Missions and World Christianity Commons^™

Toward A Post-Religious Urban Theology: The Missionary Movement Ethos In Secularized Contexts, Marcelo E. C. Dias

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"An urban theology should be the center of conversation with the current post-religious context that takes into serious consideration people’s search for meaning and the new spirituality in this age. Perhaps popular culture can give clues about contemporary meaning-making as well (Shannahan 2014:207-217). On the one side, history assures that an urban setting does not need to feel like a threat to the Christian faith. “Early Christianity was primarily an urban movement. The original meaning of the word pagan (paganus) was ‘rural person,’ or more colloquially ‘country hick.’ It came to have religious meaning because after Christianity had triumphed in …

A Theological Framework For Adventist Urban Ministry, Kelvin Okey Onongha

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"Early Adventism typically advocated the need to flee the cities for simple rural living because cities were regarded as Babylon (Jer 50:1-3; Rev 18:2-3). Consequently, in those regions of the world where the church’s presence has the longest history with sometimes larger congregations, many church properties are located in the countryside or rural areas. A major reason why the Adventist Church is only so lately coming to terms with the exigency of urban ministries is the deficiency of a theological framework for engagement in missions to the cities. Stone (2015) agrees that the failure to develop a theology for the …

Multicultural Urban Ministry In The Post-Apartheid Era:A Search For Identity And Unity In Diversity, Diói Cruz

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"This article explores the cultural-ethnic diversity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Africa and its development in urban centers since the end of Apartheid. It examines challenges and opportunities for the transition to multicultural churches, and concludes by arguing that the culture of racial prejudice and suspicion can only be eradicated with the weapons of trust, faith, hope, and love."

Missional Apologetics: Keys To The Hearts And Minds Of Urban Young Professionals?, Sven Östring

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"research study in Australia indicated that one of the top spiritual repellents for non-Christian people is a focus on philosophical discussions and debating ideas. In spite of this, a significant percentage of Australian young professionals are still willing to consider changing their worldview if presented with the right circumstances and evidence. This article explores how apologetic material can missionally connect with the hearts and minds of urban young professionals. The Greater Sydney Conference and the South Pacific Division Adventist Media Center developed this approach based on a preliminary qualitative research study of an evangelistic series."

Country Versus City Tension: Historical And Socio-Religious Context Of The Development Of Adventist Understanding Of Urban Mission, Allan Novaes, Wendel Lima

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"The Adventist engagement in the evangelization of cities has been timid and, for many decades, even discouraged by an anti-urban attitude. This mentality of criticism and resistance to the cities was largely sustained through an incomplete and/or misreading of Ellen White’s writings (Jones 2013:716). This article seeks to describe Adventist rural/urban tension, the historical and social context of its origin, and how it has been softened by a contrasting broader view of Adventist urban mission."

Discipleship In Urban Contexts, Boubakar Sanou

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"With the current state of discipleship, congregations can no longer afford to rely on their church-centered programs as their main means of growing disciples. Programs do not disciple people; people disciple people. Becoming authentic communities who create intentional spaces where believers of all ages and stages in their faith journey can effectively and meaningfully connect with one another and with God, grow spiritually, and reach out to the world around them is of vital importance in urban discipleship. With the imperative to share the gospel in the cities, urban congregations need to objectively do their own discipleship reality assessment in …

In These Cities Are Jewels: Lessons From Adventist City Missions—1880–1915, David J. B. Trim

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"As Ellen White’s words of 1909 imply, urban-focused mission has a long history in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It goes beyond the work of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in Chicago, the one exemplar which is reasonably well known but which comes with proverbial baggage, given what happened with Kellogg. I will touch on the Chicago mission, but it was not unique; in fact, our pioneers established many city missions. And while they stressed practical experience they also valued analytical approaches. For example, in 1910, the first two days of the annual council were given over to what was essentially a …

"The Challenge Of Urban Mission", Bruce L. Bauer

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"Many Adventists struggle with an anti-city bias for a number of reasons. High on the list of reasons is the book, Country Living, published in 1946 in which a very unbalance a view of what Ellen White had to say about cities was presented as the ideal. In the article “Country Versus City Tension: Historical and Socio-religious Context of the Development of Adventist Understanding of Urban Mission” Allan Novaes and Wendel Lima provide excellent background material that should help Adventists better understand the basis of that anti-city bias."

