Contents

Preface

Introduction
Changing World Church
Changing Global Realities
A New Understanding of Mission
The Landscape of Mission Studies Today
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

Part One: Biblical and Theological Reflection on Mission

1. Scripture as a Narrative Record of God’s Mission
The Bible and Mission in a New Era
God’s Mission to Restore the Whole World
God Chooses Israel to Bring Salvation to the Whole World
God Sends Jesus to Gather and Restore Israel to Its Mission
The Church’s Mission to the Ends of the Earth
God’s Mission Continues Beyond Acts
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

2. Theology of Mission and Missional Theology
Theological Reflection n Mission
Missional Reflection on Theology
Conclusion
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

Part Two: Historical and Contemporary Reflection on Mission

3. Historical Paradigms of Mission
What Story Do We Want to Tell?
Early Church Paradigm
Christendom Paradigm
The Enlightenment Paradigm
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

4. An Emerging Ecumenical Paradigm of Mission
Responses to the Modern Missionary Movement: Toward a New Paradigm
Mission Traditions Today
Conclusion
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

5. A Survey of the Global Church
The Global Shift to the South
Sub-Saharan Africa
Asia
Latin America
The Middle East and North Africa
The Pacific
Eastern Europe
The West
Conclusion
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

Part Three: Current Issues in Mission Today

6. Holistic Mission
Our Legacy: A Split Between Word and Deed
Authentic Evangelism
Mercy and Justice
Calling of Believers in Society
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

7. Faithful Contextualization
The Urgency of the Issue
The Gospel and Culture: Syncretism and Irrelevance
A Brief History of Contextualization
Contextualization Today
Models of Contextualization
Macrocontextual Differences
Faithful Contextualization
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

8. Toward a Missiology of Western Culture
An Urgent Task
Missionary Encounter with Culture: The Faithful Posture of the Church
The Theological Task: Liberating the Gospel
The Ecclesiological Task: Understanding Our Missional Identity
The Cultural Task: A Missionary Analysis of Western Culture
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

9. A Missionary Encounter with World Religions
An Urgent Issue
The Proper Posture Amidst Religious Pluralism—A Missionary Encounter
A Challenge to Pluralism
A Brief Sketch of a Theology of Religions
A Missionary Approach and Subversive Fulfillment
Conclusion
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

10. Urban Mission
Our Urban Future—and Present
The Importance of Cities for Mission
An Agenda for Urban Mission
A Theology of Mission for the City
Elements of Faithful Missional Congregations
Conclusion
Further Reading
Discussion Questions
Essay Topics

11. Missions
Mission, Missions and Cross-Cultural Partnership
Our Legacy: Reduction and Response
A Return to Scripture
World Need
Problems Hindering a Fresh Missions Initiative
Structures of Missions—Who Will Do the Job?
New Initiatives Today
Conclusion
Essay Topics

Sidebar Sources

Subject Index

Name Index

Scripture Index

Notes

Praise for Introducing Christian Mission Today

About the Author

Mission--a driving force in the long Christian story--today is often cast as the embarrassing relative of tall-steeple religiosity. In our wider culture it's now tucked in the endnotes of book-club histories or forms the ghostlike ellipses in the six o'clock news. But in Introducing Christian Mission Today, Michael Goheen brings the vibrant history, motivation and challenges of Christian mission to the fore. Through the centuries Christian mission has always been recalibrating, retooling and reevangelizing. It has repeatedly taken surprising turns as it is carried along by the Spirit of God. Goheen's introduction to mission's biblical, theological and historical dimensions engages the present and anticipates the future. As he unfolds the major issues of the global and urban, the pluralistic and wholistic contexts of mission today, he lays the ground for engaging in God?s great kingdom enterprise. This full-scale text incorporates the keen missional insights of Lesslie Newbigin, David Bosch and other formative thinkers. It will be a valued resource not only for those in crosscultural contexts but also for those engaged in reevangelizing the West.