WM510 World Missions: Paradigms and Practice Spring 2009, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte Steve Strauss Dates and Time: Fridays 6:30-9:30 PM, Saturdays 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM; February 13-14, March 13-14, April 17-18.. Steve Strauss contact info: Office Phone:704-588-4300; Home Phone: 803-802-0915; Email: steve.strauss@sim.org Course Description This course offers an historical overview of paradigms for Christian missions, critiquing them from biblical, theological, and practical perspectives. Each student will form his or her own theology and strategy for world mission of the Church as it relates to his or her intended Course Objectives By the end of this course you will understand biblical, historical, strategic and cultural paradigms of mission such that you will become more of a world Christian in your personal life, worship, and Specifically, you will: - Understand the biblical background of mission such that you can trace God s passion and call to reach all peoples throughout Scripture and explain key texts. - Be convinced biblically that the mission of the church is missions such that you will increase the centrality of missions into your own lifetime ministry calling (via prayer, giving, sending, going). - Be able to trace significant examples of outreach to the nations throughout church history and identify lessons for missions outreach today from each of those examples. - Be able to identify modalities and sodalities at work throughout church history and be convinced of the importance of both church (modality) and mission (sodality) such that you will make both a vital part of the lifetime mission involvement. - Be motivated by the increasing pace and intensity of universal mission through church history such that you will increase their own mission involvement (via prayer, giving, sending, going). - Recognize the urgency of cross-cultural mission such that you will make pioneer, cross-cultural mission a central part of your lifetime ministry calling (via prayer, giving, sending, going). - Recognize the significance of culture in the development of the church such that you emphasize listening and learning in your preparation for missionary service (for you and others), relationship with the church around the world, and strategic thinking about mission. - Identify the highest priorities in strategic missions outreach, explain why these are so important, and begin to organize your own lifetime ministry calling to fulfill these priorities. - Understand the significance of contextualization such that you will actively engage in crosscultural theologizing in your own culture and in any other with which you come into contact. - Take specific steps toward more active involvement in the world Christian movement. Textbooks Required: Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, 3 rd edition, Ralph Winter & Steve Hawthorne. Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper Recommended:
Operation World, Patrick Johnstone & Jason Mandryck absolutely essential for every world Christian. Introducing World Mission: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey, Scott Moreau, Gary Corwin, Gary McGee Assignments 1. Reflective Reading from Perspectives and Reading Journal 20% Read the assigned sections from Perspectives on the World Christian Movement and answer the thought question for each reading. If you receive this syllabus before the first class period, it will be to your advantage to complete as many of the reading assignments and journal entries for the first session before class begins. The assignments for the unit will not formally be due until the second class session, but you may turn in what you have completed on the first class session if you choose. Journal entries for the second and third class sessions will be due at the beginning of class on those days. Your journal should be typed. No answer should be more than a page per thought question, usually much less. In some cases you will be able to respond to the reflective question with one, well-thought-through sentence. Write as succinctly as possible. In some cases a specific limit or form for the answer will be given on the question sheet. The journal will be graded based on a comparative level of comprehension and thoughtful interaction with the required thought questions for the reading material and on overall completeness. 2. Read Piper s Let the Nations Be Glad and complete a project on the book 15% Read all of Piper s book and reflect on the entire book or a significant part (no less than one chapter) in one of the following ways: Book Review (see reviews in JETS as an example) Sermon (manuscript or cassette) Short Series of Bible Studies (2-5; in detailed outline) Article (either popular or scholarly) Illustrated Children s Book Series of poems or musical presentations (for children, youth, or adults) Narrative theology/stories Other project as approved by the instructor Your project should demonstrate significant interaction with Piper and be a creative presentation of his thought. 3. Content quizzes. At the beginning of the second and third weekend sessions there will be a quiz covering content discussed in the first and second sessions. 20% each 4. Prayer Project Prepare a one page summary of contextual background and key prayer requests for one country or significant unreached people group in the world. Use at least 2
sources. Be prepared to share the key points in 5 minutes and to lead a small group in prayer for that country or people group. 5% 5. Reflective, Integrative Essay 20% After each weekend session, briefly jot down (not to turn in) your reflections on how the topic covered in that module has impacted you and your anticipated After all three modules are complete, write a short essay (4-8 pages) pulling these thoughts together and reflecting on how your fresh understanding of mission will change/affect your anticipated For example, if you expect to serve as a pastor, how will what you learned in the course change/affect your pastoral Be as specific as possible. Emailed as MS Word attachment or mailed by May 15. Additional Bibliography: core books on mission for your personal library. Transforming Mission, David Bosch a classic that has been most important book on theology of mission in print. The Mission of God, Christopher Wright Perhaps ready to take over from Bosch as the most important book. Especially strong on OT foundation for mission. Mission in the Old Testament, Walter Kaiser brief, but a good survey of mission in the OT. Salvation to the Ends of the Earth, Andreas J. Köstenberger and Peter T.O Brien excellent, scholarly look at mission in the NT and intertestamental period, with brief intro from the OT. The Missionary Movement in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission of Faith, Andrew Walls will open your eyes to seeing aspects of church history you may have missed! A History of Christian Missions, Stephen Neil a classic. The Church is Bigger Than You Think, Patrick Johnstone another one that will open your eyes; both historically and re: the contemporary scene. Anything by Paul Hiebert (Anthropological Reflections, Anthropological Insights, Incarnational Ministry, Missiological Implications, Understanding Folk Religion, Transforming Worldviews and others) is excellent for preparing for the cross-cultural aspects of mission Cross Cultural Ministry by Sherwood Lingenfelter and Cross Cultural Teaching by Judith and Sherwood Lingenfelter. Great, practical tools to prepare you for cross cultural The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, Philip Jenkins incredibly insightful look at the worldwide Christian movement. Changing the Mind of Missions, William Dyrness & James Engels I don t buy all of what they say, but everything they say is worth serious consideration for rethinking mission for the 21 st century. Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21 st Century, Stan Guthrie great survey; each point is crucial to understanding where missions is going. When the Saints Go Marching Out: Mobilizing the Church for Missions, Art Beals an innovative model for doing missions in the local church. Mack & Leeann s Guilde to Short-Term Missions, Stiles & Stiles, The Essential Guide to the Short Term Mission Trip, David Forward, and Successful Mission Teams, Martha VanCise Good places to start to plan your church s short term missions trip.
