Download or read book Four Views on the Church s Mission written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2017-10-24 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is the Church's mission? What does it mean to participate in God's mission personally? How do "mission" and culture interact and conflict? This book articulates various evangelical views regarding the church's mission and provides a healthy, vigorous, and gracious debate on this controversial topic. In a helpful Counterpoints format, this volume demonstrates the unique theological frameworks, doctrinal convictions, and missiological conclusions that inform and distinguish the views: Soteriological Mission: Jonathan Leeman Participatory Mission: Christopher Wright Contextual Mission: John Franke Ecumenical-Political Mission: Peter Leithart Each contributor answers the same key questions based on their biblical interpretations and theological convictions: What is your biblical-theological framework for mission? How does your definition of mission inform your understanding of the church's mission? How does the Mission of God and Kingdom of God relate to the mission of the church? What is the gospel? How does your view on the gospel inform the mission of the church? How do verbal proclamation of the gospel, discipleship, corporate worship, caring for the poor, social justice, restoring shalom, developing culture, and international missions fit into the church's mission? The interactive format helps readers get a clearer picture of why different conclusions are drawn and provide a fresh starting point for discussion and debate of the church's mission. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Download or read book The Mission of the Church written by Craig Ott and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2016-08-02 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leading Voices from across Christian Traditions Discuss the Mission of the Church What is the mission of the church? Every seminarian and church leader must wrestle with that question. No matter what designation a church uses to describe itself, it must also think critically about why it exists and what it should be doing. In this book, five leading voices representing a range of Christian traditions engage in an enlightening conversation as they present and compare their perspectives on the mission of the church. Each contributor offers his or her view and responds to the other four views. Contributors include Stephen B. Bevans, Darrell L. Guder, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Edward Rommen, and Ed Stetzer. The book's format is ideal for classroom use and will also benefit pastors and church leaders.

Download or read book What Is the Mission of the Church written by Kevin DeYoung and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2011-09-08 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Social justice and mission are hot topics today: there's a wonderful resurgence of motivated Christians passionate about spreading the gospel and caring for the needs of others. But in our zeal to get sharing and serving, many are unclear on gospel and mission. Yes, we are called to spend ourselves for the sake of others, but what is the church's unique priority as it engages the world? DeYoung and Gilbert write to help Christians "articulate and live out their views on the mission of the church in ways that are theologically faithful, exegetically careful, and personally sustainable." Looking at the Bible's teaching on evangelism, social justice, and shalom, they explore the what, why, and how of the church's mission. From defining "mission", to examining key passages on social justice and their application, to setting our efforts in the context of God's rule, DeYoung and Gilbert bring a wise, studied perspective to the missional conversation. Readers in all spheres of ministry will grow in their understanding of the mission of the church and gain a renewed sense of urgency for Jesus' call to preach the Word and make disciples.

Download or read book Understanding Four Views on the Lord s Supper written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2009-05-26 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Lord's Supper has been the central and characteristic action of the church at worship. But there are still many ways of understanding it and many questions surrounding this meal... Who should participate in the Lord’s Supper? How frequently should we observe it? What does this meal mean? What happens when we eat the bread and drink from the cup? What do Christians disagree about and what do they hold in common? These and other questions are explored in this volume of the fair-minded, informative Counterpoints series. Contributors make a case for one of the following views: Baptist view (memorialism) Reformed view (spiritual presence) Lutheran view (consubstantiation) Roman Catholic view (transubstantiation) All contributors use Scripture to present their views, and each responds to the others' essays. Included are resources for understanding the topic further, such as: A listing of statements on the Lord's Supper from creeds and confessions Quotations from noted Christians A resource listing of books on the Lord's Supper Discussion questions for each chapter to facilitate small group and classroom use The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Download or read book Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church written by Wesley Black and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2010-01-05 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Join the conversation as experts propose, defend, and explore Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church.In a dialog that often gets downright feisty, four youth ministry academicians delineate their distinct philosophical and ecclesiological views regarding how youth ministry relates to the church at large--and leave a taste of what’s profound and what’s not in these four typologies:Inclusive congregational (Malan Nel). What happens when a church thoroughly integrates its adolescents, making them full partners in every aspect of congregational life?Preparatory (Wesley Black). Why and how should a church consider its teenagers as disciples-in-training and its youth ministry a school of preparation for future participation in church life?Missional (Chap Clark). What does a church look like, whose youth ministry does not necessarily nurture "church kids" but is essentially evangelistic? Whose youths and youth workers are considered missionaries?Strategic (Mark Senter). How feasible is it for a youth ministry to become a new church on its own--the youth pastor becoming the pastor, and the new church planted with the blessing of the mother church?In Four View of Your Ministry and the Church, solid academic writing and an inviting tone and design create a compelling text for both in-the-field, practicing youth workers and undergraduates and graduate students.