Designing Non-Residential Theological Training Curriculum For Enph Vocational Ministers, Nixon A. Ng

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Theological Understanding Of Power For Poverty Alleviation In The Philippines With Special Reference To Us-Based Filipino Protestants In Texas, Yohan Hong

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Speaking With God's Words : Preaching Training For A Multi-Site Church, Emmanuel P. Carlos

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Toward A Strategy To Strengthen Member Engagement Among Adventists In The Washington, Dc, Metropolitan Area, Paulasir Abraham

Human Subject Research Archive

This dissertation presents a strategy to strengthen member engagement by promoting inclusive practices among Adventist churches in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area in the face of church disengagement. Literature was reviewed. Surveys, interviews and focus groups were conducted. This study recommended an “each-church-as-a-village” strategy in which members seek to foster more inclusive engagement by practicing acceptance, adaptation, and association.

Reviews, Holy Spirit Research Center Oru Library

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Book Reviews

The Perfect And Complete Gospel Of Both Comings Of Jesus Christ: Reclaiming Eschatology In Pentecostal Proclaimation Of The Gospel, David Hebert

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Th is article is written to encourage a return to a position fi rmly entrenched in traditional Pentecostal and Charismatic eschatology that includes both comings of Jesus Christ in the proclamation of the Gospel. It develops the concept of the “Perfect/Complete Gospel of Both Comings of Jesus Christ,” identifying it as an emphasis in both historic Christianity in general and Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity in particular. And in light of Oral Roberts’ vision received in August 2004, the article concludes with an exhortation to reconsider this proclamation in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

Mission In The Diaspora: The Role Of Migrants (Refugees) As Principal Bearers Of The Christian Faith, Emmanuel Anim

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Th is paper explores migration and displacement as both a crisis and opportunity. It maintains that throughout biblical history—and even in the history of modern mission—migrants and refugees have often become the principal bearers of the Christian faith. In our own generation, Africans who have migrated to other parts of the world for various reasons have traveled with their faith. Many African churches such as Kingsway International Christian Centre, Th e Church of Pentecost, Winners Chapel International, International Central Gospel Church, and Victory Bible Church International have all established branches of their churches in the diaspora through the efforts of …

South German Anabaptist Ecclesiology And Its Present-Day Pentecostal Counterpart, Mathew Clark

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Th is article accepts that twentieth-century classical Pentecostalism originally shared a similar ethos to that exemplified among the South German Anabaptists, and investigates some resonances in ecclesiology between the two. Scrutiny of a selection of early sixteenth-century documents relating to Anabaptism identifies the following: a radically consistent application of sola scriptura, a rejection of the state-church synthesis, a revisioning of sacramental belief and practice that subverts the clergy-laity divide, commitment to the teachings of Jesus as the primary and central guide to discipleship, a sacrifi cial pilgrim mentality of “just passing through this world,” individual choice and responsibility to …

Water Baptism In Pentecostal Perspective: A Bibliographic Evaluation, Andrew Ray Williams

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Situated within the larger conversation surrounding Pentecostal sacramentality, this study seeks to trace the development of water baptism throughout Pentecostal scholarship by reviewing the major voices within the field. Th is review also seeks to expose prevailing themes, key influences, and new developments. Th e outcome is a recommendation that interests and concerns have changed over time, offering Pentecostal theology new opportunities.

A Student Response To Craig Keener’S Talk On Spirit Hermeneutics, Pamela L. Idriss

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A Student Response to Craig Keener’s Talk on Spirit Hermeneutics by Pamela L. Idriss.

