The Journal for the Evangelical Missiological Society (JEMS) recently published a review of the book. The reviewer looks at the advantages and limitations of the book, concluding:
As an introduction to the importance of using diverse missions funding models and as a tool to open Western mission leaders’ eyes to the expanding missions force from the Majority World, this book is well worth the quick read.
To read the full review, click here.
. . . .
]]>Brooks says the book
is an incredible resource that makes a unique contribution to the church’s biblical understanding of her mission. It will be helpful as a primary textbook in Theology of Mission courses and as supplemental reading in Introduction to Missiology courses for years to come.
To read the full review, click here.
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Jeyaraj, Dasan. 2022. “Book Review of Motus Dei.” Global Missiology 19 (4). http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/view/2697:
Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations is a great read. I find this book extremely useful both for my teaching and missional practices. It is an instructive tool for anyone interested in knowing the way God works, and it is a great tool and resource for churches, foundations, and missiologists who want to know about “Motus Dei.”
Kelley, Karry. 2023. “What Factors Contribute to DMMs? Review of Motus Dei.” Evangelical Missions Quarterly 59 (2). https://missionexus.org/what-factors-contribute-to-dmms/:
Motus Dei (movement of God in Latin) is a useful introduction to church planting movements (CPMs) and disciple-making movements (DMMs). Editor Warrick Farah and the other missiologists who contributed chapters aim to answer the question “What factors are contributing to the increase of discipleship movements in the world today?” (xv). The book explains the theological and theoretical underpinnings of CPMs, then goes on to describe their practical outworking. There also are abundant examples and recommended applications.
Miller, Dave. 2023. “Motus Dei (Book Review).” Seedbed 34 (1). https://www.seedbedjournal.com/book-reviews/motus-dei:
We are confronted with the reality of gospel movements happening around the world today. As missiologists, theologians, and practitioners study the Scriptures to learn the message, model, and character of gospel movements, Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations is a tremendous resource. It curates and distills years of practitioner wisdom passed down for generations. It outlines exciting insights into how God is transforming people from every, tribe, tongue and nation in miraculous ways through movements. Thank you to the contributors for sparking more conversation about the movement of God to disciple the nations.
Morton, Chris. 2022. “Book Review: Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations.” Transformation 39 (3): 216–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/02653788221112747:
Reading Motus Dei feels like going on a year-long course in DMM missiology, and thus makes it ideal for the academic setting. But for mission agencies/leaders who are seeking to keep in step with the Spirit, it will provide a challenge and a guide to seeing DMMs in the context in which they operate. A well-rounded missiology of DMMs was needed, and Motus Dei has provided it in rich detail.
Seckler, Thomas W. 2022. “Review of Motus Dei.” Themelios 47 (2). https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/motus-dei-the-movement-of-god-to-disciple-the-nations/:
Although Motus Dei has weaknesses, it accomplishes its purpose of providing diverse research to further the global conversation on Christian movements. As such, Motus Dei is beneficial for those currently involved in movements as well as those desiring to understand more.
Campbell, David. 2022. “Book Review: Motus Dei.” Great Commission Research Journal 14 (2): 165–69. https://place.asburyseminary.edu/gcrj/vol14/iss2/16/:
In his groundbreaking book, Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations, Warrick Farah, a missiologist and theological educator from the Middle East, and a team of scholars, practitioners, mission leaders, and movement catalysts from around the world have come together to describe and document the miraculous movement of God among the nations in which thousands of Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus in many previously Unreached People Groups (UPGs) are coming to faith in Jesus Christ in the past thirty years.
]]>The reviewer, Cameron Smith, emphasizes the uniqueness and effectiveness of the narrative-based evangelism that Arlund encourages in her book, providing glowing recognition of the delightful blend of simplicity and spirituality that the book embodies.
Stick Figures Save the World stands out for its emphasis on "narrative-based evangelism" and the simplicity of storytelling. Smith appreciates the innovative approach of using basic "stick figures" to encourage the church in their storytelling endeavors. He appreciates the author’s use of simple visuals as a powerful tool for communicating the gospel, stating that the book's main thrusts are to
"provide the basic principles of creating narratives and show how simple visuals can foster good storytelling."
Written in an engaging and accessible style, Arlund focuses on the importance of sharing personal stories and testimonies. Smith highlights the significant role of developing authentic relationships and effectively communicating the gospel, noting that Arlund believes the best "evangelism is simply sharing Jesus and ourselves with people."
The book not only provokes thought but also spurs action. Smith envisions a wide array of readers "from everyday disciples to church planters to seminary instructors" benefiting from the book. He further suggests the potential for hosting workshops in settings such as church small groups and parachurch ministries to help participants draw and tell their good news stories.
Smith recognizes the author's love for Jesus and her firm belief that sharing stories about Him can be as simple as sketching a stick figure. The heart of the author, he states, is clear, adding to the personal charm and intimacy of the book. Smith wraps up the review by claiming that this is a "fun book," celebrating the accessible language and cheerful tone Arlund employs, making the book feel like a "personal conversation with the reader."
We couldn't be more excited about Pam Arlund’s work in Stick Figures Save the World. Her creativity and passion shine through every page, providing a fresh, engaging, and heartwarming approach to sharing the gospel– as simple and delightful as sketching a stick figure.]]>Did you see that EMQ wrote a great review of The Realities of Money and Missions?
ACU Professor and missiologist Chris Flanders highlights the book's engaging dialogue, its wide-ranging scope, and the invaluable perspectives it presents on the complex interplay between finance and global mission work.
]]>ACU Professor and missiologist Chris Flanders highlights the book's engaging dialogue, its wide-ranging scope, and the invaluable perspectives it presents on the complex interplay between finance and global mission work.
The Realities of Money and Missions is a comprehensive volume that emerged from a forum in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and includes contributions from 55 diverse voices, including missiologists, organizational leaders, and mission practitioners.
It covers a vast array of topics, offering a rich tapestry of insights into traditional missionary support, the funding of church-affiliated organizations and educational institutions, and the impact of cultural differences on partnership and accountability structures. As Flanders puts it, "The scope is quite vast and addresses diverse contexts."
One of the book's most notable strengths, as emphasized by Flanders, is its inclusion of non-Western perspectives, ensuring it's not merely "Western discussions of non-Western contexts." This provides readers with a global perspective and a more nuanced understanding of the realities of money and missions.
Moreover, the unique format of the book elevates its value even further. Each chapter is followed by a direct response from another participant, which, as Flanders notes, creates a "powerful dialogical tenor." This results in a richly textured conversation throughout the volume, and the numerous case studies offer concrete examples of challenges and solutions in global missions.
Concluding the review, Flanders highly recommends The Realities of Money and Missions to anyone involved in global missions or training others to engage in this important work. According to him, "Anyone who engages in global missions or prepares those who do so should wrestle with the compelling contents of this significant work."
