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This book brings together Methodist scholars and reflective practitioners from around the world to consider how emerging practices of mission and evangelism shape contemporary theologies of mission. Engaging contemporary issues including migration, nationalism, climate change, postcolonial contexts, and the growth of the Methodist church in the Global South, this book examines multiple forms of mission, including evangelism, education, health, and ministries of compassion. A global group of contributors discusses mission as no longer primarily a Western activity but an enterprise of the entire church throughout the world. This volume will be of interest to researchers studying missiology, evangelism, global Christianity, and Methodism and to students of Methodism and mission.

The present study fills a gap in the study of the evangelical movement in Russia by presenting a comprehensive picture of their compassionate ministry during their longest stretch of relative freedom before the 1980s. Better known for their energetic preaching and literature work, Russian evangelicals also gave attention to compassionate ministry, although it was never extensive because of their marginal status. They established assistance funds, organized charitable institutions, practiced urban rescue ministry, participated in the Russian temperance movement, and established economic communities. Each area is distinct, yet all were supported by the same set of theological convictions. The Russian evangelicals were convinced that their witness should consist of good works as well as words, and that the gospel had the power to undo human suffering. While intentionally cultivating an attitude of concern for the needs of others, they taught that compassion was the concern of all members of the community, regardless of economic status or age. In their publications evangelicals devoted a good deal of teaching to the proper Christian attitude toward money and giving. They drew on Western models, but also their indigenous sectarian roots.

What are Christian women thinking about mission? How do they do mission? What informs their knowledge and action as they address issues in a complex world where religious proselytizing has become suspect? This empirical study explores those questions, finding congruence among women from diverse backgrounds and cultural contexts. Women in mission face common identity issues, utilize art and beauty in their work, and develop character as they overcome obstacles in their cultural and denominational settings. Through nearly one hundred interviews of women in Europe, Asia, Brazil, and the United States, a study of women's theologies of mission, lectures, and countless conversations with women around the globe, this study finds common themes among contemporary women doing Christian mission. This book fills a lacuna in mission studies that professors, pastors, and church women and men will find informative and refreshing.

Missio Dei by its very nature requires the church to come to terms with the exercise of power, both internally and externally, as it confronts the world. Tune in to any newscast or glance at the daily newspaper and it immediately becomes clear that the use and abuse of power is a live issue. The more we focus on the twists and turns of current events, the more it appears that uncorrupted exercise of power eludes the human race. All too often we become uneasily aware that there are powers lying behind the power that any of us wields, whether it is in the family, the classroom, on the shop floor, in the boardroom, or in churches. Effective missional leadership involves creative engagement with the powers at work in the world without being debased by them. This book sets out to address the issue of the use and misuse of power from biblical, theological, and practical perspectives. The authors bring their theological, pastoral, missionary, and personal experience to their task in order to inform, challenge, and invite readers into a responsible use of the powers that God has put into the hands of each one of us to achieve his purposes in the world.

As the twentieth century passed its midpoint and was rushing toward its end, a growing number of Majority World theologians came to realize that they could in fact do theology in their own contexts for the benefit of their own people. Thus, from the 1960s onward, theologians in the global South have embarked on a form of theological construction that has sometimes been described as'contextual'reflection or'contextualized theology.'This volume is motivated by the conviction that these efforts have resulted in theological work that is also beneficial for Christians in other parts of the world. The editors have invited Majority World theologians to share their reflections on several themes of Christian faith from their own sociohistorical perspectives but with an unswerving commitment to the authority of Scripture. It is hoped that these fresh reflections will help Christians in the West engage and benefit from the perspectives of fellow believers in the global South.

Schleiermacher maintained that «to make proselytes out of unbelievers is deeply engrained in the character of religion.» But why do religions proselytize? Do all religions seek conversions? How are religions adapting their proclamations in a deeply plural world? This book provides a detailed analysis of the missionary impulse as it is manifested across a range of religious and irreligious traditions. World Religions and Their Missions systematically compares the motives and methods of the «missions» of Atheism, the Bahá'í Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Mormonism. The text also develops innovative frameworks for interreligious encounters and comparative mission studies.

