Over the past eighteen months I have read (or I am currently in the process of reading) each of the following books and journal articles. I thought I would provide them here, in alphabetical order, as a missional reading list. If you know of other writings that might be added to the list please let me know. In [...]
Archive for February, 2008
In preparation for writing the biblical rationale chapter for my dmin project I have been reading several good works that focus on the biblical theology of mission. So far I have discovered the two most helpful to be “Salvation to the Ends of the Earth” by Andreas Kostenberger & Peter T. O’Brien and “Mission in [...]
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for [...]
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The crucial form in which the Great Commission has been handed down to us (though it is the most neglected because it is the most costly) is the Johannine. Jesus had anticipated it in his prayer in the upper room which he said to the Father: “As thou didst send me into the world, so [...]
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The latest Barna Update illustrates the shift of the spiritual landscape in the United States. Barna reports that for the first time the majority of adults believe there are biblically legitimate alternatives to conventional church when it comes to experiencing and expressing their faith. Here is the heart of the article: For decades, American Christians, [...]
More Praying With The Missio Dei Breviary
Posted: 17th February 2008 by Brad Brisco in Missiology, PrayerComments Off
The past couple of weeks I have been utilizing The Missio Dei Breviary as my daily prayer guide. I have thoroughly enjoyed this simple yet substantial collection of prayers and Gospel readings. My favorite aspect of the Breviary is the missional emphasis woven through each of the morning and evening collections. Click here to learn [...]
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Sovereign God, everything we have belongs to you. May we use what we have to bless others and woo people into the Kingdom, rather than for our own comfort and ease. Bless us so that we may bless others. If we do not bless others, take our resources from us and give them to those [...]
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“The fourth and twentieth centuries form bookends marking transition points in the history of the church. Just as the fourth century adoption of Christianity by Constantine forced the church to struggle with its self-understanding as the new center of culture, twentieth century Christians must now struggle to understand the meaning of their social location in [...]
The Benefits of an Incarnational Witness
Posted: 12th February 2008 by Brad Brisco in Books, Incarnational“The case for an incarnational approach to missional witness is based, on the one hand, on the character of the biblical record; that is, the way in which the church’s missionary vocation is shaped by the earthly ministry of Jesus. The emphasis upon the necessary congruence of witness is rooted in God’s way of revealing [...]
More Guder & Incarnational Mission
Posted: 11th February 2008 by Brad Brisco in Books, IncarnationalComments Off
The word mission is the Latinized version of the central theme of John’s Gospel: sending. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). As the Father sends the Son, as the Father and the Sonsend the Spirit, so the triune God sends the church to carry out its mandate of witness. [...]
Darrell Guder & Incarnational Mission
Posted: 7th February 2008 by Brad Brisco in Books, Ecclesiology, IncarnationalA few months ago a Professor at a local seminary shared with me that he was uncomfortable with my use of the phrase “incarnational mission.” He believed the phrase was not very useful, moreover, in his opinion its use minimized the significance of the incarnation event. Following is an excerpt from an excellent little book [...]
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If the world is sane, then Jesus is mad as a hatter and the Last Supper is the Mad Tea Party. The world says, “Mind your own business,” and Jesus says, “There is no such thing as your own business.” The world says, “Follow the wisest course and be a success,” and Jesus says, “Follow [...]
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Incarnation is one of the distinctive words in the Christian vocabulary to summarize the gospel event of Jesus Christ. Although the word is not found in the Bible, it is based on John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” With this statement, the evangelist created a powerful picture of God moving [...]
Two years ago today Bono spoke with a prophetic voice at the National Prayer Breakfast in D.C. To watch the video or read the text of his remarks go here. Following is one of many statements that spoke to me: A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. [...]