This is the insightful story of Hindustan Bible Institute (HBI), an institution founded in Chennai, India, to teach pastors and to foster church planting, which over time had lost its vision. This fascinating story of dismantling and re-building of the HBI program to return to its original vision, planting one million churches in one million Indian villages, effectively reaching that massive nation for Christ, is accompanied by insightful and cross-cultural observations by Lingenfelter, Provost of Fuller Theological Seminary.
Trauma, from the fall of Adam and Eve forward impacts human lives in overpowering ways. A review of the lives of biblical personalities and missionaries reveals shared traumatic experiences. In addition to the stress of cultural adjustment, missionaries often live in contexts of violence, political unrest, economic instability, natural disasters, and relational conflict. The examined biblical personalities faced similar issues, yet a majority coped with trauma in ways that led to well-being. The proposed biblical theory of well-being assists missionaries to move deeper in their trust of God by utilizing the coping skills of the biblical personalities including asking God for help, lifting up their praise and worship to God, standing on a sense of call, working with God, lamenting/venting to God in healthy ways, embracing a theology of suffering, and accepting assistance from friends and family. The adherence to the constructs of this theory protects missionaries from the ravages of psychological trauma by avoiding negative coping and developing positive coping skills that lead to trusting in the only One who gives hope in seemingly hopeless situations.
God has not only created us with the ability to multiply through having children, he has also given us the power to multiply disciples who multiply disciples through the preaching of the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. In Genesis and Acts, we read how God enabled man to multiply biologically and spiritually. We read how the number of disciples greatly increased and multiplied during the era of the early church. In his book, Dr. David Nelson, explains eight principles for building a ministry of multiplication. These biblically based principles will empower you to see a solid ministry that will grow into a ministry that multiplies disciple makers.
In this anthology of recent criticisms aimed at the reasonableness of Christian belief, former evangelical minister and apologist Loftus has assembled fifteen outstanding articles by leading skeptics, expanding on themes introduced in Loftus' first book.
The churches from the whole world are joined in the effort to reach the whole world. Although it has been documented that Western missionaries serving outside their countries still comprise the majority of world missions workers, the growth rate of majority world missionaries far outpaces that of the West. In recent years, while Western missionary forces are shrinking in numbers and possibly in influence, missions from the majority world have proliferated, bringing amazing progress and some challenges. Missions from the Majority World represents the thinking of 14 majority world mission scholars and 10 Westerners with lengthy experience in the missionary enterprise. The book shows the progress and challenges of missions from the majority world and illustrates this by case studies from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
In the powerful new book World Impacting Churches, author James Eby issues a challenge to churches around the world to regain their focus on the task of finishing The Great Commission in this generation. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in national and international ministry, Eby shares ten thought-provoking characteristics of churches which make a difference in the world and help complete the mandate Jesus gave us. Eby's Biblical insight and practical application for implementing these characteristics will inspire and challenge church leaders on every level. The principles set forth in this book are applicable to churches of every size and culture.
Some time ago, Ralph Winter brilliantly identified three eras of modern missions: Era 1: William Carey focused on the coastlands; Era 2: Hudson Taylor focused on the inlands; Era 3: Donald McGavran and Cameron Townsend focused on unreached peoples. With all the fast and furious changes swirling around us today in twenty-first century missions, have we entered a Fourth Era? If so, who are the people primarily involved? How are they selected? How are they trained? How long do they serve? Has the Third Era ministry focus--reaching the unreached--changed? If so, to what? Are there any successful case studies out there? Have McGavran and Townsend passed the baton to a new leader(s)? If so, to whom? This book seeks to answer these and related questions. Contributors: Dr. Ben Beckner Dr. Monroe Brewer Dr. Don Finley Mike Griffis Dr. Gary Hipp, MD Jerry Hogshead Kaikou Maisu Judy Manna Kenn Oke Dr. A. Sue Russell Dr. Robert Strauss Peter Swann Bryan Thomas Diane Thomas Dr. Mike Wilson Dr. Sherwood G. Lingenfelter
Discover Your Place in the Movement of God An incredible breakthrough in missions history is taking place as disciples of Jesus make more disciples of Jesus around the globe, particularly among the least-reached. But what exactly are these church planting or disciple making movements? Where are they occurring and what are their unifying features? How are they manifesting in diverse populations? And can you or your organization be instrumental in catalyzing more movements? Motus Dei, Latin for “movement of God,” seeks to answer these questions and more. Warrick Farah has expertly synthesized an extensive conversation between mission practitioners, scholars, and seasoned movement leaders from around the world. The resulting in-depth analysis of movements provides a multi-disciplinary, academic investigation of an emerging “movements missiology,” highlighting the importance of theology, social sciences, ethnology and anthropology, communications theory, leadership theory, and statistical analysis. Motus Dei locates the current Church Planting Movement (CPM) phenomenon within modern history, while tracing its roots back to the first century, and articulates a missiological description of the dynamics of Disciple Making Movements (DMMs) in Asia, Africa, and diaspora contexts in the Global North. Offering over thirty firsthand accounts of indigenous churches planting churches among the nations, Motus Dei provides a seedbed for growing movements in diverse contexts. There are lessons to be learned here by anyone seeking to participate in the movement of God.
This book is for anyone who wants to follow Jesus and change the world. Movements that change the world are characterized by white-hot faith, commitment to a cause, contagious relationships, rapid mobilization, and adaptive methods. Jesus founded a missionary movement. His followers are called to continue his mission in the power of the Holy Spirit. A thoroughly readable description of the dynamics of missionary movements and how to initiate, maintain, and extend them. ALAN HIRSCH Author of The Forgotten Ways Steve synthesizes his vast amounts of experience, wisdom, and research into an easy-to-read book. NEIL COLE Author of Organic Church Practitioners and thinkers with a passion for mission will want to read and re-read this book. DR. MARTIN ROBINSON Co-author of Metavista: Bible, Church and Mission in an Age of Imagination An important book for our times well researched, well written, and well thought out. DR. ROBERT E. LOGAN Author of Be Fruitful and Multiply I couldnt put it down till it finished rearranging my mind. This is a keeper! RALPH MOORE Author of How To Multiply Your Church Steve identifies the core characteristics of movements and does it in a way that enables all of us, not just the academics, to understand. BOB ROBERTS Author of The Multiplying Church As I read the manuscript I felt that I had met a long-lost brother. I had to read it through in a single sitting. DAVID GARRISON Author of Church Planting Movements Steve casts a compelling future vision by tracing Gods discernible lessons demonstrated in movements. He taps into the heart hunger of the growing number of us that want to see God do something great. ED STETZER Author of Planting Missional Churches I love this book! Every so often a book comes along that fuels the flame that was started in my heart years ago when I was a young and on-fire world changer. FLOYD MCCLUNG Author of You See Bones, I See an Army About the author Steve Addison is a lifelong student of movements that renew and expand the Christian faith. He serves as Australian director of Church Resource Ministries. Steves calling is to spark church planting movements everywhere.
Missionaries must know God, be able to relate well to other people, understand and engage with another culture, and be able to use the Bible in a way that informs all aspects of their lives and ministries. Missionary training must address each of these areas if it is to help Christians to be effective in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Effective training has been shown to prevent people from prematurely leaving the field. It also reduces the danger of cross-cultural workers uncritically exporting culturally bound forms of Christianity. This book details four key areas that every missionary training program, whatever its context, must focus on developing. It shows how these can be holistically addressed in a learning community where trainers and trainees engage in cross-cultural ministry together.