The field of the theology of mission has developed variously across Christian traditions in the last century. Pentecostal scholars and missiologists also have made their share of contributions to this area. This book brings the insights of pentecostal theologian Amos Yong to the discussion. It delineates the major features of what will be argued as central to a viable vision and praxis for Christian mission in a postmodern, post-Christendom, post-Enlightenment, post-Western, and postcolonial world. What emerges will be a distinctively pentecostally- and evangelically-informed missiological theology, one rooted in the Christian salvation-history narrative of Incarnation and Pentecost that is yet open to the world in its many and various cultural, ethnic, religious, and disciplinary discourses and realities. The argument unfolds through dialogical engagements with the work of others, concrete case studies, and systematic theological reflection. Yong's pneumatological and missiological imagination proffers a model for Christian theology of mission suitable for the twenty-first-century global and pluralistic context even as it exemplifies how a missiological understanding of theology itself unfolds amidst engagements with contemporary ecclesial practices and academic/theological impulses.

Stimulated by Andrew Kirk's mission theology, this book brings fresh theological reflection to a wide range of mission issues. A formidable group of international missiologists are drawn together to explore current reflections on a wide range of issues including: poverty and injustice, environmentalism, secularism, the place of scripture in a pluralist culture, science and faith, liberation theology, oppression and reconciliation, and much more. Kirk's influence and reputation is international, and extends to South America, USA, Eastern Europe, Africa and SE Asia. Latin American mission has been especially enriched by Kirk's innovative thinking on revolutionary politics, contextualisation and holistic mission. This is an indispensable resource of up-to-date missiological reflections for all involved in mission at every level.

In Evangelism and the Openness of God, Vaughn Baker argues that a dynamic concept of God as articulated in open theism better serves the evangelistic mission of the church than does conventional theology. Open theism affirms an ontology of love as opposed to power, and it focuses on God's kenosis in creation, allowing for the authentic freedom of creation influenced by divine persuasion. God's genuine temporal relationship with creation--one that is open, synergist, and non-coercive--provides a new perspective for evangelistic activity. In this volume the author has made a valuable contribution to the integration of new developments in theology and evangelism.

I am not like Hudson Taylor, David Livingstone, or William Carey. The stories of these people are inspiring, but they also make me question,'Am I really good enough to be a missionary? Because I don't consider myself super-spiritual like these missionary heroes seem to be.'Ordinary Missionary introduces world missions through the story of an ordinary family facing ordinary questions about their own insecurities and inadequacies. Step into the shoes of three authors who combine their thoughts to put a face, a feeling, and a person to contemporary missions. Join Jay, husband and father, as he prepares to minister among the Builsa people in Ghana, West Africa. Observe Pam, wife and mother, as she addresses the personal concerns of the family. Follow Emily, oldest daughter, in the struggles and joys of being a missionary kid. This story is not a triumphant tale of missionary heroes. The real heroes show up in unlikely places when they are least expected. Our steps are ordinary, but the journey is beyond extraordinary. These real stories will inspire you to trust your own life in the hands of our extraordinary God.

For centuries, the global understanding of Church has been shaped by Western theological imperatives. Yet today, the decline of institutional religion in the West, and the extraordinary growth of the Church of the global South mean that a radical movement beyond such theologies is required. Paul Matheny argues that the Church would benefit by becoming more contextualized and less Western. Contextual Theology is an attempt to address that issue and to examine how a reassessment of the relationship of the Gospel to cultural context can advance this critical and necessary development. Through an accessible and critical approach, Matheny considers the historical background to contextual theology. In the same way, he aims to show how to use contextual methodsto think theologically and act missiologically in different cultural contexts.