We’re thrilled by the acclaim The Realities of Money and Missions is receiving. This volume is an important step in advancing discussions on an urgent missiological challenge. Its exploration of the intricacies of finance in global mission work is both illuminating and timely, making it a crucial resource for anyone involved in global ministry.]]>We are absolutely delighted to see Ed Smither’s positive review of Jolene Erlacher and Katy White’s Mobilizing Gen Z in EMQ (Evangelical Missions Quarterly). Smither commends the book’s illuminating perspective on Gen Z and their role in global missions, making this a highly recommended read for multiple audiences.
A deep dive into the identity, motivations, and faith of Gen Z, the book is lauded for its "noteworthy strengths." Smither expresses appreciation for the Erlacher and White’s apt description of Gen Z, noting their distinction from millennials. He adds that Erlacher and White "do a good job of describing Gen Z and particularly showing how they are distinct from millennials." In his review, Smither cites the authors' unique insights into the present generation, including the impact of their continuous online presence and the potential for Gen Z to become the "most educated generation to date."
The authors' approach to engaging Gen Z was another commendable feature that Smither highlighted in his review. He appreciates how Erlacher and White offer "good insights into mobilizing the present generation for mission," putting a spotlight on their focus on building long-term relationships with Gen Z and the innovative idea of guiding them towards finding their calling.
Smither also acknowledges the authors' significant emphasis on overcoming Gen Z's biblical illiteracy and encouraging them to become biblically rooted disciples, which aligns well with the core values and goals of William Carey Publishing.
In the spirit of continued improvement, Smither offers constructive feedback that will undeniably benefit Erlacher and White's future work. However, his overall review is an endorsement of the valuable work done by our authors in addressing an often-overlooked segment of the population.
The significance of this book transcends general readership, as Smither recommends it not only to mission organization mobilizers and church mission committees, but also to those in parachurch leadership and Christian university professors training students for global mission.
We couldn't be prouder of the impactful work that Erlacher and White have done with Mobilizing Gen Z. Their book illuminates new paths of understanding and engaging Gen Z, proving to be an essential tool for anyone involved in youth mission work.
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Nineteenth-century missionary leader Henry Venn developed what is known as the “three-self formula.” Drawing from his own experience, he concluded that most missionaries were far too dependent upon resources from the West.
Accordingly, national Christians in Africa, Asia, and also were perpetually dependent on resources from Western churches. He challenged this pattern by promoting the goal of fostering churches that are self-governing, self-propagating, and self-supporting.
His goal was to develop indigenous churches that are not dependent upon the leadership of missionaries, their organizations, or funds from outside the local context.
The end goal of movement work should never be the advancement of the missionary organization or the missionary. Movements flourish when they heed the three-self formula. Leaders emerge from the local context. Growth occurs through the work and funding of those within that context.
Henry Venn’s teachings were radical during his day, and they remain quite radical today. This is especially true of the principle of self-supporting. When I began my work in Southeast Asia, I didn’t want to develop a strategy that depended upon me being personally present or, in the long term, upon Western funding. In fact, we have resisted any strategies that required external funding, even when organizations wanted to give us money. We knew that if we wanted to see a movement that grew in an organic and self-sustaining way, it must be largely self-supporting from the start.
I entered this work with no ambition to develop a missionary organization that funneled funds from the West to developing nations. In fact, many who have supported me financially have inquired about why we have set up things as we have. They want to know why we don’t have a larger organization, more trainers, more fundraising, and more moneyflowing through our systems to the “mission field.”
Many organizations engage in movement work take a different approach. They raise money and use funds to attain ahearing for the gospel in a local context through various projects, such as schools, orphanages, medical facilities, etc. This money opens doors for the gospel in the minds and hearts of those whom they impact, and then the purpose of the foreign money is served. I’ll never forget sharing with a friend in a companion organization who was so impressed with the ability of his colleague to “raise money.”
In my personal experience, however, this approach sets the stage for financial dependency by the “have nots” upon the “haves” that can be very difficult to change later. I think some of the best commonsense wisdom about this is this: “The way you start is the way you finish.”
When people hear the gospel introduced using money, Western wealth will always be associated with the kingdom of God. In many cases, this results in more harm than good, especially when we think about the long-term effects on a movement.
In our strategy, we begin with self-propagation. Those whose lives have been impacted by faith in Jesus through hearing the Word carry the gospel to friends and family, sometimes accompanied by healings, dreams, miracles, or simply the testimony of a family member or friend. The spreading of a Jesus movement depends upon those within the movement, not leaders from the outside, from the very beginning.
Those who develop movement networks and start additional networks naturally “govern” because they are the leaders who mentored other leaders. Now we are touching on self-governance as well as being self-funding.
We are self-supporting because we teach everyone to give money to the Lord from the very beginning. They are shown how to give instead of simply receiving. No grassroots leader is paid a salary, and there is little to no Western financial support infused in the system. In fact, our house churches, all living below the “poverty level”, recently raised $100,000 of their own funds to help hurting widows living in their towns and villages. How can poor people give $100,000 out of their own income and invest in the “least of these”, not only money but their lives?
We take Venn’s three-self formula a step further. Rather than having it as a goal for the future of mission work, we have learned to start movements with the three-self mindset from the very beginning.
Again, “The way you start is the way you will finish” serves as a guiding principle for us that continues to bear fruit. Wedon’t start with money from developed nations and then wean the movement off that money at a certain point. We begin the movement using limited Western funds in very cautious ways.
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In Facing Fear, I discuss some basics of Hebrew grammar and briefly address the Old and New Testament teaching on fear and courage. While there was not space to include all that Scripture mentions about cowardice, the following is just a brief discussion of a key verse often cited related to Biblical teaching on cowardice.
It is commonly taught that cowardice is sin and worthy of hell. This teaching likely comes from Revelation 21:8,
“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (NASB)
What are we to make of this? Is this verse directed towards the Christ-follower?
The Bible includes several lists of sins, starting with the Ten Commandments and then many more lists in the New Testament. In the book of Revelation, “there are two parallel vice lists [to 21:8] in 9:20–21 and 22:15.”[1]
Interestingly, the words “coward” and “unbeliever” are found in no New Testament list, except here in Rev 21:8. Aune states,
The term “cowards” here seems to be intentionally used as the antonym of “the conqueror” in v 7a.[2]
In other words, the conqueror is the Christ-follower whereas the coward is the one who never follows Christ as Lord. A question worth considering is “What does the Christ-follower conquer in the context of Revelation 21?”
It was missionary and British theologian, Lesslie Newbigin, who discussed how we in the West do not question our cultural assumptions, just as a fish doesn’t “know” the water they are swimming in.[3]
To see our own culture, how might we subconsciously use an ancient Greek lens when thinking about fear, courage, and even cowardice? When we read the Bible in the twenty-first century, are we uncritically mixing what Plato or Aristotle said about fear and courage with what the Bible actually says in the Greek or Hebrew text? For Plato, cowardice is an immoral action of bad men. But for Christ-followers, we want to live according to how God defines “good” and “bad.”
