The Church in Mission: Foundations and Global Case Studies
Author(s): Betril Ekström (Editor), William D Taylor (Foreword)
Publisher: William Carey Publishing
Publication Date: 1 Jun. 2016
Language: English
Print length: 276 pages
ISBN-10: 0878080538
ISBN-13: 9780878080533
Book Description
What does it mean today to be a church totally committed to the gospel and fully engaged in God’s mission? What major religious and sociological trends in our world are affecting the role of the global church and local churches? How must we understand and be prepared to face these trends? How do we define “church” in the twenty-first century, being faithful to the Scriptures and at the same time relevant to a generation that does not believe in the institutional church anymore? What are some good models of missional churches in different regions of the world that will encourage and inspire those who long to see a church making difference in society and in the world? These are some of the issues that the book you are holding in your hands addresses. There are certainly no final answers and magical forms; rather, we present a broad and deep discussion on how the gospel should be lived out by Jesus’ followers in our time and through our communities. Questions are raised and analyzed both from the perspective of a local church as well as from a global and general understanding of the Christian church. Some of our examples will focus more on local realities, others more on global challenges. The first part of the book is dedicated to a biblical and theological reflection on gospel, church, and mission. It includes Old and New Testament studies on the theological implications of being church, based on the biblical narrative. The second part deals with a variety of contemporary missiological issues related to the broader theme of church and mission. Different perspectives from current discussions and dialogues around the globe are included, covering both ideological reflections and practical aspects of being a mission-shaped church. The third part presents regional and national case studies that show the enormous creativity in church planting and engagement of local communities in their own societies. Models applied in the secularized Europe are contrasted to ways of functioning as church in fast growing congregations in the global South.
Editorial Reviews
Review
This book is a refreshing reminder of God at work in the world today. We are encouraged to reflect and develop a missional understanding of church that appreciates the roles of the church in the global West and global South, recognizing that the Christian church is the most diverse and inclusive community on earth. The contributors challenge us not to think of “church and mission” as if they were two separate aspects of church but rather the “church in Mission.” Its rootedness in Scripture and reflections of “missions praxis” around the world is enriching, and encourages local church leaders to see “mission” as the work and responsibility of each church member wherever they may find themselves.
–Esme Bowers, minister of religion at Calvary Sanctuary Full Gospel Church and secretary of the board of directors of the Lausanne Movement
This book is a feast for anyone who is passionately mission minded. With the biblical and theological foundations for missions by the church, the contemporary missiological issues and the case studies on the church in mission, this book is a delight. It addresses the key themes and issues for a strong reflection on the church and mission. Another thing I like about this book is that it is really global in its scope: geographically-wise, gender-wise and generation-wise. All the contributors are not only great commission global leaders, but also passionate and reflective practitioners. Do you want to deepen your ecclesiological and missiological reflections? This a very good place to be. Any reflective practitioner on mission by the church will like this book. It is a must read for any church and missional leader. I am expecting to see it become a book of reference in the mission world.
–Younoussa Djao, Africa director, Cityteam International
About the Author
Bertil Ekström (MTh, PhD) was born in Sweden and grew up in Brazil. Married to Alzira, the couple has four children and four grandchildren. An ordained Baptist pastor, Bertil has been involved in the mission movements of Brazil and Latin America for many years. Currently he is the director of the Mission Institute in Örebro, Sweden, and the executive director of the WEA Mission Commissions.
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