Whither Pentecostal Hermeneutics? A Response To Craig Keener’S “The Spirit And Biblical Interpretation”, Jeffrey S. Lamp

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

"Whither Pentecostal Hermeneutics? A Response to Craig Keener’s 'The Spirit and Biblical Interpretation'” by Jeffrey S. Lamp

A Response To Dr. Craig Keener’S Presentation “The Spirit And Biblical Interpretation”, Arden C. Autry Phd

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A Response to Dr. Craig Keener’s Presentation “The Spirit and Biblical Interpretation” by Arden C. Autry

The Spirit And Biblical Interpretation, Craig S. Keener

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

We can hear more clearly what an author wishes to communicate when we understand what the author is addressing. In secondary communication—hearing what an author was saying to someone else—knowing the background of that conversation is important, especially if the culture differs from our own. But knowing the voice and spirit of the author is an important element of background, and with the Bible, we must consider an Author additional to, and working through, the human authors. It is important, insofar as possible, to study the ancient contexts that put the message in its cultural perspective. Yet it is no …

Oral Roberts And David Yonggi Cho: A Life-Long Relationship In Theology And Ministry, Younghoon Lee

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Th is article explores the relationship between Oral Roberts, American healing evangelist, and Dr. Yonggi Cho, the pastor of the world’s largest church in Seoul, South Korea. It points out how their similar stories of healing were used in their own healing ministries. It also traces the influence that Roberts’ theology of hope, prosperity, and healing had on the most influential figure in Korean Pentecostalism.

Editorial, Jeffrey S. Lamp

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Spiritus 4.1 (Spring 2019) Front Matter, Holy Spirit Research Center Oru Library

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Spiritus 4.1 (Spring 2019) Full Issue, Holy Spirit Research Center Oru Library

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

"Returning To My Father" : A Decolonial Reading Of Lk 15:11-32 Towards A Reconstruction Of African Theological Anthropology For Authentic Sacramental Ethics Via Indigenous Divinity Graduate Schools., Besem Etchi

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This paper makes three hermeneutical contributions: (1) By uncovering the Indigenous Norse zero-point subtext structuring today's Catholic liturgy, the paper constructs ancestral primacy as the delinking methodology for indigeniztion; (2) By emphasizing ritual as transformative technology for identity and relationship, in its wielding of neurolinguistic programming, the paper establishes indigenous epistemology as the proper spatial locus for any symbolic exchange that emerges authentic sacramental ethics; (3) By discussing the possibilities that creating indigenous Divinity graduate schools in African countries offers, a path of realizing sociopolitical stability and harmony in African states as a communal body is systematized.

With the ritual …

Finding Aid For Richard F. Baggett Papers, (1952), Richard F. Baggett

Richard F. Baggett Papers

Richard F. Baggett graduated from Harding College in 1949. Richard and his wife, Mary, served as missionaries in Japan from 1950-1955, and 1956-1958. The focus of their work was training native preachers, establishing churches, teaching Bible at Ibaraki Christian College, and holding gospel meetings. The Baggetts were financially supported by the Coleman Avenue Church of Christ (Memphis, Tennessee), and the Union Avenue Church of Christ (Memphis, Tennessee).

This collection includes two reports from Richard F. Baggett, an American who was serving as a Churches of Christ missionary in Japan. Baggett mentions preaching in Japanese for the first time without the …

What's Your Ministry Score? The Ministry Valuation Playbook, Lisa Kralina

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Traditional missionary efforts consist of individuals following God’s leadership of going and teaching people in other lands. Such small-scale efforts are overwhelmed within rapidly changing world populations and amid ever-increasing analytical and technology advancements. This article investigates current practices and financial valuations of expatriates and international missionaries. By integrating business disciplines, evangelistic expatriates will be better positioned to reach biblical goals of discipleship. A modified model and implementation actions are suggested for churches and ministries sending missionaries.

Caring For Cross-Cultural Workers In Red Zones, Bruce C. Moyer Std, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

"Whosoever Will": Embracing Everyone, David K. Penno

Faculty Publications

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The Bible clearly calls Christians to minister to, and to invite to discipleship, all persons in the world (Matt. 28:19, 20; Rev. 14:6). This includes persons who have sexual attractions that are outside the biblical design, whether they act on those desires or not. We do not have the option to ignore, reject, or marginalize them (nor should we do this to anyone else; all people are important to God). So the question becomes, how do we make room for everyone?

There are at least three levels of relationship that the church has with persons …