Encountering God in Life and Mission: a Festschrift Honoring Jon Dybdahl
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University All Books 2010 Encountering God in Life and Mission: a Festschrift honoring Jon Dybdahl Rudolf Maier Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/books Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons A Festschrift honoring ION DYBDAHI encountering GODIN LIFE AND MISSION ^ Andrews University Mission Studies -VII Encountering GOD IN LIFE AND MISSION Rudi Maier, Editor Other Books in the Series: A Man with a Vision. Mission: A Festschrift Honoring Russell L. Staples Faith Development in Context: Presenting Christ in Creative Ways Adventist Responses to Cross-cultural Mission, Vol. I Adventist Responses to Cross-cultural Mission, Vol. II Working with the Poor: Selected Passages from Ellen G. White On Social Responsibility Comfort My People: Towards a Growing Adventist-Jewish Friendship Encountering God in Life and Mission: A Festschrift Honoring Jon L. Dybdahl To order additional copies of Encountering GOD IN LIFE AND MISSION, write or call Department of World Mission Andrews University 4145 E. Campus Circle Dr. Seminary Hall Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1565 269.471.6505 ANDREWS UNIVERSITY MISSION STUDIES -VII encountering GODIN LIFE AND MISSION u A Festschrift honoring Jo n L. D y b d a h l Rudi Maier Editor Department of World Mission Andrews University Berrien Springs, Michigan 2010 Copyright © 2010 Department of World Mission Andrews University The authors assume full responsibility for the accuracy of all facts and quotations in this book. Editor Rudi Maier Copy Editor RosAnne Tetz, Beverly Pottle Layout Danica Kulemeka Cover Design Danica Kulemeka ISBN: 978-0-9827849-0-7 Printed at Litho Tech Andrews University Berrien Springs, MI 49104 Dedication To Jon L. Dybdahl, mission pioneer, scholar, professor, and ad ministrator, who has been a friend of many of his students who have become ministers and missionaries around the world as well as a colleague to many who have served with him at several Adventist educational institutions in North America and Asia. This Festschrift has been written by some of these students, friends, and colleagues as an acknowledgment of Jon’s dedication and commitment to the cause of mission and the work of his church. S Dr. Jon L. Dybdahl Director, Institute of Word Mission, and Professor of World Mission, Andrews University (1990-2002) President of Walla Walla University (2002-2006) CONTENTS Introduction xi Rudi Maier Foreword xv Niels-Erik Andreasen Biography of Jon Dybdahl xvii Paul Dybdahl I. SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTERS Chapter I 3 Sabbath, Spirituality and Mission: Torah’s Seven Dimensions of Sabbath Rest Richard M. Davidson Chapter 2 20 Worship in the Book of Daniel Jin Moskala Chapter 3 The Text of the Servant Songs in Isaiah 40-55: Gleaning Missiological 39 Insight from the Servant of the Lord Passages James R. Fisher Chapter 4 Reflective Poem: Wonderings of a Searching Heart 52 Delcy Kuhlman vii i Chapter 5 Meditation for Money Changers 54 Ann Gibson Chapter 6 Living with a Passion for the Presence of God. 80 A Call for Authentic Biblical Spirituality S. Joseph Kidder Chapter 7 Guidance through God-Given Dreams and Visions 100 Bruce L. Bauer II. THEOLOGICAL ENCOUNTERS Chapter 8 Mission as Redemption and Restoration: Spirituality and Concepts 112 of Social Welfare Relief and Development in the Old Testament Wagner Kuhn Chapter 9 Meditation on the Mystery of Suffering 132 Bruce C. Moyer Chapter 10 Identity in Christ: Toward a Biblical View of Gender Relationships 141 Cheryl Brown Doss Chapter 11 The Hermeneutical Challenge of Dispensationalism for 160 Mission Theology Cristian Dumitrescu Chapter 12 Are all truths Truth? Some Thoughts on the Classification of Beliefs 173 Reinder Bruinsma viii Chapter 13 Apostolic Succession, the Great Commissions, and 189 Adventist Mission in a “Greek” World George R. Knight III. MISSION ENCOUNTERS Chapter 14 Mission on Autopilot: The Untold Story 201 G. T.Ng Chapter 15 Maximizing the Missional Value of Short-Term Mission 223 Gorden R. Doss Chapter 16 Crossing Cultural Borders in North America without 235 Compromising Cultural Identities Larry R. Evans Chapter 17 Americans Talk about God, Church, and Prayer 252 Paul Dybdahl Chapter 18 The Urban Church in a Postmodern World 266 Kleber de Oliveira Gonqalves Chapter 19 A Quest in Spirituality of Czech “Irreligious” People 283 Petr Cincala Chapter 20 On the Edge of the World: Doing Mission in Post-Apocalyptic Culture 297 Yuri N. Drumi ix Chapter 21 Mission to the Jews: A Seventh-day Adventist Priority 303 Jacques B. Doukhan Chapter 22 Henri Monnier and the Establishment of the Adventist Church 322 in Rwanda Russell L. Staples IV. RELIGION ENCOUNTERS Chapter 23 Who are we? Reflections on the Adventist Identity 328 in