본 연구는 선교적 교회론이 도전하고 있는 “소비자 중심의 교회”를 만들어낸 산업시대 패러다임을 비평하고, 요한계시록의 어린양 리더십 을 통해 발견되는 “관계적” 리더십 신학을 제안하는데 그 목적이 있다. 선교적 교회론이 정면으로 도전하고 있는 “소비자 중심의 교회”는 그 주요한 특성인 “거래적 방식”을 통해 교회의 본질을 성공적으로 파괴해 왔다. 소비자 중심의 교회는 로스트(Joseph C. Rost)가 파악한 산업시 대 패러다임의 연장선에 있으며 그 뿌리는 요한계시록 17장의 음녀의 특성을 관통하여 이사야 14장의 “아침의 아들 계명성”(14:12)으로 상징된 루스벨(Lucifer)의 정신까지 다다른다. 루스벨과 음녀는 둘 다 거래적 방식으로 리더십을 행사 또는 확보하고 있다. 선교적 교회론이 하나의 방법론이 아니라 교회의 본질을 회복하는 것이라는 반복된 주장은 “음녀”로 상징된 타락한 교회를 향하여 “거기서 나”(계 18:4)오 라는 하늘의 외침과 일맥상통한다. 거래적 방식으로 지도력을 확보하고 힘과 권위를 행사하는 음녀의 활동은 요한계시록의 중심인 어린양의 리더십에 정면으로 대치된다. 상하계급구조(hierarchy) 속에서 더 높은 위치를 점하려는 루스벨의 태도는 기독교왕국(Christendom)으로 특징되는 교회역사의 정점마다 지도자들의 리더십을 통하여 때로는 노골적으로 때로는 교묘하게 드러났다. 그 결과 어린양의 이미지를 통해 십자가에서 계시되었던 하나님의 성품은 거래적 방식으로 우위를 점하려는 교회지도자들을 통해 심각하게 왜곡되었다. 요한계시록에 나타난 어린양의 리더십은 세속적인 리더십과 근본적으로 출발점이 다름을 보여주고 있다. 세속적 리더십 이론들이 “생산성”과 “효율성” 제고를 목표로 하고 있다면, 어린양의 리더십은 삼위일체 하나님 사이의 “관계”에 기초한 “사랑의 관계”에 기초하고 있다. 요한계시록은 관계 중심의 선교적 리더십이 하나님의 선교에 참여하는 종말론적 교회의 특징이 되어야 함을 계시한다.

Revelation was written by the apostle John during the reign of Roman emperor Domitianus(AD 81-96). This book is an epistle to seven churches in Minor Asia. The book of Revelation was written to encourage Christians to have victory over Satan and the evil powers during times of persecution. The Roman Empire required Christians to worship the emperors. Christians were persecuted because they refused to worship the emperor as lord. Revelation is relevant to missions in that Jesus Christ died for all humankind whether Jews or Gentile. All tribe, tongue, people, and nation will gather together to praise the Lord, the Lamb of God. Jesus’ death provided atonement for sinners regardless of race, tongue, people, and nation. Jesus’ death and resurrection provided the way for all people groups to enter the kingdom of God. Whoever believes in Jesus Christ will enter the new earth and the heaven. Revelation highlights martyrdom in the midst of persecution and suffering under the rule of Roman Empire. Christians endured persecution by keeping faith in Jesus Christ and expecting His second coming with the holy angels to judge the evil and destroy Satan’s reign. As Tertullian said, “martyr’s blood is the seed of church,” Revelation encouraged Christians to maintain their eschatological faith and spread the gospel in the midst of persecution by the Roman Empire. Revelation maintains that the slaughtered Lamb of God is worthy to open the scroll and break it’s seals. Jesus Christ is praised and worshipped by angels, living creatures, and elders. Jesus is glorified because He was slain to save the sinners. He is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, honor, glory, and might because His blood provided a ransom for humankind providing propitiation to God. Jesus will be worshipped by all the saints from every tribe, language, people, and nation. Revelation shows that God’s cosmic sovereignty has been challenged by Satan and his demons since Adam and Eve fell. Likewise, the church has been challenged by Satan when carrying out its mission mandate. Satan deceives the body of Christ causing the church to doubt God’s power and justice as well as God’s grace. The church must struggle with Satan in the world; however, God has the final victory over Satan. Revelation reveals that the history of salvation began with Eden but will end with the new earth and the heaven. God’s promise in protevangelium will be fulfilled in the city of New Jerusalem. The seven churches in Asia Minor had a strong hope that they would overcome Satan’s power although they struggled with Satan in the midst of persecution and affliction. The church today needs to endure necessary hardships in the course of carrying out God’s mission. God is always with Christ’s church. The Holy Spirit is working to accomplish God’s will for the church.a

The author visited Asia Minor in Turkey and Patmos Island in Greece. In the midst of the once passionate mission fields of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, the author received flashes of missiological insight and inspiration. The seven churches represent the churches of the apostolic age and in some way represent churches in every age. The risen Christ’s messages to the seven churches could be Christ's suggestions to today's crosscultural missionary. To interpret the messages the author uses missional hermeneutic instead of using the existing methods (the continuoushistorical, preterist, futurist, and idealist methods). This article can be classified as theology of mission, not a biblical commentary on the messages of the seven churches. Chapter 2, consisting of five sections, covers the messages to the seven churches and crosscultural mission. The five subtitles are as follows: 1. Messages to the churches in Ephesus; mission as an act of faith. 2. Messages to the churches in Smyrna; mission as being faithful even to the point of death. 3. Messages to the churches in Pergamum; mission as power evangelism starting from repentance. 4. Messages to the churches in Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia; mission as holding what an awakened one has. 5. Messages to the churches in Laodicea; mission as being either cold or hot. The author concludes this article by emphasizing that the messages to the seven churches of the Book of Revelation are prophecies which speak to churches in every age. The author takes the seven messages as prophecies to crosscultural missionary, and emphasizes that the results will be determined by the attitude of crosscultural missionary.