Download or read book The Mission of God s People written by Christopher J. H. Wright and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2010 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author Chris Wright offers a sweeping biblical survey of the holistic mission of the church, providing practical insight for today's church leaders. Wright gives special emphasis to theological trajectories of the Old Testament that not only illuminate God's mission but also suggest priorities for Christians engaged in God's world-changing work.

Download or read book Church State and Public Justice written by P. C. Kemeny and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-09-20 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abortion. Physician-assisted suicide. Same-sex marriages. Embryonic stem-cell research. Poverty. Crime. What is a faithful Christian response? The God of the Bible is unquestionably a God of justice. Yet Christians have had their differences as to how human government and the church should bring about a just social order. Although Christians share many deep and significant theological convictions, differences that threaten to divide them have often surrounded the matter of how the church collectively and Christians individually ought to engage the public square. What is the mission of the church? What is the purpose of human government? How ought they to be related to each other? How should social injustice be redressed? The five noted contributors to this volume answer these questions from within their distinctive Christian theological traditions, as well as responding to the other four positions. Through the presentations and ensuing dialogue we come to see more clearly what the differences are, where their positions overlap and why they diverge. The contributors and the positions taken include Clarke E. Cochran: A Catholic Perspective Derek H. Davis: A Classical Separation Perspective Ronald J. Sider: An Anabaptist Perspective Corwin F. Smidt: A Principled Pluralist Perspective J. Philip Wogaman: A Social Justice Perspective This book will be instructive for anyone seeking to grasp the major Christian alternatives and desiring to pursue a faithful corporate and individual response to the social issues that face us.

Download or read book Four Views on the Apostle Paul written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2012-08-07 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to ongoing debates on the apostle Paul's life and teaching and his letters' ramifications for the Church of today. The apostle Paul was a vital force in the development of Christianity. Paul's historical and religious context affects the theological interpretation of Paul's writings, no small issue in the whole of Christian theology. Recent years have seen much controversy about the apostle Paul, his religious and social context, and its effects on his theology. In the helpful Counterpoints format, four leading scholars present their views on the best framework for describing Paul's theological perspective, including his view of salvation, the significance of Christ, and his vision for the churches. Contributors and views include: Reformed View: Thomas R. Schreiner Catholic View: Luke Timothy Johnson Post-New Perspective View: Douglas Campbell Jewish View: Mark D. Nanos Like other titles in the Counterpoints: Bible and Theology collection, Four Views on the Apostle Paul gives theology students the tools they need to draw informed conclusions on debated issues. General editor and New Testament scholar Michael F. Bird covers foundational issues and provides helpful summaries in his introduction and conclusion. New Testament scholars, pastors, and students of Christian history and theology will find Four Views on the Apostle Paul an indispensable introduction to ongoing debates on the apostle Paul's life and teaching. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Download or read book Evaluating the Church Growth Movement written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What exactly is the Church Growth movement? This timely volume in the Counterpoints series addresses the history of the movement that has become such an enormous shaping force on the Western church today, and it explores--in a roundtable forum of leading voices--five main perspectives on the classic Church Growth movement: Effective Evangelism View - presented by Elmer Towns Gospel in Our Culture View - presented by Craig Van Gelder Centrist View - presented by Charles Van Engen Reformist View - presented by Gailyn Van Rheenan Renewal View - presented by Howard Snyder Each view is first presented by its proponent, then critiqued by the co-contributors. The interactive and fair-minded format allows the reader to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement concludes with reflections by three seasoned pastors who have grappled with the practical implications of Church Growth. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Download or read book Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2010-09-21 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religious pluralism is the greatest challenge facing Christianity in today's Western culture. The belief that Christ is the only way to God is being challenged, and increasingly Christianity is seen as just one among many valid paths to God. In Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World, four perspectives are presented by their major proponents: Normative Pluralism: All ethical religions lead to God (John Hick) Inclusivism: Salvation is universally available, but is established by and leads to Christ (Clark Pinnock) Salvation in Christ: Agnosticism regarding those who haven't heard the gospel (Alister McGrath) Salvation in Christ Alone: Salvation depends on explicit personal faith in Jesus Christ alone (R. Douglas Geivett and W. Gary Phillips) This book allows each contributor to not only present the case for his view, but also to critique and respond to the critiques of the other contributors. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Download or read book Encountering Theology of Mission written by Craig Ott and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2010-05 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leading evangelical mission experts offer a comprehensive theology of mission text, providing biblical, historical, and contemporary perspectives.