It is always unwise to pluck one word out from a verse and make an application without considering the surrounding context. When we look at the context of Revelation, several observations stand out. In Revelation 9:21, 21:8, and 22:15, lists of sins are given, and all three lists seem to describe the qualities or actions of those never professing faith and never submitting to the one true God.
Cowardice, in the context of Rev 21:8, marks the person who so fears the powers of this world they refuse to submit to the one true God and Christ Jesus the Messiah. Thus, it is a misapplication to apply “cowardice” (in Revelation 21:8) to the believer. This verse describes the type of people who totally reject God.
To be sure, Christ-followers, both in the Bible and today, may be found guilty of those sins listed in Revelation 21:8, yet through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we have peace and reconciliation with God. His merciful lovingkindness is deeper than we can comprehend. Nothing can separate us from his love. We see throughout the Bible examples of cowardice in God-fearers, including Adam, Moses, Jonah, King Hezekiah, Peter, John Mark, and many, many more.
Fear is an opportunity.
The Christ-follower is repeatedly exhorted not to be overwhelmed by fear but instead obey him despite our fear. When we feel the temptation to allow fear to paralyze us, we also have the opportunity to choose obedience. Obedience is acting in courage despite our fear.
Our Lord is far more gracious than we often realize. When he asks us to go to dangerous places for His sake, he knows what fears will arise in us. He wants us to bring our fears to him, and he will give us boldness and courage, one fear at a time. His faithfulness to do this sustains us.
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[1] David E. Aune, Revelation 17–22, vol. 52C, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1998), 1130.
[2] David E. Aune, Revelation 17–22, 1131.
[3] Lesslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), Kindle Location 273.
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Learning Communities (LC) are a central element to long-term movement growth. These venues train through modeling. Leaders learn through concrete experience in small groups of peers and then replicate what they have learned with others.
They usually meet once or twice per month and are comprised of no more than six to eight leaders. LCs are relationally based groups in which people discover what it means to lead others in general and to lead a house church in particular.
These are developed as a 5-5-5 network is created through conversion growth. The leader of the network is the leader in these groups. We have discovered five basic benefits to the essential component.
First, LCs protect house-church leaders because they ensure that leaders are not alone. No leader—even the most gifted of us—is meant to lead alone. All leaders need training and support as they serve others. In addition, none of us ever outgrows the need to grow in the grace of God and in knowledge of Scripture. Our research shows that movement leadersrequire ongoing, continuous training as they serve.
A second benefit of LCs is that they provide leadership training while people are leading, not before they lead. Sometimes church leaders are taught in the “just-in-case” model of training, where they receive a lot of information (usually in a school-like setting) that they may someday need to know. In terms of movement growth, this model of training often results in failure and an unsustainable movement. Instead, LCs provide just-in-time training suited to their context.
Also, LC provide more experienced leaders that can serve as mentors to newly minted house-church leaders. Peer learning and peer mentoring comes from people who are from your culture and think like you do. Perhaps they are only afew weeks or months ahead of you in the journey following Jesus and leading his people.
LC’s offer third benefit. They provide real-life leadership training. This approach contrasts methods focus on theoretical information. Most modern-day movements are comprised of oral learners who need concrete thinking and training. They want to learn stories and behaviors that they can live out in their daily lives.
LCs do not depend on experts to effectively train leaders. This is the fourth benefit. We have a shortage of highly trained instructors, when dealing with fast growing movements in the receptive nations. We simply cannot get our best to the villages and towns of Southeast Asia and Africa.
Experts may have received specialized training about theological issues founded on abstract thinking. However,practically speaking, when such experts are required to train leaders, like all of us, they only know how to pass on content in the way that they were taught, which may have been in a classroom setting.
The classroom is not available, nor desired, as we use home environments and sit in a circle facing each other. Training that depends upon an expert nullifies the primary power of communal learning through dialogue and story.
Fifth, LCs are easily reproduced by those who have been trained. The best way to learn is to teach others what you have learned. Common sense dictates that repeating training in exactly the same way you learned it is the most reproducible. (The research was from a WW2 study of teaching women how to save important ward materials… I saw it decades ago 😊).
Process is everything. However, if the way that you received the training cannot be easily replicated, then it will not be highly transferrable.
For example, consider an outsider who use a PowerPoint presentation for his teaching. Will all the participants receive a copy and have the equipment and technological skill to teach it in just the way that they learned it?
The Western church relies increasingly on technology. That’s just our reality and it fits our culture. However, in the massive movements of peoples to Christ, often it isn’t an option. Learning Communities meet people where they live. They are peer driven, story oriented, biblically based with a focus on obeying Jesus Christ and His teachings.
No one is required to leave their communities to learn God’s Word. Indigenous leaders are minted in these settings and thus LC’s provide a realistic and competent alternative to Bible Schools, seminaries and other formal training institutions for the huge harvest that the Lord is calling home.
The five benefits of training in LCs are all rooted in one thing: they do not assume a classroom approach to training in which trainees receive information without conversation, context, and story.
Usually this occurs as people sit in rows, with each student sitting alone listening to a teacher or other expert telling them how to think and behave. The educational system in many cultures strongly discourages questions and independent thinking. Rote memorization is the path to success, and comparative, analytical thinking is discouraged.
In contrast, Learning Communities are designed so that training occurs in circles, where leaders are actively learning together. They are doing together what they will repeat with others, and the Word of God is able to instruct, inspire, and challenge everyone. Because this is experiential learning, almost everything that occurs in the Learning Community can be repeated in a house church.
]]>We need to rethink how leadership works in a movement that has sustaining power to endure beyond four generations. We must think beyond building a movement around a centralized mindset.
Therefore, Impacting Eternity highlights a key leadership practice that results in movement breakthrough. I call it “Catalyze a Decentralized Movement.”
Christian leaders often adopt leadership patterns stemming from the business world. They do so without thinking about whether they are appropriate for the work in God’s kingdom.
For instance, in a command-and-control church system, the people are organized into a pyramid, reflecting a corporate structure. When we apply this model to the church, we might imagine it this way:
At the top, few exclusive leaders are responsible for setting the vision and strategy for the church. The rest of the people are merely workers who get the boss’s vision done. It can feel as if one progresses in the realm of Christ’s work as the person rises to higher ranks in the system. The workers (church members) exist at a lower status and therefore are less committed to God’s work. In addition, Sessoms argues that such a model of leadership equates leadership with power and authority, not servitude and sacrifice.[1]
From my experience, it’s clear to me that these ideas have infiltrated many churches around the world. This mental model dictates how pastors leads and treat their congregations. If we try to build a movement based on these ideas, we will eventually become frustrated. The movement will not have sustainable multiplication “DNA.”
Like most top-down organizations, motivation and authority flows from the top, leaving the largest group (“grassroots people”) able to do only what the top authorities allow them to do. This is the key obstacle to both the freedom of the Holy Spirit to work among grassroots people.
