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Biblical Missiology Biblical Missiology A University Course in Cross-cultural Mission Robin Daniel Course Outline Academic This module offers an introduction to missiology as an aspect of applied theology and as an academic subject in its own right, drawing from a wide range of disciplines including biblical studies, sociology, psychology, anthropology, geography and history. It should enable the student to assess other theological disciplines from a practical missiological perspective, and to approach the OT and NT scriptures from the viewpoint of a pioneer cross-cultural missionary. Practical This course takes a fresh look at the Great Commission given by Jesus to his disciples. It will prepare you to serve as a cross-cultural missionary, or to support others engaged in this vital task. It should equip you to… • Understand what the Old and New Testaments say about mission. • Assess the mission strategies adopted by Jesus and by Paul. • Evaluate diverse cultures from a biblical perspective. • Address some important controversial issues in world mission. • Understand the sociology and psychology of conversion. • See how the history of gospel mission may help us today. • Prepare to go into an unreached area and present the gospel to an unreached people. • Develop strategies suited to the particular people you are approaching. • Recognize and overcome many of the difficulties faced by pioneer missionaries. The Biblical Missiology course book includes Teacher’s Notes, Written Assignments and Class Notes. The Biblical Missiology compact disc contains all these in PDF format along with the texts listed as required reading for the course. Also included on the CD are a number of other recommended books and documents. If the Biblical Missiology book or CD are lost or missing, they may be obtained free of charge from Tamarisk Publications or Opal Trust. This is a non-profit initiative. There is no copyright restriction on the book or the CD or their contents. Copies may be made for free distribution but must not be sold for a price higher than the cost of copying. If this material, or any part of it, is found useful, written acknowledgement will be greatly appreciated. This course can be studied and indeed taught effectively by almost anyone with missionary experience. If you wish to invite the author or another qualified person to teach it, or if you wish to translate any of these resources into another language, please contact Tamarisk Publications or Opal Trust. Please note that a variety of views are presented and discussed in this course and do not in every case represent views held by Tamarisk Publications or Opal Trust. First Edition, 2014 ISBN: 978-0-9538565-4-1 Text by Robin Daniel Cover artwork by Becky Produced by: Tamarisk Publications Email: [email protected] Distributed by: Opal Trust, 1 Glenannan Park, Lockerbie DG11 2FA, Scotland, United Kingdom Phone / fax (UK): 01576 203670 Web: www.opaltrust.org Email: [email protected] Contents Teaching Biblical Missiology ...................................................3 The Roman Catholic Church ..............................................72 The Orthodox Churches......................................................74 1. Introduction to Missiology ........................................... 5 Early Protestant Missions (17th – 19th centuries).....................75 Sharing our Experiences ...........................................................5 Evangelical Mission Strategies in the 19th Century.................75 What is Missiology?..................................................................5 Financial support ................................................................77 World Trends, Opportunities and Strategies .............................6 Comity ................................................................................78 Global Statistics....................................................................8 Christian settlements...........................................................78 The Meaning of Mission ...........................................................9 Trends in the 20th and 21st Centuries.......................................78 What does the Bible say about Mission? ..............................9 The Origin of Mission.............................................................12 9. The World History of Gospel Mission II ...................79 Indigenization and Indigeneity................................................79 2. A Biblical Theology of Mission I ............................... 13 The three-self principle.......................................................79 The Purpose of Mission ..........................................................13 New Testament strategy......................................................80 The Message of Mission .........................................................15 Rapid Mass Movements..........................................................83 The Place of Mission...............................................................18 Launching a mass movement..............................................84 What about those who have never heard?...........................19 10. Special Approaches for Particular People...............85 3. A Biblical Theology of Mission II.............................. 21 The Work of an Evangelist......................................................85 The Method of Mission...........................................................21 Nominal Christians..................................................................86 The Energy of Mission............................................................25 African Traditional Religionists (ATR) ..................................88 The Agents of Mission............................................................26 Muslims...................................................................................90 The Result of Mission .............................................................27 How to share your faith effectively.....................................91 4. A Biblical View of Culture ......................................... 30 Using the scriptures ............................................................93 The Meaning of Culture..........................................................30 Barriers to the gospel ..........................................................94 The Culture Triangle...............................................................30 Discipling Muslim-Background Believers (MBBs)............95 Home culture ......................................................................31 Contextualization................................................................96 Local culture.......................................................................31 11. Launching a Pioneer Mission .................................100 Gospel culture.....................................................................31 Strategic Planning .................................................................100 Competing cultures.............................................................32 Conflict Situations.................................................................100 The Culture of the World ........................................................34 Urban and Rural Mission ......................................................101 Culture in the Bible.................................................................34 Pioneering Strategies.............................................................102 Jesus and culture.................................................................34 In places that are “open” to the gospel..............................102 Paul and culture ..................................................................35 In places that are “closed” to the gospel ...........................103 Culture and contextualization .............................................37 First impressions...............................................................104 Some practical questions ....................................................38 Stages in pioneer mission..................................................105 Dealing wisely with culture ................................................39 The Process of Conversion....................................................107 5. New Testament Mission Methods.............................. 41 The sociology of conversion.............................................108 The Mission of Jesus...............................................................41 The theology of conversion ..............................................109 The Mission of the Twelve Apostles.......................................41 The psychology of conversion ..........................................110 The Mission of Paul ................................................................42 The significance of baptism in conversion........................112 How the Gospel Crossed Cultures...........................................42 Biblical perspectives on conversion..................................113 A Natural Way for News to Spread.........................................44 Consolidating conversion..................................................115 6. Some Current Issues in Mission ................................ 46 12. Spiritual Health Care for Pioneer Missionaries....120 Start with Adam, or with Jesus?..............................................47 Missionary Guidance ............................................................120 Homogeneous Units, or All One in
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