Many have asked about the underlying assumptions on which PROCLAIM HOPE! is built. Actually there are nine which I call the “Nine Theses”. Here I offer you both a SUMMARY and an EXPANDEDversion.
THE SUMMARY VERSION
Thesis One
All Christians inherit everlasting hope in Christ based on the full extent of His supremacy and all that He is as Lord. This hope is one of God’s primary gifts to the nations through His Son.
Thesis Two
Christ dominates the focus of our hope: This defines the glory of His supremacy. He is the summation of Christian hope.
Thesis Three
Christ rules over the fulfillment of our hope: This defines the magnitude of His supremacy. He is the consummation of Christian hope.
Thesis Four
Christ embodies the fullness of our hope: This defines the riches of His supremacy. He is, therefore, right now, the approximation of Christian hope.
Thesis Five
Christ shapes the fervency of our hope: This defines the intensity of His supremacy. He is the consuming passion of Christian hope.
Thesis Six
A crisis of supremacy exists throughout the Church today: It is a crisis of Christology. It is the greatest crisis we face. It is robbing multitudes of Christians of the hope and passion toward Christ and His Kingdom that He rightfully desires and deserves. It is hindering the advance of His global cause.
Thesis Seven
This crisis of supremacy must be effectively cured. Hope and passion toward Christ, for all that He is, must be restored throughout the Church. In fact, the Spirit of God has already prepared many for this awakening. The time for a genuine Christ-awakening is at hand.
Thesis Eight
The cure for the crisis — the movement toward a Christ-awakening — consists of three initiatives:
- proclaiming Christ inside the Church for all that He is
- re-converting Christians back to the hope we have in His supremacy
- helping God’s people to prepare to be a part of greater displays of His Kingdom
and its advances in our generation
Thesis Nine
Since the cure ultimately encourages a wide-spread Christ-awakening, we need to launch a strategic initiative (which Proclaim Hope! calls a National Campaign of Hope) that involves every committed believer assuming three critical roles (to use our terms): Messengers of Hope, Prisoners of Hope and Vanguards of Hope.