Les Henson
Mission is central to the biblical story, and the theme of mission begins in the Garden and continues throughout the entire Bible until its conclusion in the New Jerusalem. Integral mission starts with creation and God’s lordship over it all (Gen. 1-2), and human beings in relationship with their Creator as stewards of his creation (Gen. 1:27-30). The entire Bible declares the story of God’s mission through God’s people as they engage God’s world for the sake of the whole of God’s good creation. However, creation was distorted by the sin of humankind. Thus, the most helpful way for the study of the biblical story is messianically and missionally as God seeks to reconcile the whole of creation with himself through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Throughout history, we can see the people of God participating in the mission of the One Triune God who desires “the healing of the nations” (Rev 22:2), with a new humanity determined by nothing less than “the full measure of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) and wholly devoted to doing God’s will (Col 4: 12).