Download or read book When Missions Shapes the Mission written by David A. Horner and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2011-05-02 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Why are more churches not engaged in practical, substantial ways of taking the gospel to the nations?" When Missions Shape the Mission unpacks a statistical study of traditionally evangelical churches that reveals their anemic level of commitment to the biblical mandate of making Christ known around the world. Veteran pastor David Horner makes the data easy to understand, challenging other pastors to radically assign their best leadership and resources to missions as he looks at where the church is today, how it got there, and where we must go from here: "Let's dream a godly dream. What if you committed to step up and lead your church in the pursuit of becoming a mission-focused church? Then, what if you invited ten of your pastor friends to join you in the effort—and each of them did the same? What would happen to the available missions force beginning right here in the West?"

Download or read book Paul s Understanding of the Church s Mission written by Robert Lewis Plummer and published by OCMS. This book was released on 2006 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book engages in a careful study of Pauls letters to determine if the apostle expected the communities to which he wrote to engage in missionary activity. It helpfully summarizes the discussion on this debated issue, judiciously handling contested texts and provides a way forward in addressing this critical question. While admitting that Paul rarely explicitly commands the communities he founded to evangelize, Plummer amasses significant incidental data to provide a convincing case that Paul did indeed expect his churches to engage in mission activity. Throughout the study, Plummer progressively builds a theological basis for the churchs mission that is both distinctively Pauline and compelling.

Download or read book Models of the Church written by Avery Dulles and published by Image. This book was released on 2002-05-14 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is today a dramatic reexamination of structure, authority, dogma -- indeed, every aspect of the life of the Church is held up to scrutiny. Welcoming this as a sign of vitality, Avery Dulles has carefully studied the writings of contemporary Protestant and Catholic ecclesiologists and sifted out six major approaches, or "models," through which the Church's character can be understood: as Institution, Mystical Communion, Sacrament, Herald, Servant, and, in a recent addition to the book, as Community of Disciples. A balanced theology, he concludes, must incorporate the major affirmations of each. "The method of models or types," observes Cardinal Dulles, "can have great value in helping people to get beyond the limitations of their own particular outlook and to enter into fruitful conversation with others... Such conversation is obviously essential if ecumenism is to get beyond its present impasses." This new edition includes a new Appendix and Preface by the author.

Download or read book Christian Mission in the Modern World written by John Stott and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2015-11-05 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Newly updated and expanded by Christopher J. H. Wright, John Stott's classic book presents an enduring and holistic view of Christian mission that must encompass both evangelism and social action. Through a thorough biblical exploration, Stott provides a biblically based approach to mission that addresses both spiritual and physical needs.

Download or read book Four Views on Heaven written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2022-01-18 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover and understand the different Christian views of what heaven will be like. Christians from a variety of denominations and traditions are in middle of an important conversation about the final destiny of the saved. Scholars such as N. T. Wright and J. Richard Middleton have pushed back against the traditional view of heaven, and now some Christians are pushing back against them for fear that talk about the earthiness of our final hope distracts our attention from Jesus. In the familiar Counterpoints format, Four Views on Heaven brings together a well-rounded discussion and highlights similarities and differences of the current views on heaven. Each author presents their strongest biblical case for their position, followed by responses and a rejoinder that model a respectful tone. Positions and contributors include: Traditional Heaven - our destiny is to leave earth and live forever in heaven where we will rest, worship, and serve God (John S. Feinberg) Restored Earth - emphasizes that the saved will live forever with Jesus on this restored planet, enjoying ordinary human activities in our redeemed state. (J. Richard Middleton) Heavenly Earth - a balanced view that seeks to highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of the heavenly and earthly views (Michael Allen). Roman Catholic Beatific Vision - stresses the intellectual component of salvation, though it encompasses the whole of human experience of joy, happiness coming from seeing God finally face-to-face (Peter Kreeft). The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Download or read book Four Views on Hell written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2016-03-08 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent years have seen much controversy regarding a unified Christian doctrine of hell: Do we go to heaven or hell when we die? Or do we cease to exist? Are believers and unbelievers ultimately saved by grace in the end? By focusing on recent theological arguments, Four Views on Hell: Second Edition highlights why the church still needs to wrestle with the doctrine of hell. In the fair-minded and engaging Counterpoints format, four leading scholars introduce us to the current views on eternal judgment, with particular attention given to the new voices that have entered the debate. Contributors and views include: Denny Burk – representing a principle of Eternal Conscious Torment John Stackhouse – representing a principle of Annihilationism (Conditional Immortality) Robin Parry – representing a principle of Universalism (Ultimate Reconciliation) Jerry Walls – representing a principle of Purgatory Preston Sprinkle concludes the discussion by evaluating each view, noting significant points of exchange between the essayists. The interactive nature of the volume allows the reader to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of each view and come to an informed conclusion. BONUS CONTENT: Includes entire first edition of Four Views on Hell to help readers grasp the history of the discussion and how it has developed over the last twenty years.