In this text, Paul E. Pierson, Dean Emeritus of the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, guides the reader through a missiological view of history from Christ to the present. Pierson particularly highlights the contexts by which the biblical faith moved into new and different cultures. Today, the Christian faith, is the most geographically and culturally diverse worldwide movement that exists. Paul E. Pierson's book illuminates how this amazing fact has come about and how the trend will continue. Sign up for the WCIU Press newsletter to be notified about new books from this author and more! http: //eepurl.com/rB15L
This exhaustive theology of missions focuses on theory and biblical mandates for missions as a vital part of theology. George Peters, a foremost missions authority, considers both liberal and conservative views, although his own stance is solidly evangelical.
This sweeping survey is the first complete account of nearly 150 years of Protestant missions in Shanxi Province, China. Beginning with the arrival of the Protestant missionaries during the 1878 North China Famine and the fiery test of the 1900 Boxer Uprising and subsequent martyrdom of hundreds of Shanxi Christians, this important book brings together the historical accounts of the spread of Christianity in the province all the way up to the present. From the personal papers and contemporary records of the missionaries, Kaiser draws a vivid picture of the women and men who devoted their lives to advancing the cause of the gospel in Shanxi. He weaves the stories of bold local Christians like Pastor Hsi and such notable missionaries as Gladys Aylward, Timothy Richard, Hudson Taylor, and the Cambridge Seven into the broader tapestry of China missions, tracing the birth and development of a thriving and dynamic Shanxi church. Drawing on mission archives, academic studies, and firsthand knowledge, this fusion of scholarly inquiry with missionary biography aims to both inspire and inform, making the lessons of the missionary past available to a new generation of readers. ""This book is not just an outstanding achievement in the study of the regional history of Christianity in China but also a significant contribution to our understanding of national dynamics of Christianity in modern China. Its combination of historical narrative and theological concern makes it a great reading for a wide range of readership."" --Kevin Xiyi Yao, ThD, Associate Professor of World Christianity and Asian Studies, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary ""The story of the early missionary work in the province of Shanxi, coupled with the emergence and subsequent growth of the indigenous church, is truly one of the most remarkable stories of God's 'Rushing Purposes' in China. Andrew Kaiser, like Joshua of old (Joshua 4), has erected a memorial pillar, calling upon us to remember God's amazing work through the indefatigable efforts of foreign missionaries and national Christians alike."" --James Hudson Taylor IV, OMF International, Chinese Ministries ""Andrew Kaiser has given us a study of modern Chinese Christian history in microcosm. I can think of no other book that surveys the Christian history of one Chinese province over such a long period and with impressive attention to recent scholarship. Missionaries such as Timothy Richard or Gladys Aylward, Chinese church leaders such as Gao Daling, the tumultuous Boxer Rising and the Cultural Revolution, and the recent growth of the church in Shanxi--all find their place in this fascinating volume."" --Brian Stanley, Professor of World Christianity, University of Edinburgh Andrew T. Kaiser received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh for his research on the Welsh Baptist missionary to China Timothy Richard. He and his family have been living in Shanxi since 1997, serving the people of the province through professional work and public benefit projects.
Sharing the Good News might be understood as the prime directive of the Church from its earliest times, but the Church soon discovered unforeseen obstacles and its own set of temptations, including its lust for power and domination. Although the gospel might be joyfully offered, it was not always received in the same spirit. And the Church was not always gracious with dissent and criticism. Even so, the Church continues to reach out to the least, the last, and the lost—attempting to bring them into the family of God. But for mission to be effective today, it must take advantage of indigenous resources and recognize its limitations as well as its gifts. This book broadly introduces prominent missionary practices and major historical figures using three perspectives. First, it takes into account the missionary activity proceeding from the margins rather than only discussing the center of theological and ecclesial activity. Second, it narrates the cross-cultural, cross-confessional, and cross-religious dynamics that characterize Christian missionary activity. And third, it emphasizes that much missionary activity is generated by national rather than international missionaries. The text concludes with a chapter on the postmodern and postcolonial world.
Missions specialist Paul Borthwick brings an urgent report on how the Western church can best continue in global mission. Providing current analysis of the state of the world and Majority World opinion, Borthwick offers concrete advice for Western churches who want to avoid the pitfalls of colonialism.
"Mission" has become, for many North American Christians, an ambiguous and often uncomfortable term. To many it brings to mind a past in which western culture was identified with the gospel in missionary practice and programs. Distressed with this history and uncertain about how to overcome it, many prefer to ignore the New Testament mandate that the church must be in mission if it is to be the church. Others swing the other way, declaring that everything the church does is mission, depriving the idea of mission of its power to define those specific actions of God which proclaim the gospel and build God's kingdom. "The church exists by missions, just as fire exists by burning." With these words of Emil Brunner, the author reminds us that to be the church is to be in mission. After describing the various "captivities of mission" which plague North American Christianity, the author argues for a robust and engaged practice of mission, beginning in congregations and extending to the broader community.
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.
CHRISTIAN MISSION “Dana Robert distils a quarter of a century of her research into an erudite and accessible single-volume account of how Christianity became the largest religious tradition in the world. There is no better place for any reader to start becoming informed about this important subject.” David Hempton, Harvard University “Remarkable for the range and depth of the material Robert is able to pack into so short a book. Reliable and readable, it is especially valuable for its treatment of the relation between western and non-western missionary activity.” David A. Hollinger, University of California, Berkeley “Dana Robert’s richly textured book shows us that the history of Christian missions is far from being merely a European colonial story, and will be immensely valuable to students and general readers who are concerned to uncover the historical roots of Christianity’s current status as a truly global faith.” Brian Stanley, University of Edinburgh The Gospels record that Christ commanded his disciples to “go forth and teach all nations.” Thus began the history of Christian mission, a phenomenon which brought about massive shifts in the nature and practice of Christianity, and one that many say reflects the single most important movement of intercultural encounter over a sustained period of human history. To understand Christianity as a global movement, therefore, it is essential to study the role of mission – defined as the transmission of the Gospel across cultures. Erudite and enlightening, this brief book explores the 2,000 years of mission history, covering topics such as the meaning of the missionary through history, gender and missions, and missions in culture and politics. Given that in the twenty-first century, Christianity is now largely practiced outside the West, Christian Mission is an inspirational and invaluable resource to broaden our understanding of the nature of Christianity as a truly multi-cultural world religion.
