Called Again: Veteran Missionaries and the Unfinished Task
By David Smith | Claude Hickman of The Traveling Team is quoted as saying, “Reaching the world with the gospel is not a resource problem, it is a mobilization problem.” In this article, I challenge my colleagues to consider leaving their established work in countries with gospel presence and moving to the least-reached countries and people groups of the world. This missionary mobilization is only possible through education, evaluation, and a growing conviction that we may be the ones best suited to the task.
Who Can Start a Movement? Three Possible Says of Being Involved in Starting Movements
By Emanuel Prinz | Movement catalysts possess distinct qualities in three areas: personality, spiritual, and social influence. They exhibit radical learning, innovation, drive to achieve, conscientiousness, assertiveness, and persistence. Spiritually, they have a hunger for God, deep prayer, listening to God, expectant faith, evangelistic zeal, transformational disciple-making, tangible love, and confidence in the Bible. Socially, they inspire others, influence beliefs, empower others, and have confidence in local disciples. People can get involved by starting a movement, joining a catalyst’s team, or serving an existing movement.
To the Ends of the Earth: How to Translate the Gospel Into Maps
By David Onnekink | Take any website of a missionary society and there is bound to be a map. Maps are visually attractive and picture comprehensively the geographical focus of mission. However, as Brad Gil wrote, essentially “All maps are wrong”.
The Centrifugal Gospel: Recovering the Outward Movement of God’s Mission
By Chris McMillan | The gospel is dynamic and outward-moving. This centrifugal nature of the gospel contrasts with the centripetal approach prevalent in the West. Chris McMillan urges a return to the biblical mandate of “Go and Tell.” He calls for a revival of missionary vigor to counter institutionalization of the church.
Character Theology
By Tom Steffen | Tom Steffen discusses how to shift from traditional systematic theology to a story-based approach. He highlights the importance of biblical characters in teaching theology, emphasizing that characters drive the narrative and help convey theological truths through their experiences. This approach, known as character theology, engages readers by connecting biblical stories to human experiences, making theology more relatable and impactful.
Curiosity and Communication
By Stan Nussbaum with Hussan | This article describes a Central Asian house church network‘s approach to evangelism, focusing on creating curiosity through surprising statements about Muslim practices, Christianity, and acts of kindness. This technique leads to friendly, challenging religious discussions, helping Muslims come to Christ. The movement emphasizes contextualization to overcome local objections and uses curiosity to engage people in studying the Bible and following Jesus.
“Ask of Me”: Ways to Appeal to Felt Needs That Lead to Spiritual Depth
By Sally Folger Dye, T. Wayne Dye, and Edie Bakker | People in every country have many legitimate life concerns. God wants to help with these felt needs. Handled carefully, felt needs can be a door opener, an evangelism tool, and even an ongoing discipleship tool. Prayerfully looking for felt needs is an important way to spread the gospel in every culture of the world.
Disability Outreach Breaks Karma’s Chains in Thailand
By Joseph Tell | As a missionary in Thailand, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of disability ministry. In a context where Christianity’s message often falls flat, disability outreach can revitalize churches, change community perceptions, and communicate the gospel in ways that overcome cultural barriers.
Being a Witness in a Healthcare Setting
By Latha Mathew and Lindsey Miller | IHS Global developed a training process that equips healthcare workers around the globe to be witnesses for Jesus in their healthcare settings. The course combines curriculum (translated into global heart languages), training (in-person, virtual, or hybrid), and follow-up led by trained leaders who have a heart for equipping others and for sharing Christ.
AI Hallucinations, Chatbots, and the Truth of Holy Scripture
By Jeremy Hodes | While limitations and potential nefarious uses need to be considered, AI also offers tremendous opportunities in missions that can help the gospel to spread further and faster than ever.