WM 760 Readings in Missions: Understanding Global Missions (Perspectives)

Anthropology for Christian Witness serves as a thorough, basic introduction to the study of anthropology that has been designed specifically for those who plan careers in mission or cross-cultural ministry. The work of Charles H. Kraft, author of the classic Christianity in Culture, and widely acknowledged as one of the foremost Evangelical missionary anthropologists, this new work represents the synthesis of a lifetime of teaching and study. Kraft treats the very basics, including theories of culture and society; an assessment of the various anthropological schools; kinship and family structure, and cross-cultural communication.

How does the gospel relate to a pluralist society? What is the Christian message in a society marked by religious pluralism, ethnic diversity, and cultural relativism? Should Christians encountering today's pluralist society concentrate on evangelism or on dialogue? How does the prevailing climate of opinion affect, perhaps infect, Christians' faith? These kinds of questions are addressed in this noteworthy book by Lesslie Newbigin. A highly respected Christian leader and ecumenical figure, Newbigin provides a brilliant analysis of contemporary (secular, humanist, pluralist) culture and suggests how Christians can more confidently affirm their faith in such a context. While drawing from scholars such as Michael Polanyi, Alasdair MacIntyre, Hendrikus Berkhof, Walter Wink, and Robert Wuthnow, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society is suited not only to an academic readership. This heartfelt work by a missionary pastor and preacher also offers to Christian leaders and laypeople some thoughtful, helpful, and provocative reflections.

Employs case studies alongwith extra material on conflict resolution and specific applications on how to transform culture from the mission field.

David Bosch's Transforming Mission, now available in over a dozen languages, is widely recognized as an historic and magisterial contribution to the study of mission. Examining the entire sweep of Christian tradition, he shows how five paradigms have historically encapsulated the Christian understanding of mission and then outlines the characteristics of an emerging "postmodern" paradigm dialectically linking the transcendent and imminent dimensions of salvation. In this new anniversary edition, Darrel Guder and Martin Reppenhagen explore the impact of Bosch's work and the unfolding application of his seminal vision.

In this revised and updated edition of a modern classic, Bryant Myers shows how Christian mission can contribute to dismantling poverty and social evil. Integrating the best principles and practice of the international development community, the thinking and experience of Christian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and a theological framework for transformational development, Myers demonstrates what is possible when we cease to treat the spiritual and physical domains of life as separate and unrelated.

One source of help in this essential quest is the field of study called anthropology. The author, an expert in this field, taps its insights for missionaries in a way that few others do.

These reflections by a leading evangelical anthropologist reveal how insights from anthropology can help missionaries communicate biblical content without syncretism. The author advocates a trialogue uniting theology, anthropology, and missions in the work of worldwide evangelism.

Church planting involves laying foundations. The quality of these foundations has profound implications for what can be built on them. Strong and secure foundations provide the basis for healthy churches and effective mission. Effective church planting, according to Paul, requires the grace of God, appropriate expertise, and considerable care. This book is not a training manual. It is for practitioners rather than theorists. It contains many questions and considers various answers. Church Planting lays some theological foundations for church planting and invites church planters to think seriously about missiology and ecclesiology.

David Garrison, PhD University of Chicago, defines Church Planting Movements as rapidly multiplying indigenous churches planting churches that sweep across a people group or population segment. Garrison's Church Planting Movements: How God Is Redeeming a Lost World signaled a breakthrough in missionary church planting. After the publication of Garrison's book in 2004 it became impossible to talk about missions without referencing Church Planting Movements.
Church Planting Movements examines more than two-dozen movements of multiplying churches on five continents. After presenting these case studies, Garrison identifies ten universal elements present in each movement. He then broadens the circle of examination to identify a further ten common characteristics, factors identified in most, but not all, of the movements. He concludes his examination with a list of "Seven Deadly Sins," i.e. harmful practices that stifle or impede Church Planting Movements.
Important for evangelical readers, the author returns to his findings to see how they stand up to the light of Scripture. What he discovers is that Church Planting Movements are much more consistent with the New Testament lay-led house-church movements that swept rapidly through the Mediterranean world in the face of hostile opposition than today's more sedentary professional institutionalized Christianity.
Learn more about Church Planting Movements from the book's website: www.ChurchPlantingMovements.com.

