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Articles 91 - 120 of 182
Full-Text Articles in Missions and World Christianity
Identifying Current Gaps In Church Planting Movements Research: Integrating First- And Second-Order Perspectives, Warrick Farah
Identifying Current Gaps In Church Planting Movements Research: Integrating First- And Second-Order Perspectives, Warrick Farah
Great Commission Research Journal
The proliferation of church planting movements in least-reached peoples today provides an opportunity ripe for missiological research. Using the online application form for the Movements Research Symposium 2020 of the Motus Dei Network, this article identifies six gaps of understanding in the missiological discourse on movements: 1) Deepening Theological and Missiological Descriptions of Movements, 2) Identifying Best Practices and Effective Movement Strategies, 3) Clarifying Issues of Ecclesiology – Practical, Theological, and Spiritual, 4) Training Movement Catalysts and Practitioners, 5) Highlighting Contextual, Sociological, and Holistic Features of Movements, and 6) Documenting Movements with Respect to Verification, Metrics, and Administration. However, issues …
Sharing Jesus With Muslims: A Survey Of Church Leaders In Africa, Akimana Canisius, Gordon S. Bonham
Sharing Jesus With Muslims: A Survey Of Church Leaders In Africa, Akimana Canisius, Gordon S. Bonham
Great Commission Research Journal
A web survey of 34 pastors and other church leaders in 2020 who had met during graduate studies at Africa International University (AIU) was conducted to understand what is being done in Muslim evangelism in their home churches, primarily in East Africa. They generally characterized Muslims positively, as being made in the image of God, and as needing salvation through Jesus. They identified what they considered to be key differences between Muslims and Christians. Half of their churches made general evangelistic efforts, but most of these made no specific attempt to share the gospel with Muslims. Sharing the gospel with …
Innovativeness And Church Commitment: What Innovations Were Most Important During The Pandemic?, Anna Covarrubias, David R. Dunaetz, Wendi Dykes Mcgehee
Innovativeness And Church Commitment: What Innovations Were Most Important During The Pandemic?, Anna Covarrubias, David R. Dunaetz, Wendi Dykes Mcgehee
Great Commission Research Journal
The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented need for innovations in churches around the world. Organizational innovativeness, a precursor of successful innovations in organizational contexts, is rarely studied in churches. This study of American church attenders (N = 244) found that perceived innovativeness of churches (conceived of as the elements of a church’s culture which promote innovation, specifically, creativity, organizational openness, future orientation, risk-taking, and proactiveness) was a very strong predictor of church commitment (conceived of as intentions to stay in the church, r = .60, p < .001). Of the moderators examined in this study (membership tenure, age of participant, church size, and gender), only gender moderated this relationship; the relationship between perceived innovativeness and church commitment was stronger for females than for males. This suggests that innovations that facilitated relationship development and relationship maintenance had the greatest impact on church commitment during the pandemic.
Introduction To Special Section: Innovations In Churches During The Covid-19 Pandemic, David R. Dunaetz
Introduction To Special Section: Innovations In Churches During The Covid-19 Pandemic, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
The Quarantine Olympics Of Cultivate Church In Athens, Alabama, Joel Franks
The Quarantine Olympics Of Cultivate Church In Athens, Alabama, Joel Franks
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Storytelling The Gospel In Hungary: Zooming In On An Ancient Mode Of Communication, Keith Sellers
Storytelling The Gospel In Hungary: Zooming In On An Ancient Mode Of Communication, Keith Sellers
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Making Online Children’S Ministry Interactive In Wheaton, Illinois, Eric Norregaard, Ping Ng
Making Online Children’S Ministry Interactive In Wheaton, Illinois, Eric Norregaard, Ping Ng
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Announcements, David R. Dunaetz
Announcements, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes: Patronage, Honor, And Shame In The Biblical World By E. Randolph Richards And Richard James, Brent H. Burdick
Book Review: Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes: Patronage, Honor, And Shame In The Biblical World By E. Randolph Richards And Richard James, Brent H. Burdick
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
China’S Belt And Road Initiative: Mission Opportunities And Challenges, Paul Lee
China’S Belt And Road Initiative: Mission Opportunities And Challenges, Paul Lee
Great Commission Research Journal
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an infrastructure project proposed by China to improve transportation in Eurasia. This will bring both mission opportunities and challenges in the regions affected. God is perhaps giving Christians a unique opportunity for evangelism through this project which facilitates the movement of not just humans and products, but also the gospel.
