Churches on Mission: God's Grace Abounding to the Nations

by Geoffrey Hartt (Editor), Christopher R Little (Editor), John Wang (Editor)

Overview

From the Pews to the Unreached Places

Churches on Mission examines the history, theology, case studies, and actual ministry practices that have shaped local church participation in missions. This book not only inspires and informs readers from local churches; it also invites them to become active participants in God's mission. The chapters give practical and theological insights on topics such as cross-cultural evangelism, community engagement, and mobilizing church members for missions.

Part one offers biblical and historical perspectives concerning the church on mission. Contributors contend that the church should be decentralized and recognize that the New Testament grants us the flexibility to adapt forms of worship and ministry. The second section draws on case studies from the Majority World, showing how local churches labor with God on mission.

Lastly, attention shifts to the North American context. The final section stresses several themes, such as the importance of training among African American churches, evangelistic opportunities and theological challenges presented by Hispanic churches in America, and the difficulties faced by immigrant churches as they try to reach out beyond their own ethnic group.

This volume is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding how local churches can engage in missionary work, providing insights into the Bible and history, case studies from the Majority World, and practical strategies for empowering God's people.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645084990
Publisher:	William Carey Publishing
Publication date:	09/15/2017
Series:	Globalization of Mission
Edition description:	Co ed.
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Geoffrey Hartt (DIS) serves as the executive director of Hispanics for Christ. He is ordained by the North American Baptist Conference and teaches at North Portland Bible College. He is currently the Regional VP for the Northwest Region of the Evangelical Missiological Society.

Christopher R. Little (PhD) has advanced the glory of God among the nations through mission in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East and in higher education for over three decades. He is a Professor of Intercultural Studies at Columbia International University and the author of The Revelation of God Among the Unevangelized, Mission in the Way of Paul, and Polemic Missiology for the 21st Century, as well as numerous articles.

John Wang (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is currently serving as international deputy director for Gospel Operation International. He has taught in several seminaries and has published several articles on missiology. His main areas of interest are intercultural communication, immigrant churches, mission and local church, and diaspora missiology. He is married and has two adult children.

Table of Contents

Contributors XI

Acknowledgments XVII

Introduction Geoffrey Hartt Christopher R. Little John Wang

Part 1 Church on Mission in Biblical and Historical Perspectives

1 Basic Church: Freeing Cross-Cultural Church Planting with New Testament Essentials J. Scott Horrell 3

2 When the Church was the Mission Organization: Rethinking Winter's Two Structures of Redemption Paradigm Edward L. Smither 25

3 From Solidarity to Sodality: Compassionate Mission, Local Churches, and the Fostering of Cross-Cultural Missionary Bands Jerry M. Ireland 47

Part 2 Church on Mission in Global Perspective

4 Missions and the Local Church: One Perspective Boris Sarlabous 73

5 The Brazilian Neocharismatic Movement and International Expansion Murilo R. Melo 89

6 A Tale of Three Urban Churches: The Local Churches' Role of Mission in Contemporary China Zhiqiu Xu 115

7 Crisis and Transformation from Monocultural to Multicultural: the St. Andrew's Scots Presbyterian Church and the Sin Heng Taiwanese Presbyterian Church Guillermo Mac Kenzie 137

Part 3 Church on Mission in North American Perspective

8 Back to Mission: The Missional Church and the Black Church Michelle Raven 163

9 Engaging the African American Church in Global Missions by Recruiting African American Young Adults for Missions Education and Training Linda P. Saunders 185

10 From the Promised Land to Egypt: Immigration, Transnationalism, and Mission among Hispanic Evangelical Churches in North America Daniel A. Rodriguez 211

11 The Case for Missions in Ethiopian Diaspora Churches of America Mehari Korcho 233 l Part 4 Church on Mission in Practical Perspective

12 Apatheism: Engaging the Western Pantheon of Spiritual Indifference K. Robert Beshears 267

13 Pre-Field Missionary Assessment in the Context of the Local Church Nathan Garth 277

14 A Missionary's Relationship to Sending Churches: Communal and Exchange Dimensions David R. Dunaetz 303

15 Educating Today's Pastors Toward an Apostolic Imagination J. D. Payne 325