Patronage is a central part of global cultures and the biblical story of God's mission, yet many Westerners misunderstand or ignore this concept. In this resource for ministry practitioners and lay Christians alike, Jayson Georges brings his crosscultural experience and biblical insights to bear on the topic of patronage, with sections on cultural issues, biblical models, theological concepts, and missional implications.
Is a church just something we create to serve our purposes or to maintain old traditions? Or is it something more vital, more meaningful, and more powerful? In this introduction to the nature of the local church, historian and missionary Scott Sunquist brings us a portrait of the church in motion, clarifying the two primary purposes of the church: worship and witness.
New expressions of church, including so-called insider movements, are proliferating among non-Christian religious communities worldwide. Drawing on the growing social-scientific work on emergent theory, Darren Duerksen and William Dyrness explore how all Christian movements have been and are engaged in a "reverse hermeneutic," where the gospel is read and interpreted through existing cultural and religious norms.
Christianity is not only a global but also an intercultural phenomenon. In this third volume of his three-volume Intercultural Theology, Henning Wrogemann proposes that we need to go beyond currently trending theologies of mission to formulate both a theory of interreligious relations and a related but methodologically independent theology of interreligious relations.
Missionaries need the support of the church and a faithful covering of prayer. But for many Christians, they are out of sight, out of mind. How can we effectively intercede for the missionaries in our lives? Eddie Byun shows the vital connection between prayer and missions, providing a handy guide to praying for missionaries' needs, as well as for protection from burnout and harm.
White normativity as a way of being in the world has been parasitically joined to Christianity, and this is the ground of many of our problems today. Written by a world-class roster of scholars, this volume develops language to describe the current realities of race and racism, challenging evangelical Christianity to think more critically and constructively about race, ethnicity, migration, and mission in relation to white supremacy.
In our globalized world, educators often struggle to adapt to the contexts of diverse learners. In this practical resource, educator and missiologist James Plueddemann offers field-tested insights for teaching across cultural differences. He unpacks how different cultural dynamics may inhibit learning and offers a framework for integrating conceptual ideas into practical experience.
Women have advanced God's mission throughout history, but often face particular obstacles in ministry. Mission researcher Mary Lederleitner interviewed respected women in mission leadership from across the globe to gather their insights, expertise, and best practices. These real-life stories will shed light on dynamics that inhibit women, giving both women and men resources for partnering together in effective ministry and mission.
Going on a short-term missions trip can be a life-transforming experience, but it can also involve weeks of physical and spiritual challenges. In this revised and expanded ten-week course, you will find a concise summary of crosscultural principles, help in facing spiritual warfare, tips on avoiding a tourist mentality, spiritual preparation through individual or group Bible study, and discussion and reflection questions.
Number of Studies: 10
Most Christians would agree that the Bible provides a basis for mission. But Christopher Wright boldly maintains that there is a missional basis for the Bible! Beginning with the Old Testament and its groundwork for understanding who God is, what he has called his people to be and do, and how the nations fit into God's mission, Wright gives us a new hermeneutical perspective on Scripture.