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CONTENTS THEME: Discerning the Obedience of Faith E ERT cover 33-4 19/6/09 10:33 Page 1 CONTENTS THEME: Discerning the obedience of faith E The Truncated Gospel in Modern Evangelicalism: V A A Critique and Beginning Reconstruction N G SAMUEL R. SCHUTZ E L page 292 I C Growing Disciples in the Rainforest: A L A Contextualized Confession for Pygmy Christians R E BENNO VAN DEN TOREN V I E page 306 W The Place of Church Planting in Mission: O Towards a Theological Framework F T RICHARD YATES HIBBERT H E page 316 O L Migration, Mission and the Multi-ethnic Church O THORSTEN PRILL G page 332 Y V Bevans and Bediako: O Articles and book reviews reflecting L Reconsidering Text-Based Models of Contextual Theologising U M global evangelical theology for the purpose ALAN THOMSON E page 347 3 of discerning the obedience of faith 3 Renewed Journey: A Study of Philippians 3:10-11 , N JOHN LEWIS O page 359 4 , Book Reviews page 364 O c t Index to Volume 33 page 381 o b e r 2 0 0 9 Volume 33 No. 4 October 2009 Evangelical Review of Theology EDITOR: DAVID PARKER Volume 33 • Number 4 • October 2009 Articles and book reviews reflecting global evangelical theology for the purpose of discerning the obedience of faith Published by for WORLD EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE Theological Commission ERT (2009) 33:4, 291 ISSN: 0144-8153 Volume 33 No. 4 October 2009 Editorial: Discerning the obedience Copyright © 2009 World Evangelical Alliance Theological Commission of faith THIS IS MY FINAL ISSUE as editor of this tices among the Pygmy churches in journal. I took up the role from the Central Africa. Editor founding editor, Dr Bruce Nicholls, in Richard Yates focuses on the impor- David Parker 1999, having already been Book Editor tance of church planting in the evange- for six years before that. It has been a listic task (in contrast to a purely indi- privilege to edit ERT over these years vidualistic approach) and its role of as it has changed from largely a digest creating ‘communities which dis- Committee of selected pre-published articles for play… [the] kingdom qualities of love The Executive Committee of the WEA Theological Commission the benefit of the Majority World into a and unity and thus point to God.’ Dr Justin Thacker, Chairman genuine ‘forum of global evangelical Thorsten Prill discusses an aspect of theology.’ This transition reflects the church planting which is of increasing Editorial Policy increasing numbers of competent and relevance—the nature of the church in The articles in the Evangelical Review of Theology reflect the opinions of the committed evangelical theologians multi-cultural situations, whether they authors and reviewers and do not necessarily represent those of the Editor around the world, and more impor- should be mono-ethnic or multi-ethnic. or the Publisher. tantly, their maturity and strategic sig- He argues strongly for the latter on bib- nificance for the future. It has been my lical grounds. With the cultural con- pleasure to work with established text in mind, it is appropriate to inves- Manuscripts, reports and communications authors and especially with younger tigate the issue of contextualization should be addressed to the Editor and sent to Dr David Parker, ones, seeking to ‘discern the obedience which Alan Thomson does by means of 17 Disraeli St, Indooroopilly, 4068, Qld, Australia of faith’ (Rom. 1:5) for the mission and reviewing the influential ideas of witness of the church in our rapidly Stephen Bevans in the light of ‘best The Editors welcome recommendations of original or published articles or changing world. practice’ i.e, ‘how contextual theolo- book reviews that relate to forthcoming issues for inclusion in the Review. I have sought to reflect in ERT the gising could (at least theoretically) be Please send clear copies of details to the above address. diversity and global nature of the done’, using the work of the late church and its theological work. These African theologian, Kwame Bediako as Email enquiries welcome: [email protected] features are reflected in this issue as a foil. To round out this issue, I am also http://www.worldevangelicalalliance.com/commissions/tc/ much as in any other as we present articles highlighting the importance of pleased to present another in our expressing the authentic message of important series of Bible study arti- the gospel in all its fullness and hope. cles, designed to stimulate and feed We start with Samuel Schutz’s call church leaders and students from the to avoid presenting a ‘truncated’ Word. In the midst of an uncertain gospel, seemingly effective in securing world, this message from Philippians results from evangelistic effort, but in ‘is a passionate plea for fullness of life fact, deficient in producing the kind of in Jesus Christ’ which calls us ‘to trust disciples that are intended by our Lord. in the only one who can truly hold us In a remarkable parallel, Benno van securely and who longs to touch the Typeset by Toucan Design, 25 Southernhay East, Exeter EX1 1NS den Toren reports on efforts to develop world through open hearts.’ and Printed in Great Britain for Paternoster Periodicals, sound evangelistic and discipling prac- David Parker, Editor PO Box 300, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 0QS by AlphaGraphics, 6 Angel Row, Nottingham NG1 6HL ERT (2009) 33:4, 292-305 The Truncated Gospel in Modern Evangelicalism 293 appeared is a concise and detailed our model of gospel communication is The Truncated Gospel in Modern analysis of the core deficiencies of this in need of major revision, retaining presentation accompanied by a blue- what is good and true in the old while Evangelicalism: A Critique and print for how we might correct these simultaneously replacing what is defi- inadequacies without throwing out the cient with a more faithful biblical Beginning Reconstruction multiple truthful elements of the tract model for our own day. content. It is the goal of the present The materials presented in the trun- article to fill this void and to recom- cated gospel are in some ways undeni- mend the beginning elements of an ably true and representative of aspects Samuel R. Schutz alternative simple presentation of the of biblical teaching. Although the order gospel. and format vary slightly, the core con- KEYWORDS: Evangelism, tracts, prag- a commonly accepted gospel summary It should be emphasized that a sim- tent includes (1) God’s love for human- matism, decisionism, individualism, which has become the basis not only ple and practical approach for present- ity, (2) humanity’s sin and holy God’s Imago Dei, covenant, joyful love for gospel tracts but also for much of ing the gospel does not require a fixed apparent predicament between his the conservative Protestant church’s formula. One of the earliest proponents need to punish on the one hand and his understanding of what it means to be a of practical evangelism in the nine- love for humanity on the other, (3) SINCE THE EARLY twentieth century a Christian. The format of the truncated teenth century was Charles Finney God’s resolution of his predicament particular model for proclaiming the gospel summary per se is not in the who never advocated a standard through Christ’s suffering and death as gospel has been dominant in American Bible but originated historically in the approach with predetermined steps.4 a substitute for our punishment, and evangelicalism and exported to the early twentieth century as a pragmatic Another early advocate of presenting (4) God’s invitation to each individual attempt to explain logically and effi- world. I will refer to this gospel pre- the gospel simply in the nineteenth to be saved from punishment and to ciently how one becomes ‘saved’ and a sentation (often presented by means of century was Dwight L. Moody become God’s child by praying person- follower of Jesus Christ the Lord.2 small tracts) as the truncated gospel although he also advised against a ally to receive the gift of the Lord Jesus Recently a number of writings from because I believe it falls short of the rigid ‘plan’ of predetermined steps Christ for forgiveness and new life for- the American evangelical camp have liberating and transforming gospel of because he observed, ‘God never ever. The truths expressed are consis- begun to expose this gospel presenta- the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the repeats himself; he does not approach tent with the biblical record, and the tion as superficial at best and danger- Bible and authenticated by the lives of any two people the same way.’5 simple prayer at the end appears to be ous at worst.3 What has not yet his true followers. It is not easy for me to admit that a valid expression of belief in the truths The problem of the truncated gospel our traditional gospel presentation revealed as well as an honest personal is subtle and profound. It centres upon commitment to God. What then is the 2 One of the earliest examples of a fixed for- truncates the biblical gospel in a way mula was Austin Crouch’s five-step ‘Plan of that must be corrected. At age seven I problem? Salvation’ in 1924, cited in Ronald W. John- was personally guided to new birth in Pervasive evidence sadly demon- 1 Deepest expression to Jess Bousa and Gina son, How Will They Hear If We Don’t Listen? Christ through a presentation of the strates that many alleged converts of Bellofato, and particularly to Graedon Zorzi, (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1994), 50- truncated gospel. Not only I but also the truncated gospel subsequently whose behind the scenes labors have con- 51.
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