Closure Missiology

I saw Ted Esler’s recent post on much of closure missiology being bad theology. I generally agree with him, and I’ve written about this myself extensively. In support of his note, I briefly note where I’ve written about this in the past:

2023/03/18 - Closure is not a biblical term

2023/03/25 - the idea of sustainable closure, over generations

2023/02/19 - Finishing means everyone will be able to hear

2023/03/04 - After the task is finished, Jesus will return

2023/02/11 - Finishing the task will not bring Jesus back

… these two acknowledge the tension in the “after this the end will come” - we can’t force jesus back, and we can’t keep him from coming

2015/08/03 - Finishing the task doesn’t mean everyone will believe

2015/04/02 - Jesus wants the whole pie - individuals, not peoples

and even controversially, 2024/03/19 - what happens when the unevangelized die?

Closure & eschatology should be mixed as little as possible. Do I believe Jesus will return? Well, obviously. Do I believe the GC will be finished, in some way, before he does? Yes, absolutely. Do I believe the two are more closely tied together than that? No. Our commitment to the completion of the Great Commission really should be out of obedience to the command, not because of some sense of eschatology that we have any power over. Yet often in our passion, that’s exactly the message we send.

When I’m in Perspectives Lesson 9 I often return to Matthew 24 and note this is as much promise as prophecy. This will happen, regardless of what we individually do.