Instead of a command-and-control leader standing atop a pyramid, movements best flourish when a leader acts as a catalyst of circles. The Apostle Paul was the consummate catalyst of decentralized organizational life. He organized the church so that God’s people were free to hear and obey the Spirit’s leading in their setting.
This mindset enables leaders to serve as catalysts, not bosses.
None of us were meant to be the head of the church because Christ is the head of the body (Col. 1:18). Movement catalysts foster the expanding work of the Spirit. They trust how Christ leads the church.
In The Starfish and the Spider, Brafman and Beckstrom identify key traits of catalysts. I’ve adapted that list to fit movement work.
Jesus flipped human ways on their head when he taught leaders to be the greatest servant of all, not the greatest speaker or teacher of all.
What happens when a leader is elevated because he is faithful to God and not according to cultural standards?
That leader gives up control to “grassroots” believers. For the first time in their lives, these passionate men and women of God have the opportunity to exercise their leadership abilities and invest themselves in reaching unbelievers with the gospel and then making disciples who make disciples.
[1] Sessoms, Leading With Story, 131.
]]>Do you want to be a part of a movement?
Then you must realize that it is about seeing what God is doing and getting involved with that. This depends upon your willingness to invest in discerning and resting in God’s presence. We cannot forget this simple, biblical principle. All other “best practices” depend on it.
]]>(Today's guest post comes from Robert Reach, a long time missionary, movement catalyst, and author of Impacting Eternity.)
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Victor John helped initiate one of the largest and earliest movements in India. He shared with me how over eleven million people were baptized through his networks since he began this work in the late 1990s. He expressed a sense of awe and wonder about how God has moved far beyond what could be controlled, counted, or organized. He said to me,
“This is a work of God, but I often find that people come to me and want to copy my strategy without any real commitment to walking in the life of the Spirit.”
We are experiencing today what the resurrected Jesus promised to his disciples,
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
I am a witness to the fact that God has been at work in our movements in Southeast Asia and West Africa. Without the outpouring of the Spirit, we would not have experienced the huge numbers of transformed lives that we’ve seen. I am humbled to play a part.
Of the seven leadership “best practices” that Impacting Eternity introduces, “Depend upon the Presence and Power of the Spirit” is the most central. You might be tempted to offer a quick “Amen” and then move on to organizational issues. But to do so misses the point.
This best practice is not just central because the Bible claims it to be so. It is central because it lies at the center of the other six best practices. To put it another way, the Spirit’s work Spirit shapes how the other six best practices operate. Consider the following diagram.
The work of the Spirit is the “operating system” running in the background of our lives and of a movement.
Like a good computer OS, it’s often silent and not easily observed, but it impacts every action and result. Without the Spirit as ourOS, we mere humans try to do God’s work with human energy and effort. Human effort alone fails contextualize the gospel faithfully and sustain long-term disciple-making and leadership development.
If our disciple-making does not daily focus on this first best practice, the reach and life of our movements will be shortened. This is not simply a topic that we acknowledge theologically and then move on to practical leadership issues. It has practical implications.
Do you want to be a part of a movement?
Then you must realize that it is about seeing what God is doing and getting involved with that. This depends upon your willingness to invest in discerning and resting in God’s presence. We cannot forget this simple, biblical principle. All other “best practices” depend on it.
Photo Credit: CC. 2.0 Ajay Verma, Reuters, NTB scanpix
]]>Robert Reach thinks of movement fruit in terms of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. Christ said that the gospel is the smallest of all seeds, but it bears the largest of fruit. This is what is occurring around the world in movements, and this fact has driven Reach to ask why this is the case.
Reach wants to know how the gospel produces such fruit through movements. This question drove his research and writing of Impacting Eternity.
]]>(Today's guest post comes from Robert Reach, a long time missionary, movement catalyst, and author of Impacting Eternity)
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I think of movement fruit in terms of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. He said that the gospel is the smallest of all seeds, but it bears the largest of fruit. This is what is occurring around the world in movements, and this fact has driven me to ask why this is the case.
I want to know how the gospel produces such fruit through movements. This question drove my research and writing of Impacting Eternity.
Around the year 2000, I met Ying Kai in Hong Kong and heard about an extraordinary work that was producing tens of thousands of new converts every month in his movement in China.[1] Subsequently, I interviewed extensively and read seminal thinkers in this space, including David Garrison, David Watson, and Curtis Sergeant, along with national leaders that I am not free to name here.
I then studied and personally researched movements in Northern India, China, Southeast Asia, and Cuba, using the same analytical tools that I used in studying cell churches. I surveyed over five thousand house-church leaders, followed by qualitative interviews of movement leaders. From this academic-level research and with the help of professionals in this space, we determined that seven root principles drive movement growth.
After identifying these root principles, I felt led by the Lord in 2006 to initiate a pilot project to determine if what I learned through my research could produce a mass movement of disciples who make disciples. I worked with leaders in Southeast Asia, where the church’s impact had been minimal (less than 1 percent of the population identified as Christian).
This initial group of leaders had about 250 house churches under their care, which has served as the seedbed for what has now surpassed even my grandest expectations. We are approaching 1.5 million baptized disciple-makers and well over 150,000 house churches. We were clearly discovering what really works to grow a movement, but this led to another question.
During one of my interviews, a missionary in East Asia told me about one of the first experimental movements that took off in a remote area of Southeast Asia.
The results met all the common criteria of a movement: Over one hundred people came to Christ and organized in churches led by local village people. It multiplied to more than four generations. However, this missionary explained that there is not a single sign that this movement ever existed. They knew how to start a movement, but they didn’t know what it meant to sustain it.
For the most part, conversations in the movement space focus on casting a vision and starting the movement. These are crucial components. However, we also need to explore how and why movements advance in a sustainable way over time.
It seems to me that we should think about the systemic dynamics that promote movement life and growth over a period of forty years and beyond. How do we go from four generations to forty and continue to expand and mature for decades tocome, perhaps reaching four hundred generations or more? In one of our movements, we have a leader who has started and completed forty networks himself, a total of over six thousand new believers, never receiving a dollar from outside the country.
Our research and experience have led us to identify specific tactics or strategies that yield lasting fruit. We must look atthe underlying, hidden system or infrastructure produces and supports the fruit. A tree produces fruit because there are roots and branches.
In Impacted Eternity, I identify both the roots and the branches; yet the primary focus lies on the branches, what I call the Best Practices for Movement Leaders.
These seven practices are:
I dedicate a chapter to each of these practices in the book. When we embrace these leadership practices, we not only discover what it takes to launch a movement, but also what is required to sustain one.
God’s kingdom life is contained in the smallest seed, the mustard seed. When we understand the nature of that life andembrace it, we can join in what God is doing in the world and see movement life expand, as “it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade” (Mark 4:32).