The Importance Of Hypotheses In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz Editor
The Importance Of Hypotheses In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz Editor
Great Commission Research Journal
The role of hypotheses is central both in church-related research and in Christian ministry. Hypotheses guide the collection of data to determine what is true in research and provide tentative guidelines for action in ministry, even when they are not yet confirmed. Well-constructed hypotheses are based on previous research and provide clear potential solutions to research problems. They succinctly posit a testable relationship between two or more variables. Such hypotheses can be tested through appropriately designed research. Statistical techniques can indicate to what degree the evidence collected supports the hypotheses. In church-based research, hypotheses to be examined can come from …
Complete Issue, David R. Dunaetz Editor
Complete Issue, David R. Dunaetz Editor
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Honor, Shame, And Gospel: Reframing Our Message And Ministry Edited By Flanders, C., And Mischke, W., Cameron D. Armstrong
Book Review: Honor, Shame, And Gospel: Reframing Our Message And Ministry Edited By Flanders, C., And Mischke, W., Cameron D. Armstrong
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
A Missional Outreach Model In The Czech Republic: A Postchristian, Secular Culture, Petr Činčala
A Missional Outreach Model In The Czech Republic: A Postchristian, Secular Culture, Petr Činčala
Great Commission Research Journal
The Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in the world. Moreover, the church has not been growing over the last few decades. This case study presents the church planting efforts in the city of Liberec, focusing on an outreach center started by a small number of Christians with the goal of sharing Christ’s love in culturally relevant ways. The initial efforts led to a family-centered activity center with many programs that helped develop personal relationships, trust, and open doors to share the gospel. An English class and gospel choir have been at the center of the outreach, …
Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal
Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal
Great Commission Research Journal
Music has been present in the worship practices of Christian communities as far back as the early days of the Church. Its presence has not been merely tolerated but intentionally integrated into liturgical practices, sometimes reflecting practices under the old covenant, and at other times adopting other shapes. Music’s meaning and power have also been variously evaluated by theologians and laypeople through the centuries. In certain segments of Christianity, music has even developed a theological relationship to concepts of sacrament. Such a relationship has penetrated the “worship event” in the latter part of the twentieth century and has frequently become …
Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal
Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal
Great Commission Research Journal
Music has been present in the worship practices of Christian communities as far back as the early days of the Church. Its presence has not been merely tolerated but intentionally integrated into liturgical practices, sometimes reflecting practices under the old covenant, and at other times adopting other shapes. Music’s meaning and power have also been variously evaluated by theologians and laypeople through the centuries. In certain segments of Christianity, music has even developed a theological relationship to concepts of sacrament. Such a relationship has penetrated the “worship event” in the latter part of the twentieth century and has frequently become …
The Song Of Cuba’S Great Awakening: Music In Baptist Worship And Witness, Michael Sharp, Ed Steele
The Song Of Cuba’S Great Awakening: Music In Baptist Worship And Witness, Michael Sharp, Ed Steele
Great Commission Research Journal
From the 1990s to the present, Cuban Baptists have witnessed a time of unparalleled church growth. During that time frame, musicians have participated in ministries aimed at church growth by organizing largescale public musical events, compiling a Cuban hymnal that included indigenous Cubano worship songs, developing new programs of leadership training for church musicians, and employing music in missionary projects both at home and abroad. This article explores what can be learned from the Cuban Baptists’ experience regarding music as an effective tool in evangelism, the value of musicians reaching musicians as a mission strategy, the importance of ethnodoxology in …
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Coming Of Age, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Coming Of Age, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
In the mid-1970s, criticism of the Church Growth Movement gradually began to wane. Donald McGavran reduced his teaching load to halftime, although he continued to teach for another decade. McGavran and Win Arn continued teaming together on books and films, and even Peter Wagner turned toward a focus on North American Church Growth. The Church Growth Movement came of age, and it would flourish throughout the remainder of the 1970s and into the 1980s.
Christian Ministry To Refugees In The Contrasting Settings Of Greece And Germany, John P. Thompson
Christian Ministry To Refugees In The Contrasting Settings Of Greece And Germany, John P. Thompson
Great Commission Research Journal
The refugee crisis in Europe may be one of the most significant opportunities for the spread of the gospel on that continent since the fall of the Iron Curtain. Many churches in Western Europe are engaging these newcomers in holistic ministry. From February to May 2018, seventeen leaders were interviewed from fourteen ministries engaged in refugee ministry in Greece and Germany to explore refugee ministry realities and practices in these two nations with contrasting policies. The research describes the shifting refugee situation, the shifting context, the relationship between these ministries and government, refugee ministry approaches, spiritual openness among refugees, and …
An Alternative Mission Paradigm For Healthy Church Growth, Paul Seung-Oh An
An Alternative Mission Paradigm For Healthy Church Growth, Paul Seung-Oh An
Great Commission Research Journal
Christianity is becoming weaker and nominalized, and it is expected to be surpassed quantitatively by Islam in 2070. The purpose of this article is to analyze the limitations of the holistic mission paradigm, a representative view of mission today, in terms of healthy church growth, and to propose key points of an alternative mission paradigm which would be helpful for overcoming these limitations. The history of holistic mission is examined to show the identity and characteristics of the paradigm, and then an alternative mission paradigm that can contribute to healthy church growth is presented.
