Theology Missions

What does the Bible say about God's purpose for us, the witness of the church, and our mission to spread the message of the gospel? Chris Wright's pioneering 2006 book, The Mission of God, revealed that the typical Christian understanding of "missions" encompasses only a small part of God's...

Persecution in Missions: A Practical Theology presents a scriptural view of suffering, including its role in the Christian life and in the missionary task. Rhodes tackles challenging topics, such as when to flee or face risk, how to minister to those suffering for Christ, and the dangers of downplaying or romanticizing persecution. Reassuring listeners with God's promises of redemption, this compelling study equips missionaries to face suffering and endure with joy.

In this groundbreaking book—available in audio for the first time—renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright argues that Christians have not distorted the Bible’s message about heaven and what happens after we die. For years, Christians have been asking...

What world missions ministry would arise if you only had the Bible? Answer: It would start and end with the local church. A focus on the local church is biblical, practical, and effective. It aligns with the New Testament. Local churches everywhere display God's wisdom and the glory of Christ in the gospel. You’ll see it from the view of Christ, the Great Commission, first-century Christians, Paul, and the New Testament canon itself. Once you see it, you can’t un-see it! This book walks through these steps: A.

Across the church, there is a rift between theology and missions. Bad theology produces bad missions, and bad missions fuel bad theology. We wrongly think that we must choose between making a global impact and thinking deeply about the things of God. But the relationship between theology and missions is symbiotic—one cannot exist without the other. They walk hand in hand.

Just like we do today, the writers and chief actors of the Old Testament felt a deep longing for the presence of God. It is symbolized in the temple ruins, and before it the temple itself, and before that the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle that housed it, and before that the Garden of Eden. In response to this longing, God shares his ultimate mission, in which his people play a part: the expansion of Eden, the temple of God's presence, to all peoples throughout the earth.

In this new book, Patrick Madrid uses the example of St. Francis de Sales to illustrate the zeal, spiritual principles, and attitude of one who sets out to live and share the faith. Christ sent his apostles into the whole world to make disciples of all nations, and by virtue of our baptism, we, too, are called to be apostles on this same mission. But how do we start? How can we accomplish in today’s culture?

Why I Am Catholic traces Brandon Vogt’s spiritual journey that culminated in the realization that Catholicism was right about a lot of things and serves as a compelling reproposal of the Church for former Catholics; a persuasive argument for truth and beauty to those who have become jaded and disenchanted with religion; and at the same time offers practicing Catholics a much-needed dose of confidence and clarity to affirm their faith against an increasingly skeptical culture.

John Piper's bestselling book on missions (more than 300,000 copies sold) draws on key biblical texts to demonstrate that worship is the ultimate goal of the church and that proper worship fuels missionary outreach. Piper offers a biblical defense of God's supremacy in all things, providing listeners with a sound theological foundation for missions.

Trendy new missions strategies are a dime a dozen, promising missionaries monumental results in record time. These strategies report explosive movements of people turning to Christ, but their claims are often dubious and they do little to ensure the health of believers or churches that remain. How can churches and missionaries address the urgent need to reach unreached people without falling for quick fixes?

The Acts of the Apostles is not simply a record of the early church; it is the ongoing story of the risen Christ at work through the Holy Spirit in a world of political power, cultural tension, and human need. This comprehensive commentary of over 540 pages, (print edition 6" x 9"), guides the reader through the entire book of Acts, from the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost in Jerusalem to Paul’s bold witness in Rome. Using the World English Bible as its foundation, the text draws on patristic and Reformation insights, historical context, and careful theological exposition to ...

Turn your 9–5 into a mission field. Equipping Christians to impact the marketplace, from East Asia to the West. What if your work could be more than a paycheck? Making Sense of 9–5 in the East and West shows Christians how to integrate faith into their workplace, build a lasting legacy, and see their daily work as a field for transformation. Inspired by the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz, this book provides a roadmap for purposeful living across cultures. With biblical theology of work, inspiring true stories, insights into marketplace ministry, and reflections on the future of work ...

Author David Bennett came out to his parents as gay when he was 14 and entered Sydney's active gay community a few years later. In A War of Loves, he shares his growing desire as a gay rights activist to see justice for LGBTQI people, his journey through new age religions and French existentialism, and his university years as a postmodernist - before Jesus Christ showed up in his life in a highly unexpected way, leading him down a path he never would have imagined or predicted.

Theology shapes who we are and how we organize to transform the world. Especially written for required United Methodist classes, this accessible book uses a Wesleyan theological frame—connection—to help listeners understand United Methodism's polity and organization as the interrelationship of our beliefs, mission, and practice. The book is organized into four parts—United Methodist beliefs, mission, practice, and organization. Polity and organization are primary embodiments of The United Methodist Church. 

Why would someone risk his safety, destroy his schedule, and become dirty and bloody to help a needy person of another race and social class? And why would Jesus tell us "Go and do likewise"? Like the wounded man on the Jericho road, there are needy people in our path- the widow next door, the family strapped with medical bills, the homeless man outside our place of worship. God call us to be ministers of mercy to people in need of shelter, assistance, medical care, or just friendship.

Highly regarded biblical scholar and speaker Christopher Wright shows us that how we read the Bible has a profound impact on how we understand what mission is. According to Wright, "People read (and preach) the Bible in tiny bits and pieces, for its promises or rules or doctrines, and fail to take it . . . as the true story of the universe, past, present, and future, within the plan and purposes of God—a story in which we are called to participate as coworkers with God." Wright encourages us to explore the Bible's grand narrative.

Many believe Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn¿s The Body to be the watershed book of the past decade. It impacted the Church worldwide, encouraging Christians of diverse backgrounds to see themselves as part of the universal body of Christ. It challenged many to a new sense of unity, realizing that we blunt the Gospel message every time we divide over petty issues and personal turf.

Evangelism and missions are parts of the Christian life often accompanied by fears, insecurities, and cultural pressures. In this addition to the Union series, Daniel Hames and Michael Reeves argue that an individual's relationship with God influences their evangelism and missions more than anything else. Scripture clearly shows that a believer's responsibility is to make God known in the world, but this cannot be done without first knowing and enjoying God.

Nearly every Christian has struggled with their own significance. Sometimes we look at the "giants" of the faith such as the Apostle Paul and wonder if we--ordinary Christians--matter much at all. In this short book, perfect for group or individual study, Pastor Matthew Everhard sketches the lives of eight very ordinary men and women in the New Testament. Each of these "ordinary" Christians, tucked away in the lesser-known paragraphs of the Book of Acts and Paul's epistles, show us that common everyday men and women can make a huge impact for the Kingdom of Christ. Each chapter--complete ...

St. Teresa of Avila said that every soul is made for transforming union with God. In her footsteps, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880–1906) invites you to rendezvous with her in the interior castle and experience the indwelling presence of the Holy Trinity. Go out into the deep: My Three, my All! In describing her intimate relationship with God, St. Elizabeth referred to her Divine Bridegroom as “Maestro.” Here, she guides you in hearing His song and living the chorus of love, drawing ever closer to His very Heart.