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined seeing 1.5 million baptized believers worshipping and serving across tens of thousands of house churches. The fruit is incredible, but it did not just happen. It was a result of putting these practices into motion.
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[1] Smith and Kai, T4T.
]]>Grit to Stay Grace to Go: Staying Well in Cross-Cultural Ministry, by Sue Eenigenburg and Eva Burkholder. William Carey Publishing, 2023. 234 pages.
Cross-cultural ministry is full of twists and turns. You finally figure out what to do and where to go, raise your support and share your plans with everyone, only to get to the field and find it’s not what you expected, or that the people you were so looking forward to working with are on their way out. Or maybe you’re the one leaving and processing all the implications of that decision. Whether you stick it out or realize it’s time to let go, Grit to Stay Grace to Go will help you know you aren’t alone.
Each chapter addresses a different dynamic that often comes up, how the authors have seen or experienced it, lies you might fall for and truths you can cling to. Throughout are meaty reflection questions and resources for going deeper—typically 4-6 articles to access online and a book or two for each of the 36 chapters. A series of appendices address topics like soul care, listening, loss and grief, and debriefing.
This is more of a workbook and a reference than the sort of book you read straight through. Team leaders and missionary care providers will find it a helpful resource, and field workers will see themselves on its pages.
Note that both authors have published books for women, but this isn’t just a book for women, or for Americans, or for missionaries from a certain tradition; they’ve made efforts to keep a broader readership in mind.
Learn more or purchase from William Carey Publishing or elsewhere; the oversized paperback is US$17.99 while a digital copy (epub or Kindle) is US$9.99. Bulk discounts are available for ten copies or more.
Christianity’s rapid expansion is remarkable. But the earliest Christians had little to say about obeying to the Great Commission or concern for the lost. Without dismissing those motivations, the author of this short book takes a close look at the early church’s vision for global missions, notably their focus on filling the earth with worship and holiness (less Matthew 28, more Malachi 1:11).
This thoughtful book explores what drove Roman martyrs and desert fathers as well as the thinking of the saints, monks, kings, and pilgrims who expanded the Church in India, Syria, Central Asia, Europe, and beyond. Learn more.
Other new books from William Carey Publishing include Facing Fear by Anna Hampton and Portraits of Global Christianity, edited by Gina Zurlo.
WCP is aware of recent controversy and confusion related to Brad Vaughn’s pseudonym and book review. As the publisher of One Gospel for All Nations: A Practical Approach to Biblical Contextualization, published in 2015, we want to inform our readers that we have removed the pseudonym “Jackson Wu” from the cover of the book, and we have replaced it with the author’s real name, Brad Vaughn. The pseudonym has also been replaced on our website and in all metadata. All previous copies of the book have been recycled.
]]>The author changed the pseudonym (1) because with his return to the United States, the security of the church communities among whom he previously served in China was less at risk, and (2) to address recent concerns expressed on social media about the use of his pseudonym, which he adopted many years ago to protect Chinese brothers and sisters.
Therefore, in March 2023, Vaughn approached WCP requesting that we change his name on the book. We agreed that now is the time for him to change back to his given name, having fully reentered life in the United States.
WCP is also aware of the recent controversy due to Brad Vaughn’s critique of the book A Just Mission (IVP, 2022) by Mekdes Haddis. As a publisher, WCP encourages rigorous academic and missiological discussion among authors, but we are sorry to see the pain and confusion the review caused our sisters and brothers. The tone of the critique is not one that we endorse. The author has since taken down the review and posted an explanation and apology. We encourage all our readers and authors to continue to responsibly engage with God-honoring dialogue.
]]>The following is an excerpt from her chapter.
African American scriptural interpretation [in the years following the Civil War] frequently tied together the sacrificial work of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the liberating work of God’s power to deliver his people. Seeing themselves in and as God’s people, they blurred the lines between the stories of Scripture concerning the Hebrew people and themselves.
Therefore, what resulted in the main thrust of their missional ethic, living in a country they understood to be out of sync with the God they had come to know in worship, in suffering, and through his Word and Spirit was a primarily homeward bound missional focus that saw as its most imperative task both an outward and inward focus. The outward was concerned with Christianizing Christians—converting those around them practicing a malformed version of Christianity that allowed for racial discrimination and oppression to abide witin its midst. They believed, as the Reverend Francis Grimke expressed:
God has promised to give to his Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession and in that promise this land is included. Christianity shall one day have sway even in Negro-hating America ... Jesus Christ is yet to reign in this land. I will not see it, you will not see it, but it is coming all the same. In the growth of Christianity, true, real, genuine Christianity in this land, I see the promise of better things for us as a race.[2]
The inward focus was more conventional, in that it focused on converting the lost.[3] This inward and outward, homeward focus reflected a missiology that put its emphasis on seeing genuine Christian discipleship flourish, mirroring the first command of the Great Commission.[4] During the antebellum period, the Epistle to the Hebrews was no exception to this tradition and was employed in the African American scriptural matrix to accomplish its goal.
Pre-order it here so you can have it when it’s released on February 28th. Here is a sneak peek into the table of Contents.
Chapter 12: Looking through Three Hermeneutical Lenses:A Review of Reading Hebrews Missiologically by Robert L. Gallagher
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[1] Her chapter is titled “The Missiological Use of the Epistle in African American Christianity.”
[2] Grimké, Works of Francis J. Grimké, vol. 2, 269.
[3] Emphasizing the homeward bound focus isn’t to ignore those within the Black Church of this time period that left America to carry the gospel elsewhere. It is only to acknowledge that the majority, for a variety of reasons, were not able to participate in missions outside of the US. It is also important to acknowledge that it was not due to lack of zeal for global missions, either. A glimpse into this zeal can be seen in Raboteau, Fire in the Bones.
[4] The Greek of Matthew 28:19 has as its first command to make disciples, suggesting this as the emphasis and “going” being a perceived given.
]]>Introduction
Title: Mobilizing Gen Z: Challenges and Opportunities For Global Mission
Authors: Jolenne Erlacher and Katy White
The authors are an educator and psychologist respectively. Both are committed to help fulfill the Great Commission; they are experts in “generational missions.”
Thesis
The title of the book is self-explanatory; that is, Generation Z can be mobilized for global mission. However, it is vital to understand Generation Z—what are their challenges, and what are the opportunities for them to become a major force in global mission.
Structure
The book is practical without losing its scholarship. This volume is for researchers, reflective partitioners, disciplemakers, and even for parents who are dedicated to praying for their children to serve the Master and the kingdom advancement. There are four main sections of the book:
Analysis
According to the authors, globalization and technology are transitioning and reshaping the values and worldviews of the global youth culture. In the Introduction, the authors write: “Younger generations today often share more in common young people from different backgrounds than they do with older adults in their own families or cultures.” However, generational relationships are fast changing and very challenging.
