Why Foreign Missions? 22a The Good News: A Personal Hope of Life in Heaven? Introduction Much of the present focus in New Testament studies is on understanding the Gospel message in terms of prophetic passages in the Old Testament that speak of Israel restored from captivity and entering God’s rule. Well and good—this has been a needed correction to our understanding of many New Testament passages. Also, much of the present focus in mission studies has been on the social dimension of missions—not simply ‘pie in the sky’ but also and emphatically ‘steak on the plate.’ Thus we speak now of a ‘holistic Gospel,’ one that is not only about spiritual matters but also about making a difference in people’s lives and communities here and now. Both the focus on Israel’s story and the focus on a holistic Gospel emphasise the social, corporate, and community focus of the Gospel—and this is Scriptural. However, one result of these emphases in Biblical studies and mission studies i