World mission needs a fully biblical ethos.
It must be thoroughly—not just foundationally—biblical, a needed correction even among the sincerest missionaries. World Mission is a series of essays aimed at reforming popular approaches to missions.
In the first set of essays, contributors develop a biblical theology of world mission from both the Old and New Testaments, arguing that the theology of each must stand in the foreground of missions, not recede into the background. In the second, they unfold the Great Commission in sequence, detailing how it determines the biblical strategy of all mission enterprises. Finally, they treat current issues in world mission from the perspective of the sufficiency of Scripture.
Too often books on missions are bereft of biblical theology and serious exegesis. This work edited by Callaham and Brooks stands out as an exception, and I expect both students and professors will consult it often.
—Thomas R. Schreiner, Associate Dean of the School of Theology, Professor of New Testament, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Battle lines are often drawn between biblical scholars and theologians on one side, and missiologists and missionaries on the other—ne’er the twain shall meet? In this refreshing volume, the contributors bridge the gap by offering robust biblical theology in conversation with hot topics in mission studies such as insider movements, Bible translation, and orality, to name a few. This inviting book shows how the Bible and theology ought to shape the entire missionary enterprise from the ground up, in both its foundations as well as its methods.
—Jerry Hwang, Academic Dean, School of Theology (English), Associate Professor of Old Testament, Singapore Bible College
This book starts missiological thinking at the right place; world mission is first about God. The contributors are both biblical scholars and missions practitioners who are very evidently in touch with the contemporary missions setting. Their insights persuade us to renew our allegiance to the permanent things: the integrity and authority of God’s Word, the Great Commission obligation to baptize, and commitment to think deeply and do the hard work to communicate the message. At the same time, this book can also be discomfiting because it successfully challenges the veracity of some current practices that promise success through expedited or misinformed means. As a theological educator, I am especially heartened to read this book’s affirmation of sustained theological training as an indispensable part of the missionary enterprise.
—Choon Sam Fong, Dean of Academic Studies, Baptist Theological Seminary, Singapore
“Thus, the obedience of Israel was for missional purposes.55 While the law is given to a particular people, it has universal intent: blessing for the nations.” (Page 89)
“He sought to equip the churches he planted not just to understand the depths of the gospel but also to know it in such a way that they could apply it to their contexts and teach it to others.” (Page 188)
“These are all skills that require a significant investment of time and preparation. No one learns them by accident, nor by repeating or memorizing a prepackaged set of lessons.” (Page 188)
“God’s promises to bless the world through Abraham’s seed will fail. Thus God sets the stage for his quintessential missional action in the Old Testament: the exodus.” (Page 83)
“Thus, the new-covenant church is to be a picture of new creation, living holy lives by the power of the Spirit to display the glory of God throughout the world.” (Page 99)
Will Brooks (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) teaches at two
seminaries in Asia. He is author of Love Lost for the Cause of Christ.
Scott N. Callaham (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Lecturer in
Biblical Hebrew and Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary, Singapore. He is author of Modality and the Biblical Hebrew Infinitive Absolute.