This revised edition of Dr. David Hesselgrave's great work Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally updates the original edition and interacts with the most recent literature on this increasingly important topic. The original edition went through fifteen printings and, very deservedly, has come to be one of the most widely used textbooks on Christian cross-cultural communications. The revisions in this new edition are extensive and carry on the high level of discussion maintained throughout the original edition, taking into account, for example, the current discussion on the relationship between form and function and the enormous body of literature that has sprung up recently on contextualization. To enhance the volume's usefulness for students, Dr. Hesselgrave has added an extensive bibliography of twenty-five pages on various aspects of cross-cultural communications. This revision of Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally is superb. It raises a great book into a unique category, undoubtedly the finest book on this topic available today.

The first comprehensive, one-volume reference work to consider the history of world missions and contemporary study of the subject from an evangelical perspective.

This fresh introduction to Christian missions vividly sets forth the task and challenges facing the church throughout the world. A clear help to all concerned about obeying Jesus' Great Commission.

What would a theology of the Church look like that took seriously the fact that North America is now itself a mission field? This question lies at the foundation of this volume written by an ecumenical team of six noted missiologists—Lois Barrett, Inagrace T. Dietterich, Darrell L. Guder, George R. Hunsberger, Alan J. Roxburgh, and Craig Van Gelder. The result of a three-year research project undertaken by The Gospel and Our Culture Network, this book issues a firm challenge for the church to recover its missional call right here in North America, while also offering the tools to help it do so. The authors examine North America’s secular culture and the church’s loss of dominance in today’s society. They then present a biblically based theology that takes seriously the church’s missional vocation and draw out the consequences of this theology for the structure and institutions of the church.

"In a rapidly changing world,... the central missionary vision of the church must be constantly renewed, lest its foundations become lost in the confusion of change or its practices trapped in missionary models of the past." In this second edition of Missions, long-time missionary Gailyn Van Rheenen revises and updates his classic text on Christian missions, laying sound theological and strategic foundations for the missionary of today and tomorrow. Van Rheenen helps renew the missionary vision by discussing areas such as: The history of Christian mission, and how it affects where we are today Spiritual formation for God's mission The missionary cycle Cross-cultural communication The character and calling of missionaries Types of missionaries Church maturation Selecting mission fields The role of money in missions Four levels of involvement in missions But Missions is more than blackboard theory. Written by a long-time missionary, it carries the conviction and insights of one who has lived his subject. Accessible to students, practitioners, and laypeople alike, Missions provides a primary go-to resource for understanding and becoming involved in the dynamic activity of world missions.

Dr. Hale's practical wisdom is here freely offered to the missionary-to-be and others interested in missions--wisdom hard-earned in Nepal on everything from calling to raising a missionary family to cross-cultural communication. Now revised to include perspectives on the realities of the changing missionary force and the challenges of bonding with a new culture in an increasingly globalized and technologically connected world, this edition of On Being a Missionary addressed current issues while maintaining the wit and warmth of the man who first challenged us with perspectives on being a missionary.

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement presents a multi-faceted collection of readings exploring the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic dimensions of world evangelization. Writings from more than 150 mission scholars and practitioners (over 60 of them new to this edition) portray the history and anticipate the potential of the global Christian movement. Every one of the 170 articles and side bars offers practical wisdom enabling Christians to labor together in bold, biblical hope to finish the task of seeing that Christ is named and followed among all the peoples of the earth. The Fourth Edition contains over 60 articles and sidebars that are new to this edition. Many articles have been updated and revised.