Ephesiology


Book Description

Discovering God’s Passion for Movements The city of Ephesus was the site of the most significant church-planting movement in the early church, with 40 percent of the New Testament texts relating to it. What made that city the epicenter of the movement? And how can we replicate sustained movements in a world that feels so different? This is not another methodology or attempt to re-contextualize evangelicalism. Rather, it is a journey from the launch of the church in Ephesus as it became a movement grounded in God’s mission and led by those who multiplied generations of disciples. Michael T. Cooper focuses on Paul and John as missiological theologians who successfully connected Jesus’s teaching with the cultural context and narrative of the people in Ephesus. Their ability to relate the God of all creation to a people who sought him in vain resulted in “the Way” transforming the religious, intellectual, economic, and social fabrics of the Ephesian society. Ephesiology offers a comprehensive view of the redemptive movement of the Holy Spirit in this city and compels us to ask the question: how can we effectively connect Christ to our culture? Through this study of a movement, discover how the Holy Spirit still changes lives, cities, and the world.




Ephesiology


Book Description

This books looks at the launch of the church in Ephesus as it became a movement grounded in God's mission and led by those who multiplied generations of disciples. Michael T. Cooper focuses on Paul and John as missiological theologians who successfully connected Jesus's teaching with the cultural context and narrative of the people in Ephesus.




Mere Evangelism


Book Description

Let C.S. Lewis inspire and equip you to share your faith. Evangelism is an extraordinary task; it’s what God uses to bring people from death to life. But it has always been difficult. C.S. Lewis was used by God in the conversions of countless people, from friends and acquaintances in his own lifetime to modern-day readers of books such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity (the most influential Christian book of the 20th century). As Tim Keller comments, "C.S. Lewis was incredibly skilled at getting Christianity across in a way that’s powerful to thoughtful people." So, if we want help with evangelism, there is much we can learn from the clarity and imagination of this hugely influential Christian writer. You may feel inadequate to the task; after all, there is only one C.S. Lewis. But evangelist Randy Newman skillfully helps us to apply the methods Lewis used (storytelling, humor, imagery and more) in our own conversations. You will be equipped to talk about your faith and engage with unbelievers wisely, whatever their attitude towards the Christian faith.




Reading 1 Peter Missiologically


Book Description

Gaining Fresh Insights for Missions In today’s world, the church on mission faces the immense challenge of engaging an array of cultures and ideologies. To address these issues, theologians and missiologists usually focus on Jesus and Paul. However, the Apostle Peter’s words, steeped in wisdom, are another vital link between foundational Christian truths and the complexities of our global context. For this reason, Reading 1 Peter Missiologically is a significant contribution to both biblical scholarship and mission practice. Examining 1 Peter through a missiological lens unveils the apostle’s strategic approach to cross-cultural evangelism amidst persecution and cultural diversity. It is not just an academic exercise; the authors provide practical insights for missionaries, church leaders, and theologians, helping them to contextualize the gospel in a culturally sensitive manner. This book bridges the gap between theological study and real-world application. Reading 1 Peter Missiologically is an essential resource for anyone seeking to participate in Christian outreach more effectively. It challenges readers to rethink modern missionary strategies. If you want to deepen your understanding of the Bible’s teaching on global mission and apply it across the world, this book is a must-read.




MissionShift


Book Description

Veteran missionary David Hesselgrave and rising missional expert Ed Stetzer edit this engaging set of conversational essays addressing global mission issues in the third millennium. Key contributors are Charles E. Van Engen ("Mission Described and Defined"), the late Paul Hiebert ("The Gospel in Human Contexts: Changing Perspectives on Contextualization"), and the late Ralph Winter ("The Future of Evangelicals in Mission"). Those offering written responses to these essays include: (Van Engen) Keith Eitel, Enoch Wan, Darrell Guder, Andreas J. Köstenberger; (Hiebert) Michael Pocock, Darrell Whiteman, Norman L. Geisler, Avery Willis; (Winter) Scott Moreau, Christopher Little, Michael Barnett, and Mark Terry.




Church Plantology


Book Description

The first comprehensive textbook on effective church planting from a veteran church planter. The Apostle Paul was a veteran church planter who "laid a foundation like a wise and master builder" and there is much we can learn from his example. Paul indicated that there were basic skills and experiences required to successfully plant a church. Church Plantology examines the wide variety of church planting methods and ideologies in contemporary pastoral practice and outlines a biblical model based on the New Testament. During his time in prison, Paul spent much of his time writing to Titus, Timothy, and others who'd served alongside him in the trenches to complete their training as church plantings. We can continue to apply these time-tested, proven methods, following the pioneering example of the early church. Today, the casualty rate in is high. What if we could reduce the odds of failing? Church Plantology by Peyton Jones is a robust guide to planting that will help planters to provide the foundation necessary to survive beyond the initial first years so that they don't end up a walking statistic.




God's Heart for the Nations


Book Description

God's Heart for the Nations rips apart the old, traditional understandings of God's plan and purpose for our lives. In eight lessons, author and global activist, Jeff Lewis, lays bare the heart and mind of God as he combines powerful Bible passages with challenging and provocative questions. Each lesson is followed by a time of meditation (Selah) and a focus on an unreached people group. If you really knew the heart and mind of God, would you dare to follow him? Author Jeff Lewis is a global activist connecting followers of Christ with his global mandate. Jeff is Assistant Professor of Intercultural Studies at California Baptist University. He also teaches and consults with churches on seamlessly integrating God's heart for the nations into their church framework. Jeff and his wife Elaine live in Southern California and have seven children and eight grandchildren.




Motus Dei


Book Description

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.




Church Planting Movements


Book Description

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




Social Injustice, Volume II


Book Description

Social justice has become a polarizing term that has set Christians against each other. Contributing to the confusion are social theories such as critical theory and critical race theory where social justice tends to focus on opposing systemic issues in which an oppressor group has disadvantaged other groups. Such theories, when applied by Christians, tend to lean toward a form of liberation theology decried by many conservative evangelicals (Tisby 2019; Frame 2015). Nevertheless, social justice as a nomenclature expressing Christian action in social issues continues to find credence historically among many evangelicals. For example, writing during the turbulent times of the 1960s, one of the leading evangelical voices of the day expressed, "In an hour of widespread revolution, when political forces are reshaping the larger frontiers of modern life, the Church's concern with the problem of social justice is especially imperative" (Carl F.H. Henry, Aspects of Christian Social Ethics). Social Injustice, Volume II: Evangelical Voices in Tumultuous Times is organized according to five broad categories integral to engaging issues of social justice: Discipleship, Politics, Race, Mental Health, and Community Development. In each category we offer evangelical voices who focus their unique area of expertise or perspective to the subjects at hand.