Emerging Agendas in World Mission (original) (raw)

Mission's Changing Landscape: Global Flows and Christian Movements

International Review of Mission, 2011

Since Christianity is a world religion, changes in worldwide Christianity both reflect and affect global affairs and transnational issues. From its inception the IRM has demonstrated this in its holistic approach and global scope. In its pages are developments in the global landscape over the last one hundred years, although with significant shifts in the contributors. These developments include the breakdown of imperial Christendom and the rise of the present world order, how the people of the world are described and relate to one another, and the configuration of religions. Three trends in world Christianity impinge on contemporary mission: the rise of independent Christian movements and the migration of Christians result in an ever-increasing plurality of Christian expression. In view of this, this article argues that mission should be contextual, mission theology expressed in pneumatological terms, and the church understood as a dynamic movement.

The Future of Mission in the World Council of Churches

2004

In this article, Michael W. Goheen summarizes and evaluates a debate between ecumenical pioneer Lesslie Newbigin and former WCC general secretary Konrad Raiser. Raiser exemplifies a trinitarian approach to ecumenism and mission that recognizes the universal presence of the Holy Spirit among all peoples and religions, and so would cease to have a Ghristocentric focus. For Newbigin, while a trinitarian approach to ecumenism and mission is of paramount importance, an abandonment of the centrality and universality of Jesus Christ is something that cannot be abandoned. In the end, says Goheen, the differences between Raiser and Newbigin are differences revolving around the meaning of Jesus Christ and his atoning work on the cross.

World Christianity and Mission 2021: Questions about the Future

International Bulletin of Mission Research

This article marks the thirty-seventh year of including statistical information on World Christianity and mission in the International Bulletin of Mission Research. This year it includes details on some of the most frequently asked questions in quantifying mission and global Christianity: the number of missionaries worldwide, global access to the gospel, and the burgeoning Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. The article also provides brief methodological reflections on how the future of this kind of research might change, given the realities of COVID-19.

Shift of Mission Paradigm in the Church: A New way of Learning and Relating

Abuja Journal of Philosophy and Theology (APT), 2021

Nowadays, as it was in the past centuries, people are searching for partners in their struggle to fight against injustice, to build up a more just and peaceful society. This search goes far beyond the limits of any ethnic, religious or linguistic community; it goes beyond the limits of a particular church and of a particular missionary society. It is not only my church and my congregation that would need to struggle on its own with all forms of injustice, absence of understanding, and human conflicts, that could lead to war and destruction. These global challenges need the collaboration of people of good will from all parts of human society. Religious and non-religious people could meet and enrich each other in this project of building a more peaceful and 1 better society.

Church from Another Perspective: Rearranging assumptions about the identity and work of the church through an encounter with world mission

Jesus demonstrated the power of a missionary perspective in releasing greater effectiveness in the Samaritan encounter of John 4:7-38. This encounter rattled unconsciously held assumptions that limited the fruitfulness of the disciples. The Samaritan encounter reveals three essential suppositions of a mission driven paradigm including, 1) a commitment to deliberate outreach to those who are different, 2) a commitment to a harvest versus maintenance orientation, and 3) the realization that receptivity to the gospel is not time, geographically or culturally bound. Part one of this paper defines the changing environment the church finds itself in. This changing social structure necessitates the adoption of a mission paradigm. A mission paradigm is a commitment to deliberately reach out to people who are different. Part two defines the mission paradigm and its effect on the task of leadership within the local church. It requires a commitment to a harvest versus a maintenance orientation. It acts on the basis that receptivity to the gospel is not time, geographically or culturally bound.

“New Wine into Old Wineskins?: Orthodox Theology of Mission Facing the Challenges of a Global World”

Regnum Studies in Mission are born from the lived experience o f Christians and Christian communities in mission, especially but not solely in the fast growing churches among the poor o f the world. These churches have more to tell than stories o f growth. They are making significant impacts on their cultures in the cause o f Christ. They are producing 'cultural products' which express the reality o f Christian faith, hope and love in their societies.