Ministry, Mission, and Mercy: A Practical Philosophy for Groups to Live Out God’s Holistic Vision for the Church

Abstract

This thesis argues for the importance of employing a practical philosophy of ministry, mission, and mercy in the local church, specifically in the context of small groups. The first chapter introduces the idea of the ministry, mission, and mercy paradigm, makes an argument for its necessity in the church today, and begins to examine how it compares to other small group philosophies that churches adopt today. Chapters 2–4 unpack the definition and framework of each ministry, mission, and mercy, as well as provide support for each from Scripture, literature, and current studies. Chapter 5 provides practical application for how churches can implement this holistic philosophy of ministry, mission, and mercy into their small groups ministries.