Behind simplified economic and political perceptions of the forces of globalization is a much more complex spiritual evolutionary process whereby the world and all creation is being drawn into being the presence of Christ a Christogenesis.

Today, the Christian Church stands at the threshold of an emerging global society. There has been an influx of immigrants in the major cities of the Western world, which has created a new field for mission. The world can be reached with the Gospel in a matter of seconds and fewer dollars, not only because of our modern high-speed communication system, but also because the Arabs, Nigerians, Koreans, Asian-Indians, and people from other nations can be found in our own backyards. While the Christian Church seems unresponsive to the realities of globalization and its immeasurable evangelistic opportunities, companies and government institutions are spending tens of thousands of dollars to train their employees in multicultural skills and knowledge as they face the daunting reality of a global economy. Global Ministry in a Global Society focuses on a new paradigm of multicultural ministry in the era of globalization. It intends to share practical ways of doing ministry in a rapidly globalizing society. It will also share some insights on global ministry and leadership.

David Anderson and Margarita Cabellon bring together an experienced team of practitioners to share best practices for multicultural ministry. Drawing on the pioneering expertise of Bridgeway Community Church and BridgeLeader Network, the contributors present a holistic and multifaceted portrait of what a dynamic, grace-filled and diverse ministry can look like in your church.

David Anderson writes about multicultural leadership not from the perspective of an ivory tower intellectual, but as a hands-on practitioner who loves and believes in the body of Christ. . . . If you believe there is no solution to the race problem, I urge you to reconsider and to learn from someone who is on the frontlines of making multicultural ministry a reality in the church today.—Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor, Willow Creek Community ChurchMulticulturalism isn’t a trend, it’s a reality. Evidence of this country’s rich racial mix is all around us in our schools, our stores, our neighborhoods, our recreational facilities—everywhere except our churches. Heaven may include every culture, tongue, and tribe, but in the United States, Sunday morning remains one of the last bastions of ethnic separatism. It’s time to stop merely talking about multicultural worship and start living it.In this groundbreaking book, David Anderson invites us all—African-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Latino—to learn how to dance the dance of multicultural ministry. We’ve all got different moves, but that’s the beauty of diversity: the various gifts we bring, the wisdom of our heritages, the different creative ways we express the same Lord. Think it can’t be done? Think again. As Anderson demonstrates, it is being done successfully by more and more churches. Wherever your church is now on the multicultural continuum, you can join the ranks of those moving toward a diverse and thriving ministry. Combining frontline insights with inspiring stories, Anderson takes you and your church into the strategy-level realities of what it takes to make multicultural ministry work in your setting.Do you hear the beat of the Spirit? God is calling your church to the dance of unity in diversity. Don’t hold back! Grab this book, get out on the dance floor, and let Multicultural Ministry show you the steps.Includes a Racial Reconciliation survey and six-session Racial Reconciliation curriculum.

Various social, political, economic and cultural commentators are presently arguing that human history is reaching a decisive stage in its development, a stage marked by increased interconnection between peoples, the compression of space and time, a sharing of ideas at unprecedented levels, global trade and finance, and so on. The shorthand word used to encompass these phenomena is "globalization". Some embrace it, others reject it, while still others dispute its existence. But with the abundance of literature and debate that it generates, the topic cannot be ignored. From its inception in the missionary mandate of Jesus (Matthew 28), Christianity has had a global dimension to its mission. Christianity is not a spectator to globalization but one of its agents, one of the forces at work which have extended interconnection between peoples, shared ideas and promoted social, political and cultural links. The purpose of the present work is not to provide a complete response to the question of the mission of the church in a globalizing world, but to establish a framework within which answers may be sought. Grounded in the writings of Bernard Lonergan and Robert Doran, it develops a theology of history and addresses the churches response to the impact of globalization on vital, social, cultural, personal and religious values. The project brings together the perspectives of Catholicism and Pentecostalism, the former providing a depth of wisdom and tradition, the latter drawing on the insight of a newly emerging movement that has taken root in every continent with remarkable energy and enthusiasm.

Ride the subway or a bus in New York, London, Los Angeles, or any number of other cities around the country or around the world, and you will be impressed by a cacophony of languages, a crazy quilt of skin colors and a ceaseless array of cultural histories. Excitingly and sometimes confusingly, this is the world the church now serves. Pastor Stephen Rhodes, in whose congregation thirty-two nationalities gather weekly, fervently believes Christians should embrace the varied cultures that now surround us. In Where the Nations Meet he sets forth a biblical, ministry-tested pastoral theology of multiethnic ministry. He shows how God's creation was always intended to be multicultural, how the church is called to evangelize, serve and include all ethnicities, how the church can bring healing to increasing conflict in a world of so much difference, and much more. Peppered his prose with inspiring and challenging stories from multicultural congregations, Rhodes not only provides a theological basis for multicultural ministry but also suggests how such ministry can be successfully conducted in all churches. He offers a valuable guide for all pastors and laypersons who want their church to be a place of unbounded celebration where the nations meet.

Missiologist James E. Plueddemann presents a roadmap for crosscultural leadership development in the global church. With keen understanding of current research on cultural dynamics, he integrates theology with leadership theory to apply biblical insights to practical issues in world mission.

By the year 2050, the United States will no longer have a majority ethnic group. The nation's population will be majority-minority. This future nationwide reality has already been a present reality in several cities, including many in the urban south, for nearly a decade. In a 2011 State of the City Address, the mayor of pastor and author Mark Hearn's city said there were fifty-seven languages spoken at the local high school. Hearn left asking himself, How should our church respond? In the years that have followed, a phenomenal transformation has taken place. This transition has been chronicled in the Gwinnet Daily Post, the Christian Index, the Wall Street Journal, Lifeway's Facts and Trends, and the Atlanta Magazine. Now, Hearn shares the life-changing story through his own lens. By reading his firsthand experience of this transition as a pastor, you too can be equipped to make the shift to church in technicolor.

Globalization has raised numerous questions about theology and culture for Christians. How should we respond to outsourcing and immigration? How does anti-Western sentiment affect the proclamation of the gospel? What is the role of the church in society? This book argues that Christians will be most fulfilled and most effective if they embrace their cultural activity rather than feel ambivalent about it. The central question of this book is, how does bearing God's image relate to cultural activity? Nehrbass explains that "spheres of culture," such as political, technological, and social structures, are systems that God has instilled in humans as his image bearers, so that they can glorify and enjoy him forever. Therefore, a theology of culture involves recognizing that the kingdom of God encompasses heaven and Earth, rather than pitting heaven against Earth. The text surveys anthropological explanations for humanity's dependence on culture, and shows that each explanation provides only partial explanatory scope. The most satisfying explanation is that a major functional aspect of bearing God's image is engaging in culture, since the Trinity has been eternally engaged in cultural functions like ruling, communicating, and creating. Each chapter contains a summary and questions about what it means to be a world-changer in the twenty-first century.

In an age of unsurpassed globalization, Melba Maggay reminds us of the beauty of unique cultures no matter how small their imprint on the world may seem. Yet these cultures do not exist in isolation, but have a complex interrelation with one another, be they monoliths such as western capitalism or subsistence communities like El Nido on the island of Palawan, the home of the author’s ancestors. This rich global tapestry is a gift from God, yet not without imperfection, sin or hardship. It is these realities to which we must apply the gospel in our own lives and in missiology. This book gives a prophetic call to proclaim the good news and do justice in and towards every culture under the sun, while demystifying some of the major narratives that inform worldviews across the globe today. And it is the kingdom of God for every tribe, tongue, people and nation that brings true global unity.