Discipling the nations: Review of millers the power of truth to transform cultures

Discipling the nations: Review of millers the power of truth to transform cultures

Darrow Miller

The Power of Truth to Transform Cultures.

Switzerland: 2001

15-765824-85

Introduction

Darrow Miller is the co-founder of the Disciple nation’s alliance. He has written numerous articles, books and Bible studies about culture, poverty and the relationship between development and world view. He has a master in adult education and other graduate degrees in philosophy, theology, biblical studies and Christian apologetic studies. In discipling nations, Miller builds a convincing and persuasive hypothesis that the truth of God can break the spiritual bonds and death. He further argues that it can also free mankind from poverty and deception. He believes that the book will re-energize and equip Christians with the knowledge they need to see the kingdom of God.
Miller takes worldviews to their furthest rational conclusions. It sums up the effect of world views on cultures. The author combines the learning of practical reprieve and development with the mysterious philosophy of worldview. He shows how truth, Gods power and love all combine to transform reality.
He walks us through the relationship that exists between God and man, whereby the Scriptures expose clear and evidential consistent development ethic that can be realized only through the biblical worldview. By exploring other world views, Miller reveals the foreseeable implications they have on human growth and builds a case for intolerance of these lies that diminish souls of individuals and entire nations. It argues that ideas have consequences in the economic and social world.
In this book, Miller argues that the most effective tool that can be wielded in people’s efforts on behalf of the needy is a biblical worldview. It is the ideas that have the most powerful consequences. Having the right ideas drive our actions lets everything else come to plan, but when we are short of ideas everything else will certainly come to naught. In our struggle against poverty and depression, we must gird our concerns for mercy, justice and humility before God, with a biblical instead of worldview.
In 1917 when American troops were preparing to battle in the first world war against France and Belgium, Roosevelt was asked to inscribe a message and give to the soldiers(. The message read in part ''he has shown you, o man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”. (Micah 6:8). By this message, he exhorted the soldiers to lead the world in deed and word. Roosevelt believed that the eventual security of men and nations depended on adherence to God. He knew that if they took the worldview approach to the battlefield they were to be defeated definitely.
The author depicts the life as suffering. He explains that life without suffering was not possible, and the only way to escape this life without pain was through avoiding sin and fighting suffering. He alludes that a lot of miseries is avoided if we know what life is and how it should be lived. He also believes that man is not worthless, because, if God himself can leave his throne in heaven and come to die for him, then he is also precious enough for anyone who believes to sacrifice their lives for.
Christians being a little bit more Gnostic their philosophy have abandoned their spirit of compassion and have only refuted to spiritual things. They have forgotten about the greatest commission ‘’to disciple nations’’ that teaches them to obey all that God commands. Miller believes that God must be the source, the end and the means for all we do for and with the poor. Each of the Theocentric faiths acknowledges the existence of God. It is in this structure that true charity can only exist. True charity, the spirit of giving distinguishes but never separates.
Miller notes that; it is hard to transform different culture to the point that they believe in one universal thing. Worldviews begin with an individual and spread to his disciples, who take the message to the community and later to the world. As is the case of Jesus’s resurrection, he tells his disciples, ‘’you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’’ (Acts 1:8)
Conclusion
Jesus Christ commanded his disciples to ‘’make disciples of all nations’’. He wanted to make them not only share his teachings but also build churches. Discipling a nation is so much more than just that building churches and spreading the gospel. It involves doing all that and also helping and giving to the poor. In the book, Miller calls us all to live our lives before the face of God. He explores how cultures contribute to the worldview perspective. His case for the biblical view, on the other hand, is so compelling and it challenges mankind. His ideas provoke a strong reaction from social action Christians and church planting missionaries. By having charities and targeting poor people he walks the talk. His thought of ‘’discipling nations’’ has fundamental implications for every agency in the world.

Buffetaut, Y. (1997). The 1917 spring offensives: Arras, Vimy, le Chemin des Dames. Paris: Histoire & Collections.

Dudson, D. (2001). Disccipling nations: The power of truth to transform cultures (2nd ed., p. 320). YWAM Publishing