the church on the frontline to

wider scope.

There is the development of comprehensive mission, since ministries are introduced

to meet the flesh, soul and spirit needs of people. Measures including feeding the needy,

providing counseling services and putting up educational programs are undertaken as the

visible testament of the gospel in practice, preaching love and concern for fellow humans.

This visionary framework is at the core of missional ecclesiology that positions the church as

a remixer of God’s blessings in the world.

Maturity is attained and education becomes essential especially in preparing

Christians to be mindful that the whole society is a mission field. This means, in effect, that

they are taught how to take their Christianity in its broadest sense and interpret all activities –

work, family and social – as being missionary. In this way the church becomes a powerful

force for good in the world for individuals and the community at large through the

implementation of the

These changes can be best illustrated from my own experience: The missional ecclesiology

has helped my church in a defining way to approach its ministry. From there we have shifted

to fellowship participation with an aim of taking members out to be the church in the

community, the neighbourhood and the workplace. This has resulted into formation of a

community that focuses on extra- marital involvement and other affairs associated with

spirituality and changes with an intent of propagating the gospel. It has also strengthened

spiritual function and self-organization in churches where members actively define

justice and equality in a cruciform manner.

the Gospel, Gorman introduced the concept of cruciformity, which refers to the complete

transformation of every aspect of life in order to echo the values and mission of the cross,

describing what such a community would look like in its love for one another.

Cruciformity impacts my theological thinking in a significant way, especially in

defining a sense of calling of the Christian and Christian ministry. This lens reshuffles the

hierarchy of values and concerns at odds with the comfort and easy lifestyle as opposed to the

costly calling of discipleship. There is still an urgent need to preach a counter-cultural cross-

shaped gospel, with the shape of God’s kingdom as revealed in Scripture, even when the

church is persecuted and suffers.

Biblically, cruciformity is rooted in passages such as Philippians 2: Paul in chapter 5-

8 where he encourages believers to have the same mentality as that of Christ as was evident

in Him when “He set himself and became obedient even to death-Death on the cross” In this

passage, the selfless nature and sacrifice of Jesus’ ministry is well illustrated. Similarly, 1

Corinthians 1:18-25 explain the construction of the cross, pointing out that God’s strength or

wisdom is found in the context of the cross – this is weakness or fool’s work.

comes with following Jesus.

Cruciform ministry therefore entails the creation of a paradigm within the church that

sought to reflect the values of the cross for the purpose of producing actions and attitudes that

are propelled by a paradigm shift. There are measures that can be taken by the church,

methods that will help bring up such culture.

Firstly, it is possible to state that developing humility for an individual is a crucial

element. This can be done through helping people to adopt humble practices and fostering the

spirit of servant leadership, with the cross-signifying humility and service. Giving an

opportunity for church members to find ways and means of serving fellow church members

and/or the community can also help in changing the attitude or culture of the church in

question to humility.

Suffering is one the dimensions of cruciformity.

of leading others to understand the concept of redeeming value of suffering and, in the

process, providing them with support – both emotionally and physically – to let them know

that their suffering can be used to fulfill the purpose of God.

aim at restoring justice and ‘making things right’ within the church, the society and the world

is an act of love that emulates the self-giving love of Jesus. This could be social justice roles

such as the representation of the voiceless persons, combatting for social equity, or fighting

for peace for the aggrieved parties. In this way the church can show people through living out

the values displayed herein that the gospel does make a difference in this world.

I need to say that practicing cruciformity is helpful personally as it causes reflection

on the price that Jesus paid for His disciples and the requirements for becoming one. It has

Critical Reflection on Disagreement

An idea of Gorman in the book Becoming the Gospel that I found somewhat puzzling

was the author’s eagerness to stress, the communal against the individual with regard to

salvation. Although I acknowledge the necessity of the concept of community as a foundation

for developing the Christian life, I found it difficult to accept the notion that personal

redemption is in some way subordinate to the collective experience of salvation.

Gorman develops this thesis chiefly by his elaboration of participatory soteriology

that underlines the social dimension of Christ’s saving work and the corporative nature of the

church as the body of Christ. He clearly notes that salvation is not a concept that is restricted

involvement in the redemption process.

also argue that every individual must individually bow to the word of God and every person

must personally accept Jesus into their lives.

Christian faith, is valuable and significant; however, each soul must individually accept Jesus

Christ as Lord and Saviour. Then, this own belief brings one into the active involvement into

being part of the church community and its mission.

This perspective reflects my understanding and religious work setting where we strive

to find a middle ground on the ecclesiastical aspects of religion against the lone conversion

that people experience in their lives. We note that faith is from the heart, which every

Christian has; but it also requires being in the body, which is the church.