Author: John H. Leith Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers ISBN: 1498272827 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 20
Book Description
The responsibility to bear witness to the gracious presence of God in Jesus Christ "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" has been the perennial task of the Christian community from the beginning. But the style and form of evangelism has varied according to time and place. There is no one way of evangelism, as the history of Christians witnessing and confessing their faith makes very clear. The life of the Christian community has been and is enriched by a variety of evangelistic styles and by multiple theological confessions. There is, however, a limit to possible Christian theologies, and the preeminent theological task of the church is to test its proclamation by the word of God in Jesus Christ, as attested in scripture, to see that it is within the boundary. There is also a limit to the legitimate styles of evangelism. Some styles of evangelism corrupt and others strengthen the witness, but more significantly, style always betrays the real content. "There is an intimate but seldom seen connection between a person's thought and his style, which Alfred North Whitehead defined precisely as the 'ultimate morality of mind.'" The purpose of this paper is to relate Reformed theology to the form and style of evangelism. The paper presupposes that evangelism as shaped by Reformed theology is a valid and effective form of evangelism, but it does not presuppose that such form of evangelism is the only form that has validity or effectiveness. It is hoped that the proposal will be the occasion for self-criticism in the work of evangelism and for renewal of theological and ecclesiastical life in the Reformed tradition.
Author: John H. Leith Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers ISBN: 1608997022 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 27
Book Description
The responsibility to bear witness to the gracious presence of God in Jesus Christ "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" has been the perennial task of the Christian community from the beginning. But the style and form of evangelism has varied according to time and place. There is no one way of evangelism, as the history of Christians witnessing and confessing their faith makes very clear. The life of the Christian community has been and is enriched by a variety of evangelistic styles and by multiple theological confessions.There is, however, a limit to possible Christian theologies, and the preeminent theological task of the church is to test its proclamation by the word of God in Jesus Christ, as attested in scripture, to see that it is within the boundary. There is also a limit to the legitimate styles of evangelism. Some styles of evangelism corrupt and others strengthen the witness, but more significantly, style always betrays the real content. "There is an intimate but seldom seen connection between a person's thought and his style, which Alfred North Whitehead defined precisely as the 'ultimate morality of mind.'"The purpose of this paper is to relate Reformed theology to the form and style of evangelism. The paper presupposes that evangelism as shaped by Reformed theology is a valid and effective form of evangelism, but it does not presuppose that such form of evangelism is the only form that has validity or effectiveness. It is hoped that the proposal will be the occasion for self-criticism in the work of evangelism and for renewal of theological and ecclesiastical life in the Reformed tradition.
Author: Samuel T. Logan, Jr. Publisher: New Growth Press ISBN: 1938267990 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 498
Book Description
Christians are not on a mission for God; his church is on his mission. Being on God's mission means following Jesus into the darkest places of the world to bring the good news of the total redeeming work of Christ. Leading reformed thinkers including Tim Keller, Thomas Schirrmacher, P. J. Buys, Diane Langberg, John Leonard, Basyle Tchividjian, ...
Author: Harry Lee Poe Publisher: Zondervan ISBN: 9780310201724 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 340
Book Description
The Gospel speaks to a broad range of concerns--concerns that differ from person to person, group to group, culture to culture. Yet the practice of the twentieth-century church has been to concentrate on one part of the Gospel--repentance and justification--as if it were the whole, and to proclaim that part uniformly, often without meaningful context that would demonstrate the relevance of Christ to the hearer. The Gospel and Its Meaning breaks fresh ground for evangelism. It equips the students of evangelism with theological foundations for reaching diverse groups, from Hindi pantheists to radical environmentalists, without compromising the Gospel's integrity. The Gospel and Its Meaning - Identifies the basic elements of the Gospel - Shows the relationship of these elements to specific doctrines of theology - Identifies theologians and systems that have focused on particular doctrines - Shows which elements of the Gospel deal most clearly with various issues of evangelism - Suggests avenues of ministry that can address each evangelistic issue. By showing how different parts of the Gospel address the concerns of people within and without the Judeo-Christian worldview, The Gospel and Its Meaning helps those in any kind of evangelistic ministry to develop a means for connecting the Gospel directly to the world of the hearer while distinguishing it clearly from philosophies of relativism and pluralism.
Author: Robert E. Coleman Publisher: Baker Books ISBN: 1441232109 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 304
Book Description
For more than forty years, Robert E. Coleman's bestselling The Master Plan of Evangelism has been the standard in evangelism literature. But what is the theology behind evangelism? And why is it important for Christians to understand? The Heart of the Gospel offers a systematic theology of evangelism that will ground and inform our practice of spreading the Good News. Each chapter covers a major biblical doctrine, explains its various evangelical interpretations, treats misconceptions that adversely affect evangelism, and offers practical applications of the doctrine. Based on decades of classroom teaching, this comprehensive work is aimed at ministry readers interested in evangelism and outreach.
Author: James Montgomery Boice Publisher: Crossway ISBN: 1433517353 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 242
Book Description
There is no question that we live in an age of weak theology and casual Christianity. We have substituted intuition for truth, feeling for belief and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Evangelicalism desperately needs to return to the doctrines that once before reformed the world: radical depravity, unconditional election, particular redemption, efficacious grace and persevering grace. James Boice and Philip Ryken not only provide a compelling exposition on these doctrines of grace, but also look briefly at their historical impact. The authors leave no doubt that the church suffers when these foundational truths are neglected and that she must return to a Christianity that is practical-minded, kind-hearted, and most importantly, biblically based.
Author: William P. Wood Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers ISBN: 1666771570 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 176
Book Description
An Introduction to Reformed Theology is a rich resource of selections from the preaching and teaching of John H. Leith, a well-respected Presbyterian pastor and Reformation scholar. A new pastoral leader could find guidance for a funeral service. A seminary student might discover how the Nicene doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ can give depth to sermons for a contemporary congregation. A teacher may find help from the history of theology to guide students in Christian formation and life. These essays deal with the topics of evangelism, pastoral caring for each other, and living as a Christian in secular society. The author gives practical applications with the deep conviction that faith frames the mystery of God's creation of human beings and nurtures them from childhood through the pilgrimage of life with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, the hope for eternal life. An extensive bibliography of sources is included for those who want to probe further and study more closely. Anyone looking for a deeper understanding of basic Christian beliefs will enjoy this book.
Author: J. Mack Stiles Publisher: Crossway ISBN: 1433544687 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 130
Book Description
Christians often struggle to know where to start when it comes to telling others about God, Jesus, sin, and salvation. In this short book, J. Mack Stiles challenges us to view evangelism as something we do together instead of something we do alone, helping churches cultivate a culture of evangelism that goes beyond simply creating new programs or adopting the latest method. The seventh volume in the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series, this book will help Christians joyfully embrace evangelism as a way of life as it equips them to share their faith with those who don't yet know Jesus. Part of the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series.