Required Reading and Thought Questions from Perspectives on the World Christian Movement for WM510 World Missions: Paradigms and Practice Biblical and Theological Paradigms and Practice 1. Stott, The Living God is a Missionary God Study Question #2 ( Study Questions are the questions listed at the end of each reading in the book). 2. Kaiser, Israel s Missionary Call Jot down and be prepared to discuss the contribution each of the following passages makes to demonstrating that Israel had a missionary call: Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:4-6; Psalm 67. 3. Bosch/Lewis, Witness to the World; Two Forces How is OT and NT mission both centrifugal and centripetal? No more than one paragraph. 4. Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom Study Question #5. No more than one short paragraph. 5. Hawthorne, Mandate on the Mountain Study question #1. 4 bullet points only. 6. Wells, Prayer: Rebelling Against the Status Quo; Brother Andrew, If I Perish Spend some time in prayer rooted in what you have learned about prayer from these two readings. Jot down: How did you pray differently? 7. McQuilken, Lost Study Question #1. 8. Fernando, The Supremacy of Christ Briefly explain how Fernando s argument responds to pluralism? 9. Brother Andrew, If I Perish Spend some time in prayer for the persecuted church, and jot down who you prayed for. Historical Paradigms and Practice 1. Winter, The Kingdom Strikes Back, pp. 200-213 only What themes do you see repeated in Winter s Five Periods of Redemptive History? 2. Winter Two Structures of God s Redemptive Mission Define modality and sodality as Winter illustrates these concepts. What are the strengths and potential weaknesses of each as illustrated through church history? 3. Walls, Missionary Societies and the Fortunate Subversion of the Church Study question #1. 4. Winter, Four men, Three eras, Two Transitions: Modern Missions What was the unique emphasis of each of Winter s three eras of modern missions? How should this perspective on mission history encourage us and how should it keep us alert to new directions for ministry that God might have for us? 5. Winter, The New Macedonia Jot down thoughts as to how you plan to be involved in E-1, E-2, and E-3 evangelism in your anticipated 6. Patrick Johnstone, The Church is Bigger Than You Think. No written assignment, but be prepared to explain the meaning of Johnstone s title in class. In your journal simply indicate whether or not you completed the reading. 7. Your choice: Kraft/Crossman, Women in Mission; or Cornelius, A Historical Survey of African Americans in World Mission No written assignment, but be prepared to answer this question in class: What was the most significant new truth you learned about African-Americans or women in missions? Why is that truth significant for the church today? In your journal simply indicate whether or not you completed the reading.
8. Your choice: Carey, An Enquiry into the Obligation of Christians ; or Taylor, The Call to Service and China s Spiritual Needs and Claims. No written assignment, but be prepared to answer the following questions in class discussion: What impressed you most about the call to missions issued by Carey/Taylor? What is still relevant about their calls to our generation? In your journal simply indicate whether or not you completed the reading. 9. Winter/Fraser, World Mission Survey No written assignment but be prepared to summarize the state of missions in the various parts of the world. In your journal simply indicate whether or not you completed the reading. Cultural and Strategic Paradigms and Practice 1. Hiebert, Cultural Differences and the Communication of the Gospel Based on Hiebert s article, in a series of bullet points (not to exceed a page), finish this statement: The ways cultural differences affect the communication of the gospel include 2. Steffen, Why Communicate the Gospel Through Stories Study Question #2 3. Your choice: Hiebert, Flaw of the Excluded Middle; or Dye, Toward a Cross Cultural Definition of Sin. How has your understanding of theology been altered by what you have read? 4. Winter/Koch, Finishing the Task Write a paragraph beginning, The most essential mission task is Be sure and explain why this is the most essential task. 5. Mangalwadi, Who Really Was William Carey? Briefly describe what a modern William Carey would look like. 6. Wagner, On the Cutting Edge of Mission Strategy Jot down ideas as to how thinking clearly about the missionary task (principles), planning strategically (practices), and ministering supernaturally (power) will affect your thinking about your own prospective 7. Johnstone, Covering the Globe Jot down ideas as to how your own local church can be better involved in meeting each of the challenges identified by Johnstone. 8. Your choice: Patterson, The Spontaneous Multiplication of Churches; Montgomery, His Glory Made Visible: Saturation Church Planting; Hian, Evangelization of Whole Families; or McGavern, A Church in Every People. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the approach you have read. 9. Your choice: Hoke/Taylor, Charting your Journey to the Nations; Winter, Join the World Christian Movement; Miley, The Awesome Potential for Mission Found in Local Churches; or Philipps/Norsworthy, The World at Your Door Why did you choose this reading, and what did it contribute toward your thinking about your prospective ministry?