Relation to Mission Jerald Whitehouse Chapter 24 Comparison of Biblical and Buddhist Meditation with 353 Reflections on Mission Scott Griswold Chapter 25 Christ and Karma: Mission in the Land of Theravada Buddhism 369 Siroj Sorajjakool Chapter 26 Salvation in Buddhism 381 Rudi Maier References 415 Biographies 465 x INTRODUCTION Rudi Maier In academia, a Festschrift is a book honoring a respected person during his or her lifetime. The term is borrowed from German and could be translated as celebratory publication or celebratory (piece of) writing. A Festschrift contains original contributions by the honored academic’s close colleagues. It is typically published on the honoree’s retirement, special birthdays, or notable career anniversary. This Festschrift is being published to honor our esteemed colleague and friend Dr. Jon Dybdahl who recently has retired from being the president of Walla Walla University and who has also lately passed his well-respected “retirement age.” The title of this book is Encountering God in Life and Mission. It has been cho sen because the book has pulled together three important elements from the work and ministry of Jon Dybdahl: God, Life, and Mission. These three concepts have not been mere abstracts in Jon’s life but they have influenced him and his ministry. From the life story, written in this volume by Jon’s son, we have seen a small glimpse of how Jon has encountered God in his life and how that life has been filled with a desire to make God’s mission supreme in his work. As Paul interviewed his father for his life sketch, he posed a very important question: [Paul] “So, what are you, then? Are you a biblical scholar? A missiologist? A healer? A teacher?” Jon’s answer is quite revealing of who he is. [Jon] “I’m not a biblical scholar in the tradi tional, classical sense of the word. At the heart, at the deepest level, I’m a missionary because the spiritual life and healing comes from my desire to communicate the Encountering: God in Life and Mission gospel. I believe that Jesus Christ is the answer for everybody. When we have a real relationship with Him, we will share that. Since He was about healing, we should be, too. So, really at heart I am a missionary, and those other things I see as relating closely to missions.” I believe that such a conclusion is not the result of a spur-of-the-moment thought, but must have matured throughout a life process in which Jon “wrestled” with God. It is interesting to note that the term “encounter” in psychology has the specific meaning of “authentic, congruent meeting between individuals.” It must have been this “authentic” encounter with God that has allowed Jon to face his own life’s struggles and still remained faithful to his divine call to mission. Many of us who have know Jon and observed him in these struggles have hurt with him, but we have also seen through his life that true strength can only come if we trust in God and His almighty power. In this sense this Festschrift is our own commitment to God and His mission. It has been my privilege to put together this Festschrift. The idea of such a pub lication started actually several years ago when Jon “left” us here in the Department of World Mission and became the president of Walla Walla University. The actual work for the Festschrift started in January 2009. I was happy to spearhead such a project without knowing that my own life and work would change shortly after that. Twenty-six authors have contributed to this publication (and probably many more would have contributed if we had approached them). Although it has been suggested that the Festschrift should deal with the topic of mission, most authors wrote within the context of their own disciplines. We have been fortunate that Paul Dybdahl has been able to write the biog raphy of his father for this publication. Now Jon probably will understand why Paul suddenly had such a keen interest in understanding the family history. Dr. Andreasen has been kind enough to write the foreword of this Festschrift. Not only has Dr. Andreasen been president during Jon’s time here at Andrews University, but both of them have been presidents at Walla Walla University during various times of their work. They both understand what it means to lead. The other authors come from various disciplines, have known Jon for extend ed periods of time and in different contexts. It is this variety of authors that make the content of this Festschrift unique, and that is the beauty of missions. We each have encountered God in our own way. We have had varied responsibilities and experiences in life, but all are committed to God’s mission in this world. The book has been divided into four sections. Part one deals with our encoun ter with God. The Sabbath encounter as described in Richard Davidson’s contribu- xn Introduction tion reminds us that we need time with God to be empowered for the task.