Christianity’s epicenter is moving geographically from North America and Europe to Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. This situation has major impact on younger generations in the West and North America. Young people are searching and trying to understand their roles the fast changing “post-Christian context” (Introduction).
Who are Generation Z? These people are born from 1996 to 2010. The authors portray them—and their predecessors, the Millennials—as “postmodern”; that is, they are educated in a world that advocates post-Christian values and worldviews. They are growing up in polarized cultures and moral relativism, they are atheists or agnostics, and they are concerned about social and gender equality.
Gen Zers are a culturally and racially diverse generation. They question their identity, and they live in pluralistic communities as the result of diaspora and (legal and illegal) immigration. They are growing up during turbulent, confusing, and stormy years: they experienced the COVID-19 pandemic; they see the horror of a Eurasian war; many experience the breakdown of their family; they watch on their screens the massacres of their school mates in schools and malls.
Gen Zers are distinct in that they are natives of the digital world. Due to social media, they face great relational pressures, anxiety, and loneliness. They are questioning and skeptical of traditions and institutions, but they are diverse and tolerant of ideas and identities. They are innovative and creative. They are pragmatic about their educational career choices. They are interested in making a unique contribution (p. 160, appendix B).
The authors focus on American Gen Zers, although they do discuss the “Global Youth Culture.” This reviewer would like to see more synchronic descriptions of Gen Z outside North America (e.g., Europeans, Africans, Middle Easterners, Australians, and Asians), as well as the hybrid Gen Zer—the children of mixed racial and intercultural couples, and those that are the 1.5 children of “new immigrants.” The Gen Zers in the Majority World experience hunger, chaos, and displacement because of environmental disasters, earthquakes, air pollution, and a scarcity of food and clean water. They are exposed to fear, confusion and emotional trauma.
Despite the challenges Gen Zers are facing, they have unique talents and qualities. I have four Gen Z grandchildren. As a “digital immigrant” baby boomer, I need my grandchildren to help me navigate in the technological world. Only these Gen Zers, who are digital natives, can help! They are well connected and skilled technological communicators, but because of their fast-moving lifestyle, they have limited attention spans.
After the authors extensively describe the changing missions context—the diachronic and synchronic analysis of Gen Z (Parts 1 and 2)—they give five excellent mobilization strategies: Tangible Relationships; The Coaching Approach; Coaching Conversations; Communication and Language; and Motivation and Calling.
The last section is insightful. Current missions and agency leaders must revisit their fundraising approaches. Some traditional funding projects must be put to shelf. They are not going to work among these young people. Today’s mobilizers need to understand not just the global culture, but the new way that Gen Z communicates.
My denomination still use offering envelops, but Millennials and Gen Zers do not like this—they use online banking, Venmo, and GoFundMe options. Dinners to raise mission funds will no longer work.
I know of a new congregation in my city (Edmonton) that was planted at the height of the pandemic. This new Millennial and Gen Z church is growing—they bought a space debt free in their first five months. Amazing! They do not pass offering plates, but they are self-sustaining. They need to improve their little space, but there has been no mention of money in public. They pray and ask God to provide for their needs.
Resources for Further Study
This book is complemented by an extensive resource list. These resources are helpful for researchers, serious students, and youth pastors. The Mobilization Assessment Guide and Mobilization Question List (see Appendixes C and D) are useful for personal reflections, for small group studies, and for missions strategists aiming to mobilize the younger generation. I also encourage these resources for parents who are walking closely with their Gen Z children.
Conclusion
This book focuses on Gen Z in the USA; however, the authors do briefly discuss the global youth culture. As a Filipino-Canadian, missiologist, clergyman, missions mobilizer, and book reviewer, I would like to add my own observations about Gen Zers who are children of “1.5 Generation Immigrants.”
Canadian Gen Z 1.5/2.5
Santi is a 17-year-old. He started kindergarten at the Chinese school. I asked his parents the reason for sending their son to the Chinese school. Their response was: “When he reaches the age of 25, China will be an economic and military superpower. We need to prepare him to engage the Chinese immigrants in Canada. He needs to be prepared to live out his faith.” Today Santi is in junior high school. He is now a brown belt Jujitsu and a Brazilian martial artist. He has become a good musician and has joined the worship team of their church. He is a good leader, and he sometimes speaks to the young people in his church.
Isa is 14-year-old. She is good at the arts, is a good painter, and a ballet dancer. She serves in their congregation in the nursery and children ministry program. I asked why she is doing this? She gave a straightforward answer: “I love Jesus, and I love children.” She has a gift of entrepreneurship, she loves cooking and baking, she is gentle and kind.
Zenaida and her brother are third-generation Filipinos. Their parents were both born in Canada. Their father is a pastor, and their mother is a teacher at an elementary school. Zenaida is an honor student. Her younger brother is very athletic and hopes to be the first Filipino-Canadian professional hockey player. Professional hockey players are supported, coached, trained, and mentored from a very young age. The mission mobilizer must follow the same model of recruiting, training, coaching, and mentoring Gen Z kingdom builders. They must be identified while they are young, while playing in community back yards, before mobilizing them in global mission arena.
The God of the Christians is the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the “generational God” who will bless the nations around the globe. These Gen Zers, given affirmation, inspiration, training, and mentoring support can be effective missionaries in the coming years, particularly in the second and third quarters of the 21st century.
I join the global mission leaders, credible scholars like Ruth Hubbard, Darin Kindle, Brian Heerwagen, Dave Jacob and Rebecca Hopkins, in endorsing this significant and timely publication in our tumultuous, pluralistic, and hybridizing world. I recommend this book not only for North Americans but also for global missions strategists and mobilizers.
Did you know we offer bulk discount rates? Here's a list of them to help you save!
]]>Here's a list of them to help you save!
]]>Are we ready to pass the torch to Gen Z? Listen to these three amazing podcasts by Jolene Erlacher and Katy White as they talk about engaging young missionaries in training and in the field of missions.
Jolene Erlacher is a next gen researcher, speaker, and consultant at Leading Tomorrow (leadingtomorrow.org; jolene@leadingtomorrow.org). She teaches graduate courses at several Christian universities, equipping ministry leaders serving in a variety of contexts.
Katy White is a mission mobilizer focused on helping members of the emerging generation find their place in God's global work. Katy currently serves with GoCorps (gocorps.org; katy@gocorps.org).
This episode will inspire and equip you to mobilize the next generation of missionaries. Jolene answers the following questions:
What motivated you and co-author Katy White to write this book?
What are some cultural influences we should be aware of when mobilizing Gen Z?
What are some unique characteristics of Gen Z as it relates to missions?
In your book, you write about a “New Mind of Mobilization.” What do you mean by that?
What are three specific strategies to mobilize Gen Z?
In this special episode, Jolene is joined by her co-author, Katy White, to discuss their new book, Mobilizing Gen Z: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions. The new book launched August 8, 2022. In their discussion, Jolene and Katy present insights on mobilizing and encouraging Gen Zers, and they give an overview of the practical applications and resources in the book.
