Read Jerusalem Council II Session Two Now Available!

During the Jerusalem Council II forum two was focused on, “What is the Spirit saying through Scripture about the Unknown God?

Dr. Craig Keener addressed the indispensable role of Scripture in fulfilling the Great Commission: going cross-culturally, baptizing (evangelism) and teaching (discipleship). The New Testament pattern was traced—Pentecost’s outpouring of the Spirit, apostles’ foundational teaching and church planting with sustained follow-up—to show how early believers were grounded in Scripture.

Additionally, practical hermeneutical guidance was shared: attend to context, genre and ancient background; honor the text as God’s explicit Word; model faithful teaching; and cultivate personal meditation in conjunction with communal admonition. At the close of Dr. Keener’s teaching there was a huge applause by all JC2 attendees.

Dr. Ricardo Castillo warned that the global mission is “at risk” from religious paradigms, tradition, prejudices and ethnocentrism. Four guiding words were shared—Tuning (to the Holy Spirit), Symphony (unity in diversity), Synchronization (shared agenda), and Synergy (combined strength). Additionally, Six Pillars for Mission Renewal were conveyed: Culture of revival, evangelism, being and making disciples, transcultural intentionality, church planting, and a new generational leadership.

Dr. Ezekiel Opet informed that Christianity now comprises 70–99% of populations across Oceania (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, etc.). The next phase requires “raising the standard” through three key areas: Prayer as the Power line—strategic, region-wide prayer networks; Going as the Front line—trained and mobilized mission teams; and Giving as the Supply line—coordinated giving to fuel outreach.

Dr. Byoungho Zoh, As we celebrate the two thousandth birthday of the Church, how can we offer the coming new millennium – the third millennium – as a gift to the next generation? The answer is already in the Bible. Today, I will share with you the simplest Bible Recipe through two key points:

The 66 books are one book, and the Hebrews, the Jews, and the Christians are one testimony.

Now, today, as we stand on the edge of a new millennium, we Christians must prepare ourselves through the Word of God.

We must reaffirm our identity as those who hold a holy public office in God’s Kingdom. For this last part, please help me say this together:

• We are holy worshippers in the Kingdom of God, baptized in the Holy Spirit.
• We are disciples who believe in the resurrection and eternal life, living with a martyr’s faith.
• We are evangelists, fulfilling the Great Commission between the ascension and the return of Jesus.
• We are Maranatha believers, who trust in the promise of the soon-coming return of Christ.
• We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, who will live forever in the holy city where God and the Lamb are the temple.

Twenty Thought Takeaways From Open Floor Discussion

• Emphasis on returning to revelation over mere relevance; addressing biblical illiteracy; strengthening theological education; and cultivating a deeper passion for Jesus.
• Practical theology must be paired with lived experience: preaching requires inhaling God’s Word in study and exhaling it in Spirit-empowered proclamation, blending supernatural demonstration with sound doctrine.
• All believers are called to teach and encourage one another; church leaders, however, hold a higher level of accountability.
• Christ’s revelation, not cultural relevance alone, is the power that wins the world.
• Unity with God and clear priorities align believers “in the same room” for cooperative Kingdom work.
• Scholars/theologians fortify doctrine; marketplace ministers extend the Gospel in everyday contexts.
• Integrate evangelistic proclamation with systematic discipleship; follow every conversion through to baptism and local church membership.
• Prioritize raising up the next generation: create pipelines that identify, mentor, and deploy young leaders out of their comfort zones.
• Maintain intense, unified prayer and fasting as the bedrock of missions; align global networks under the Spirit’s lead rather than human agendas.

• Embrace supernatural demonstrations (healings, miracles) to draw seekers to Jesus and validate the gospel outside of church walls.
• Cultivate cross-denominational synergy: set aside ego and logos, unite around the single invitation to the “wedding feast.”
• The global mission is endangered without Holy Spirit–led unity, discipleship, and empowerment.
• Transition from an “addition” mindset to a “multiplication” mindset where every Christian actively witnesses.
• Mobilize every believer as a missionary in their personal circles of influence; identify and prioritize unreached people near and far.
• Begin every ministry and sermon by cultivating an intimate knowledge of God, not generic belief or performance-based sacrifice (cf. Hosea 6:6).
• Prioritize prayer: encourage corporate and personal prayers that align with Scripture, remembering that even the apostles were corrected by God’s Word.
• Recognize the Gospels and Acts as eyewitness-grounded biographies, validated by archaeology and ancient historiography.
• Humble yourself before God: declare and decree only what Scripture promises, avoiding the error of “bossing” God with unmet expectations.
• Engage every generation in reading, memorizing, and discussing the Word—at home, in church, on social media, and throughout daily routines.
• Equip every member (apostles, teachers, intercessors, workplace missionaries) to take their “part” in the one body, speaking with one voice.

Living and Active

The People of God and the Word of God in the 3rd Millennium

Dr. David Reeves, President of unfoldingWord, Dr. Jennifer Holleran, President of American Bible Society, Dr. Sam Harrell and Dr. Tim Jore brought a powerful presentation regarding the future of Bible Translation and Bible Engagement.

Bible societies and translation organizations were established by the church to steward the Bible on its behalf and have largely succeeded in increasing access to Scripture across languages. As the church has expanded globally and taken on more responsibility for its own translation needs, the model of external stewardship is being reconsidered. Rather than diminishing their relevance, this shift calls for these organizations to focus on equipping the church for deeper Scripture engagement. Such engagement leads to transformation, which in turn fuels greater demand for translation and access. By exploring new ministry models and embracing global collaboration, these organizations are positioned to serve the church in even more impactful ways in the years ahead.

Dr. James O. Davis, President of Global Church Network (GCNW.tv) announced that Bible Translation courses will be available in the Global Church Divinity School (GCDS.tv) for Hub leaders to use to translate Scripture among people groups who have never heard the Gospel. Bible translation is moving from from a West To The Rest approach to the Best around the World going to the Rest of the World. Be sure to download the entire Living And Active Position Paper and read it!

When we read Nehemiah chapter 8, we learn about the revival that began at The Watergate through the reading of God’s Word. Our prayer today is for the Lord to give us another Watergate of the Word and send the greatest revival in the history of the Church!