Book Review: Women In God’S Mission: Accepting The Invitation To Serve And Lead By Mary T. Lederleitner, Brit Redfield
Book Review: Women In God’S Mission: Accepting The Invitation To Serve And Lead By Mary T. Lederleitner, Brit Redfield
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Religion Crossing The Frontiers: Nigerian Pentecostal Dynamics In The Western World, Jacob Kehinde Oladipupo
Religion Crossing The Frontiers: Nigerian Pentecostal Dynamics In The Western World, Jacob Kehinde Oladipupo
Great Commission Research Journal
This article examines how the Pentecostal movements in Africa and most especially in Nigeria are experiencing fast growth and how African Pentecostals are speaking on the global scene, especially in Europe and America in the twenty-first century. This kind of Pentecostal reverse mission from Africa to the Western countries that brought Christianity to Africa in the eighteenth century is not without strengths and weaknesses. This article unveils the nature of the Nigerian Pentecostal movements in the diaspora and how much impact the movements are making in the Western cultures of Europe and America. The passion of the African immigrants’ churches …
The Future Growth Of Global Christianity And Yoido Full Gospel Church: Its Potential Role In The New Context, Wonsuk Ma
Great Commission Research Journal
Christians have long recognized the amazing growth of Yoido Full Gospel Church. It has been a pioneer in the Church Growth Movement and has set an example in its dependence on prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit. The church faces challenges/opportunities in the future as it relates to the church growth in the Global South, the changing culture in South Korea, and the Pentecostal/charismatic movements around the world.
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Turning To North America, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Turning To North America, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
The event that put Church Growth on the worldwide map was the Lausanne Congress on Evangelism held on July 14-28, 1974. Then, as the Church Growth Movement took hold around the world, the focus of some faculty at Fuller’s School of World Mission gradually turned toward North America. This article describes the actions and processes that propelled the movement into world prominence.
The Global Missionary: The Emerging Roles Of North American Missionaries In The Twenty-First Century, Blayne C. Waltrip
The Global Missionary: The Emerging Roles Of North American Missionaries In The Twenty-First Century, Blayne C. Waltrip
Great Commission Research Journal
This article explores the emerging roles of the North American missionary in light of the changing face of global missions. Missionary sending has become a phenomenon of reciprocity. Because the Global South has become a missionary sending force, missionaries are going from everywhere to everywhere. This shift has created a need for North American missionaries to reevaluate their roles in missions. They are increasingly becoming “Global Missionaries” that serve in more than one context. The author defines and describes a Global Missionary, evaluates the factors for the shift, and advocates a greater global partnership to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Founding A School, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Founding A School, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
With the Institute of Church Growth in Eugene, Oregon, set to close in June 1965, McGavran was thinking of retiring to his small farm in Oregon. However, his plans changed when he was chosen to become the founding dean of Fuller Theological Seminary’s new School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth in September of that same year. The story of McGavran’s selection, as well as that of getting Alan Tippett back into the USA, demonstrates God’s miraculous work in bringing about the establishment of the new school.
Book Review: The Benedict Option: A Strategy For Christians In A Post-Christian Nation By Rod Dreher, April Berg
Book Review: The Benedict Option: A Strategy For Christians In A Post-Christian Nation By Rod Dreher, April Berg
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Church Planting In The Secular West: Learning From The European Experience By Stefan Paas, John P. Thompson
Book Review: Church Planting In The Secular West: Learning From The European Experience By Stefan Paas, John P. Thompson
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Becoming A Professor, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Becoming A Professor, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
As McGavran’s missionary career in India came to an end, publication of The Bridges of God opened new doors for research, teaching, and writing. The years 1955–1965 found McGavran moving from a missionary career to that of a professor and founding The Institute of Church Growth. In Eugene, Oregon, he met and befriended Methodist missionary Alan R. Tippett who became a partner in the spread of Church Growth Thought during the 1960s and 70s.
Rethinking The Term Missionary: Is Every Christian A Missionary?, Cecil Stalnaker
Rethinking The Term Missionary: Is Every Christian A Missionary?, Cecil Stalnaker
Great Commission Research Journal
In order to emphasize the missionary nature of the local church, a new expression has emerged in recent years: “Every Christian a missionary.” Is this valid? Should local churches be instructing and claiming that their church members are all missionaries? Although many mission leaders and writers claim that the Bible never uses the word missionary, an examination of fifty-two different English versions of the Bible shows otherwise. In order to respond to the main question, a number of avenues are explored in this paper—the identity, definitions, and origin of the term missionary, including old and new paradigms and their analyses. …