The generation now coming of age is fraught with anxiety and feeling isolated. What will it take for missionaries and church leaders to motivate Gen Z towards cross-cultural missions? We explore this fascinating question with Dr. Jolene Erlacher, author, speaker, consultant, leadership coach, and teacher.
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We thought we would share some short video testimonials to find the answer to that question.
Caroline Owens (Catholic), a Third Order Dominican quotes:
"The book is a wonderful representation of 'ordinary people' doing God's will in the moment and says God was present orchestrating the whole thing."
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Richard Harvey, a Messianic Jewish author, historian, and theologian quotes:
"It's not just a personal story of the author's journey, it's also a short history and overview of all of the issues that have separated believers of Jesus and the church from the Jewish people. The book has emphasized the need for reconciliation between individual Christians and between denominations."
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Jim MacDonald (Protestant), a patent engineer quotes:
"I've seen people have to organize family reunions, and this is very much a family reunion story that is very near and dear to the Father's heart."
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Verena Lang, a historian, and her husband Hans-Peter Lang, a forester, both Catholic living in Austria quotes:
"Jesus emphasized the importance of unity in the body of Christ. He prayed to the Father that we should be one as He is one with the Father. Follow Thomas and Amy Cogdell on an exciting pilgrimage."
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Bob Bagley, the current associate executive director of Global Partners (GP), reviewed Journey with Me in the most recent publication of Evangelical Missions Quarterly. Bob comes from a background of serving in Africa with Global Partners for over three decades. Publication: EMQ » July–September 2022 » Volume 58 Issue 3. Click HERE to view the full article.
He writes:
"Missionary service may prove hazardous to your spiritual health. Ironic as it may seem, it is not unusual for cross-cultural workers to pour themselves into ministering to others while their own souls become increasingly parched. The demands of missionary work and cross-cultural living can become barriers to the practice of the spiritual disciplines. It should not be surprising then that the ReMAP study on missionary attrition found that about a third of preventable missionary attrition is related to poor spiritual health.
While many helpful books have been written to guide believers in the practice of spiritual disciplines, little has been specifically written for cross-cultural workers. Drawing from his years serving in eastern Europe and subsequent ministry leading spiritual formation retreats for missionaries, Herbert Lamp has written this book to address that need.
Lamp’s book provides a basic introduction to foundational spiritual disciplines and practices that are critical for all believers, but especially for those in cross-cultural ministry. He puts the disciplines both in historical context, describing them as “ancient pathways” as well as in context for those in the trenches of missionary work. It is an easy read, written in a very personal and accessible manner. But it is not a quick read. The rich content demands that readers slow down to ponder and digest its riches.
I found the following aspects of the book particularly praiseworthy:
It is easy to recommend that this book become the “go to” resource for helping new missionaries develop a pattern of practicing spiritual disciplines as part of their pre-field preparation. It would also be helpful for use with cross-cultural workers who are struggling to maintain their spiritual vitality amid their ministries. While the content of the book could be valuably covered in an intensive retreat setting, it would likely prove to be more helpful spread out over time to allow readers time for reflection and implementation."
***
Ironic as the opening statement may seem, cross-cultural workers show a pattern of pouring themselves into ministry while running their own souls dry. The heavy demands of missionary work and cross-cultural living can become barriers to personal, consistent spiritual discipline.
While many books have been written on spiritual discipline, few address it in the context of cross-cultural work. Herbert Lamp draws on his own experience of serving in eastern Europe, and his leadership of spiritual formation retreats for missionaries, to write Journey with Me. Lamp’s book provides a basic introduction to foundational spiritual disciplines and practices that, though critical to all believers, are particularly necessary to those in cross-cultural ministry.
Each chapter begins with a testimonial from a cross-cultural worker relevant to the spiritual pathway that will be discussed. Journey with Me is warmly recommended as a “go to” resource for missionaries, new and experienced.
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In an age where humility and repentance are countercultural qualities, it's a beautiful thing when those with ears to hear do hear the "clarion call" that is wonderfully illustrated in Thomas and Amy Cogdell's book "Unity Through Repentance."
]]>In an age where humility and repentance are countercultural qualities, it's a beautiful thing when those with ears to hear do hear the "clarion call" that is wonderfully illustrated in Thomas and Amy Cogdell's book "Unity Through Repentance."
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You'll know Terry as the founder and coordinator of the Global CHE Network, an alliance of Christian ministries using a single strategy for Christ-centered development (community health evangelism) in 136 countries.
WCP author of Beyond Poverty Terry Dalrymple was invited to write a blog for LOGOS as they launch the pre-order of his book on their platform.
]]>WCP author of Beyond Poverty Terry Dalrymple was invited to write a blog for LOGOS as they launch the pre-order of his book on their platform. They are so excited about his insights to spuring movements through wholistic community development that they had him explore vital components for successful transformation.
You'll know Terry as the founder and coordinator of the Global CHE Network, an alliance of Christian ministries using a single strategy for Christ-centered development (community health evangelism) in 136 countries.
Read the full blog on Logos.com.
]]>William Carey Publishing is celebrating with Thomas Cogdell as he unboxes his brand-new book Unity Through Repentance. Thomas’ first comment as he pulls the first sleek copy from the box and presents it to the camera is, “This is truly a miracle to be holding this book.” All that conspired to bring this story to the written page hints at the hand of God.
After showing the book to the camera, Cogdell places a sticker on the cover with the tag “#notmybook”, naming several individuals who shared in bringing this book to life. He finishes with recognizing God’s role in the publishing of Unity Through Repentance, and specifically prays John 17 over those who read it: Make them one… so that the world would believe.
]]>William Carey Publishing is celebrating with Thomas Cogdell as he unboxes his brand-new book Unity Through Repentance. Thomas’ first comment as he pulls the first sleek copy from the box and presents it to the camera is, “This is truly a miracle to be holding this book.” All that conspired to bring this story to the written page hints at the hand of God.
After showing the book to the camera, Cogdell places a sticker on the cover with the tag “#notmybook”, naming several individuals who shared in bringing this book to life. He finishes with recognizing God’s role in the publishing of Unity Through Repentance, and specifically prays John 17 over those who read it: Make them one… so that the world would believe.
Watch the unboxing video HERE!
Interested in reading the book?
Add to cart here, and receive 15% off with code UNITY22 at checkout.
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Check out this interview by The Good Book Blog between the author of Insider Church S.T. Antonio and Kenneth Berding, a professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology.
"Muslims are coming to Christ all around the world. But what should a church composed of Muslim-background believers in Jesus look like? How contextualized can/should such a church be? I recently read an outstanding book dealing with the central biblical-theological and missiological questions surrounding this central question: Insider Church: Ekklesia and the Insider Paradigm. The book’s author, S. T. Antonio (a pseudonym) is a personal friend who currently lives and ministers in the Middle East among Arab Muslims. I reached out to him and asked whether he might be willing to do an interview about his new book. I am delighted that he agreed.
