Leading evangelical mission experts offer a comprehensive theology of mission text, providing biblical, historical, and contemporary perspectives.

Since the Second World War the church's history has undergone a profound change. After a long period in which the gospel had been embedded in a Western European context, it must now be seen in a pluralist setting, and the full implications of its claims to universality have emerged. This change is likely to be as significant as the first major change in Christian history, when the church developed from being a Jewish community to an institution in the Hellenistic world. What does that mean for the mission and the pastoral life of the church? Christians, especially Roman Catholics, from the Third World are well aware of the problems that have arisen. Solving them cannot just be an administrative matter. There is a need to go right back to the roots of missionary work. Hence the importance of this new book, strangely enough the only one of its kind. It considers the traditions and dynamics that shaped Israel's consciousness of itsdestiny in relation to the Gentiles and which ultimately led Christians to proclaim the gospel to Gentiles. After this survey of biblical evidence a final chapter summarizes the results and considers implications for contemporary theology and church life, and the relationship of Christianity to other religions.

This volume provides an important resource for those wishing to gain an overview of significant issues in contemporary missiology whilst understanding how they are applied in particular contexts. Contributors from across the globe and from different Christian traditions explore foundations for mission. The chapters examine in what ways experience, the Bible, and theology are foundational for mission and how they together inform the missional thought of different traditions. The book also raises questions about the continued use of foundations as a helpful metaphor mission reflection and impetus. Graduate students and scholars surveying the field will find this a useful and accessible way to understand changing trends within mission studies.

The Dictionary of Mission Theology is the first reference book of its kind to reflect the new world of decentralized mission. With the majority of its 160-plus articles written by contributors from the Majority World, it reflects a variety of global contexts. A book for all those interested in missions.

This comprehensive introduction helps students, pastors, and mission committees understand contemporary Christian mission historically, biblically, and theologically. Scott Sunquist, a respected scholar and teacher of world Christianity, recovers missiological thinking from the early church for the twenty-first century. He traces the mission of the church throughout history in order to address the global church and offers a constructive theology and practice for missionary work today. Sunquist views spirituality as the foundation for all mission involvement, for mission practice springs from spiritual formation. He highlights the Holy Spirit in the work of mission and emphasizes its trinitarian nature. Sunquist explores mission from a primarily theological--rather than sociological--perspective, showing that the whole of Christian theology depends on and feeds into mission. Throughout the book, he presents Christian mission as our participation in the suffering and glory of Jesus Christ for the redemption of the nations.

Michael Goheen gives us a full-scale introduction to mission studies today in its biblical, theological and historical dimensions. Goheen covers the full horizon of major issues in mission, including its global, urban and holistic contexts. This text shows how the missional church encounters the pluralism of Western culture and global religions.

"Live Jesus in Our Hearts" is a prayer said daily by Lasallians all over the world. Our new high school religion curriculum reflects this prayer, and our mission--that every young person would invite Jesus' presence into their hearts. We sought to begin answering the needs of today's youth, in a generation where the spiritual and religious landscape has shifted dramatically. Jesus Christ and the New Testament is the second semester course in the new high school series Live Jesus in Our Hearts. This series takes a fresh approach to the Framework outline, bringing in new themes such as in-depth use of scripture, extensive online resources, and an invitational, evangelizing approach. Jesus Christ and the New Testament is a New Testament overview that includes all the required Framework content related to Jesus Christ. Used with Revelation and the Old Testament, you can now teach an overview of the Bible in freshman year using a Framework approved curriculum! Plus, help students connect using: Short stories about young people that relate a teaching or belief to a young person's lived experience. Focus questions introduce each unit in the voice of a teen, guiding students in focusing on what they might learn; units end with an image of a real student and his or her reflections on the unit focus question, inviting the students to check their own understanding. A Unit Highlights section that uses graphic organizers to visually represent the key concepts from each chapter "Hmmm" questions at the end of each article that encourage students to think critically about Christian beliefs. A full page visual feature at the end of each chapter that engages students to reflect on the chapter content in a unique way.

"Live Jesus in Our Hearts" is a prayer said daily by Lasallians all over the world. Our new high school religion curriculum reflects this prayer, and our mission--that every young person would invite Jesus' presence into their hearts. We sought to begin answering the needs of today's youth, in a generation where the spiritual and religious landscape has shifted dramatically. Revelation and the Old Testament is the first semester course in the new high school series Live Jesus in Our Hearts. This series takes a fresh approach to the Framework outline, bringing in new themes such as in-depth use of scripture, extensive online resources, and an invitational, evangelizing approach. Revelation and the Old Testament is an Old Testament overview (with a sneak peak of the New Testament) that includes all the required Framework content related to Revelation. Used with Jesus Christ and the New Testament, you can now teach an overview of the Bible in freshman year using a Framework approved curriculum! Plus, help students connect using: Short stories about young people that relate a teaching or belief to a young person's lived experience. Focus questions introduce each unit in the voice of a teen, guiding students in focusing on what they might learn; units end with an image of a real student and his or her reflections on the unit focus question, inviting the students to check their own understanding. A Unit Highlights section that uses graphic organizers to visually represent the key concepts from each chapter "Hmmm" questions at the end of each article that encourage students to think critically about Christian beliefs. A full page visual feature at the end of each chapter that engages students to reflect on the chapter content in a unique way.

This is no ordinary missions book. The theme isn't new, but the approach is refreshing and compelling, as contributors David Platt, Louie Giglio, Michael Ramsden, Ed Stetzer, Michael Oh, David Mathis, and John Piper take up the mantle of the Great Commission and its Spirit-powered completion. From astronomy to exegesis, from apologetics to the Global South, from being missional at home to employing our resources in the global cause, Finish the Mission aims to breathe fresh missionary fire into a new generation, as together we seek to reach the unreached and engage the unengaged.

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.