Nesse livro, Wright demonstra como o plano de Deus, visto de uma perspectiva mais abrangente, dirige os propósitos do povo de Deus, a Igreja. O autor enfatiza o que o Antigo Testamento ensina aos cristãos sobre ser o povo de Deus. Ele trata também de questões relativas a eclesiologia e missiologia. Um estudo bíblico primoroso sobre missões,ao mesmo tempo em que trata de questões práticas relacionadas ao ministério no mundo de hoje.'Uma leitura extraordinariamente agradável... uma aventura restauradora... excitantemente controverso... notavelmente prático...surpreendentemente relevante...extremamente realista'. I. Howard Marshall, professor emérito de Novo Testamento na Universidade de Aberdeen. Autor do livro Teologia do Novo Testamento: diversos testemunhos um só Evangelho, publicado por Edições Vida Nova Publicado em coedição com Instituto Bíblico Betel Brasileiro

A silent crisis has been taking place for some time now: an ongoing eclipse in mission, whereby our understanding of what it is has been obscured by the idols of our Christian passions and biblical perspectives. Wherever that crisis has been perceived, energetic responses have been proposed and much has been done in the name of, and for the sake of, mission. However, those responses themselves have often overshadowed the problem of the identity of Christian mission. And so we remain in the darkness of understanding mission as we always have done. We even impose these understandings onto God--calling Him a'missionary'God--and we project our idols of'mission'onto the sacred Word. Here, then, is an uncomfortable but necessary critique of modern mission, and the ground from which it has grown. Here, too, is the proposition of a better basis for understanding what mission is, and for outworking it aright in all of our lives. By articulating a new paradigm for Christian mission, the eclipsed problem of mission in crisis will have been resolved, and the missional potential of a global church--dynamic with the very Spirit and presence of the living God--will be released.

In this collection of inspirational and challenging essays, Methodists from around the globe reflect on the practice of disciple-making in their own contexts. From their own perspectives, they address questions like: What are the challenges you face? What biblical images shape your missional practice? What examples of Christian authenticity inspire your communities? What gifts related to mission and evangelism do you offer the global community of faith? Churches on every continent have their own stories of struggle and faithfulness. Indeed, each distinct community within any given region has a voice of its own that deserves to be heard. The voices included in this volume belong to women and men alike. Likewise, they resound with the accents of Africa and Asia, Latin and North America, Europe, and Oceania. Each voice is distinct, but all articulate a vision of faith made effective through love. In a world characterized variously by poverty and violence as well as prosperity and peace, the church must reclaim its central mission'to make disciples of Jesus Christ.'In their effort to articulate a vision of mission and evangelism, the contributors to this volume bear witness to the fact that we can no longer do this work in isolation from one another. To be the ambassadors of the gospel, we need each other and we need to pay attention to the voices that sound different from our own. This volume takes a large step in that vital direction.

It has been almost fifty years since theological educators first began talking about contextual theology. Today, in every country of the global South, their home schools require them to contextualize theological education and construct contextual theologies that would be helpful for their local churches. In spite of this expectation there are few helps available. The expectation is clear, but an understanding of the process by which this may occur is lacking. Educators often complain that they are led to adapt Western theology to their context rather than developing theology for their churches. Arguments for contextual theology are proposed often, but there has been little debate explaining and defending the methods involved. This book is intended to enter that debate and invite others who should help appreciate the gravity of our situation and join the conversation. The epicenter of Christianity has shifted to the global South. Yet, contextual theology, which seeks to preserve the integrity of the faith, has not been met with generosity among scholars in the US and Europe. This book intends to forge helpful bridges that encourage mutual regard to develop among scholars across the globe. The bubble of the Western academy needs to be breached.