"Christians in Asia, Europe, and North America will gather monthly from spring to fall to offer intercessory prayers ahead of the United Nations climate change conference scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, in November.
]]>"Christians in Asia, Europe, and North America will gather monthly from spring to fall to offer intercessory prayers ahead of the United Nations climate change conference scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, in November.
“A group of us are feeling called into a type of prayer commensurate to the urgency of the climate crisis,” Bliss said, “to appeal to the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of all creation that God might intervene in this hour of great threat and profound injustice.”
Bliss is hoping thousands—evangelicals and charismatics as well as mainline Protestant and Catholics—will come together in intercessory prayer, “praying authentically while stepping outside our comfort zone … in a united appeal to God, ‘Lord, have mercy.’”
The Glasgow conference, known as COP26, will hear reports from the 190 nations that signed the Paris Agreement to reduce the carbon emissions that scientific consensus says are causing global climate change. The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, included a “ratchet mechanism,” with nations agreeing to accelerate the reduction of carbon emissions every five years. The fifth-year meeting was delayed by COVID-19.
The meeting is considered crucial because some scientists say that the window to make a change to avoid the worst global impacts of climate change—rising sea levels, deadly heat waves, and increased natural disasters—is rapidly closing.
NASA’s measurements of the earth’s baseline temperature show rapid warming in the last few decades, as do the measurements of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (which runs the National Weather Service), and the Met Office Hadley Centre’s Climate Research Unit in the UK. According to NASA, 2003–2020 were the warmest years since people started tracking global temperatures in the 1880s, and “climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities.”
Bliss, author of Environmental Missions: Planting Churches and Trees, said he is praying that God “grant that the nations may cut their carbon emissions by half by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050.” He and the group are also praying that God would “be moving in each government of the world so that the revised emission-reduction targets that they bring to Glasgow finally match up to the Paris temperature targets.”
Twenty-eight percent of white evangelicals in the United States share Bliss’s concern, according to the most recent Pew Research poll on religious views of climate change. About 37 percent, on the other hand, say that there is no solid evidence of climate change. Another third say that climate change is happening but think it’s part of natural cycles and not impacted by human behavior.
While the issue has divided American evangelicals, that’s not true internationally, said Chris Elisara, executive director of the World Evangelical Alliance’s Creation Care Task Force. European evangelicals “are, for the most part, not skeptical,” he said, but “striving to have a Christian response to climate change that involves both mitigating against the changes and adapting to the changes as best they can.”
In other parts of the world, moreover, evangelicals see the direct impact of floods, droughts, and the extreme weather that indicate a climate crisis, according to Elisara.
“North Americans can have a debate on the matter because they’re not feeling the effects yet,” he said. “But in the Philippines? It’s not a debate. It’s their daily experience.”
It was the daily experience with pollution in India that convinced Bliss of the importance of caring for the environment. He went to the country as a missionary in 1993 and stayed until 2007.
“Over my years in the field, I was told that missionaries should feed souls and bodies. But what about the ecosystems in which those souls and bodies live and die?” Bliss said. “My best Indian friend in Varanasi was a Brahmin man named Munnu-ji. He died of cerebral malaria, which means that one infected mosquito, feeding on the fetid, polluted waters of the Gangetic plain, bit him.”
Buy Environmental Missions and get 10% off the print copy! At checkout, use code ENVIRON10.
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If you are on the field, or you are considering to ministry non-English speakers, you may be interested in two upcoming conferences about language learning in Ministry. Language learning that equips you for ministry is crucial if the ultimate goal is to tell people about Jesus.
Date: February 19-20, 2021 (via Zoom)
Registration deadline for the ICLL is Tuesday the 16th
What are the problems we need to be solved in language learning today and what good coaching means in 2021?
Register here: https://www.mti.org/conferences/icll-international-congress-on-language-learning/
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https://www.celea.net/celt-conference.html
Date: March 5-6, 2021
The Christian English Language Teachers(CELT) Conference is sponsored by CELEA (Christian English Language Educators Association). Join us for an uplifting day of networking with like minded TESOL professionals and hearing from dynamic speakers. The Christian English Language Educators Association (CELEA) is composed of persons who have a common interest in the teaching of English to speakers of other languages, and who share a common belief in Jesus Christ. For questions specific to the conference, please send an email to celtconferencechair2020@gmail.com.
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Lauren Vitrano-Wilson (Language & Culture Learning Consultant in Mainland SE Asia and Worldwide Serving through Horizons International and the Family Connection Foundation) sends out a monthly language and culture learning tip for free. It is called Tip of the Tongue. It is geared toward people learning both written and unwritten languages.
Sign up here: http://wordpress.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8d863e15e94e76c288533c1ca&id=f9cb1200c9
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"Professional Guidelines for Christian English Teachers is an excellent resource for anyone in a position of influence in the TESOL world. By highlighting and unpacking critical issues that can either open or close doors when teaching English in an overseas context, Dr. Purgason presents a well-organized sequence of thought-provoking guidelines to consider when stepping into the often murky waters of cross-cultural classroom engagement as exemplified by the Master Teacher.
Dr. Purgason gives a sketch of her own background with the TESOL world in both US and cross-cultural contexts which include her childhood experiences growing up overseas and her husband’s connections with cross-cultural organizations. Her wisdom as a follower of the Master Teacher has been shared with many other aspiring teachers through her mentoring roles with US government programs and other educational organizations. As an award-winning veteran TESOL teacher herself and a respected professor at Biola University, Kitty Purgason is in a unique position not only to see the need for this practical guide but also communicate in a way which speaks a balanced word to both those inside and outside the Christian community.
Several topics that are addressed in the book would be of interest to teachers or administrators seeking to integrate character education, social justice issues, or themes related to forgiveness and reconciliation. The organization of the book is helpfully and intuitively divided into three sections: 1) foundational material, 2) guidelines explained and applied and 3) sample lessons and teaching resources."
DC Keane was recently interviewed by Cresent Project Radio on why he wrote Uncharted Mission: Going to the Final Frontiers.
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DC Keane was recently interviewed by Cresent Project Radio on what drove him to write Uncharted Mission: Going to the Final Frontiers.
He shared the challenge of when you see something with a familiar feel, but you can't quite reconcile what it is. That's the way many Christians see the apostolic call. It looks like that person is being called to something vaguely familiar, but when they want to go to Afghanistan (or some other place where the church is not yet), we suddenly caution them and often encourage them NOT to go because it is just a little too unfamiliar.
That's why I wrote Uncharted Mission: Going to the Final Frontiers. I want to help us all to recognize the call to go where the trail has not been blazed. Most of the people called to such pioneering work would benefit greatly from your encouragement, your listening ear, and your prayers."
-DC Keane
For your listening to this podcast, enjoy
Uncharted Mission paperback and eBook
with code
at checkout!
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