إن الكتاب حوار مع المبشرين، يقوم على معتقداتهم الدينية بوجه خاص، وتاريخ الحركة التبشيرية بوجه عام. ولو أن مواقفهم من مثل هذا الحوار معروفة سلفا، لأنها مواقف حددتها الأحكام المسبقة والمقولات المتوارثة، وهذا وحده يكفي للقول باستحالة عدالة تلك الأحكام أو العدول عنها. إن للمبشرين حساسية نشطة لكل ما يكتب عن حركتهم، وهم لذلك يذرعون العالم الإسلامي ذهابا وإيابا، يلتقطون الأخبار ويرقبون الاتجاهات الدينية والفكرية، من أجل تقييم المواقف وتطوير الأساليب.,وإن لدى المبشرين كبرياء – تكشف عن نفسها أحيانا- تتجلى في نظرتهم لكل ما يصدر عن العالم غير المسيحي متعلقا بالعقيدة والسلوك والأخلاق. ولا يزال بينهم – بل وفي قياداتهم - إلى الآن من يتصور خداع المسلمين والالتفاف حولهم، باختلاف مختلف الأسماء والشعارات البراقة. لقد حدثني بعضهم عن أن في مصر جمعية'للإخاء الديني'، وأن على رأسها من يتصدرون قيادة العمل الديني والاجتماعي في مصر، وكان ذلك قبل أن تعلن تلك الجمعية عن نفسها في الصحافة المصرية بسنتين. إلا أنه كان صريحا في قوله، إن مثل هذه الجمعيات تساعد على تقريب المسلمين من الفكر المسيحي.

The Mission of Today's Church is a compelling collection of twelve essays from current Baptist leaders addressing three major questions: (1) What does it mean to be a Christian today on individual, group, and societal levels? (2) How can Southern Baptists best work together? and (3) What is next for the Southern Baptist denomination?Those addressing these key topics in-depth include Stan Norman (“Together We Grow: Congregational Polity as a Form of Corporate Sanctification”), Ed Stetzer (“The Missional Nature of the Church”), and Daniel Akin (“Ten Mandates for Southern Baptists”). Among the many other contributors are Chad Brand, Charles Kelley, and Jim Richards.

In Faith Seeking Action, author Gregory Leffel links a description of the church as a global movement with a description of contemporary social movements that are actively challenging today's societies, such as the environmental, global justice, and identity movements. Not surprisingly, Christian communities and communities of social activists share much in common as they each work to enrich their societies. It is natural then to ask what missionally-concerned Christians may learn from social movements about the public role of their churches, the connection of their beliefs to social change, and the mobilization of their people. It can also be asked how these often divided communities may find ways to collaborate around common actions rooted in such shared values as peace, justice, life, and the integrity of the environment.Building on growing interest in the field of missiology and its'missional church'concept, Leffel has created a dialog between the church as a social actor and social movements. Along with introducing movement theory to mission studies, Leffel introduces a new way of addressing the issues involved in the church's engagement with society, a concept he calls missio-ecclesiology. Of interest to those seeking vital ways to live out their faith in the world—missiologists, missional church leaders, and street-level workers alike—this work fuels fresh thinking about the church's role in cultural and social change.

First published in 1913, Missionary Principles is a classic textbook by genre, but in its controversial evaluation of the Church's missionary theories, it is by no means wholly traditional. At the centre of this discursive study, Allen asserts the distinction which needs to be made in missionary aims between the extension of the Church and the preaching of Jesus Christ. The book is divided into four major chapters, entitled: The Impulse, The Hope, The Means and The Reaction. The impulse, hope and means of missionary work can all be embodied by Jesus Christ, who is viewed as the source, the end and the worker. It is always with this objective in mind that Allen guides the reader through Christ's wishes as to how the Word should be spread. In the final chapter, Allen examines the results of believing in the Holy Spirit's inspiration and the effects this has on the missionary's understanding of moral purpose and motive of missions, both at home and overseas.'It is not the same thing to seek the manifestation of Christ in the growth of the Church, and [...] the effect of that upon all missionary work is most profound.'Extract from Chapter Two.

While much work has been done to apply anthropological insights to the study of missions, the sociological perspective has been generally neglected by missiologists. This volume defines the sociology of missions as a discrete subdiscipline within the sociology of religion and provides a working set of conceptual resources for those involved in mission work to use in furthering their understanding of their task. The author reviews the major areas of sociology that are most relevant to missions and presents his findings as a basis for discussion and a stimulus to further exploration of relevant sociological concepts and theories. One of his main goals is to increase dialogue between missiologists and sociologists of religion, by providing the former with a sociological perspective and the latter with a deeper understanding of the missionary enterprise.