I just got word that Karl Dahlfred’s book Theology Drives Methodology, which I reviewed recently, is FREE ON KINDLE until midnight on Dec 25th. To see my thoughts on it, CLICK HERE. I’ll be posting an interview with him in a few weeks. If you read it before then, you may appreciate his answers a little more or be able to pose to him some constructive reply questions. Until then, Merry Christmas! Read more
Here are some good reminders that what missions is not about. The gospel concerns politics inasmuch as it concerns social power, but that is not the same as equating the gospel and democracy. After all, there will be no democracy in the kingdom of God. Chinese Democracy is Not the Goal Do you really want a democratic China? Read more
In a previous post, I summarized Karl Dahlfred’s Theology Drives Methodology: Conversion in the Theology of Charles Finney and John Nevin, highlighting a number of its key insights and questions. The book contrasted the theology and methods of two men, Charles Finney and John Nevin, who represent two ends of a spectrum. Finney characterizes the Arminian, revivalistic tradition. Nevin represents a Calvinistic, church-based approach to evangelism. In this post, I consider the potential ways that each view may get synthesized... Read more
I recently saw a Tweet by someone asking whether secondary doctrines were nonessential or non-important. It got me to thinking. Certainly these “secondary” issues distract us from our mission. However, it dawned on me that there may be an inherent problem with the way we pose this very commonly asked question. First of all, let’s be clear. So-called “secondary” doctrines are important precisely because God himself has revealed them in his word. We must not functionally slice up Scripture like... Read more
I recently had the privilege of reading Karl Dahlfred’s Theology Drives Methodology: Conversion in the Theology of Charles Finney and John Nevin. It is a published version of his Th.M thesis (Talbot School of Theology). It is well written and organized so that readers can clearly understand the the relevant history and theology being discussed. Dahlfred is an OMF missionary living in Bangkok. In a few weeks, he’ll answer some of my questions about the book and how we might... Read more
There is No Christmas Without Adoption For years, I heard that of the two NT genealogies of Jesus (in Matthew 1 and Luke 3), one traced his lineage via Joseph and the other through Mary. After all, if Mary is not a blood relative of David, how could the prophecy be true whereby Jesus becomes David’s offspring who would rule the nations (cf. 2 Sam 7; 1 Chron 17)? Adoption, . . . that’s how. Here are the relevant verses... Read more
I want to briefly follow up on the “(Mis)Understanding Honor, Shame, or Face” series (Part One, Two, Three), giving at least some nod in the direction of application. The implications are so vast, one could not suppose to tease them all out over a lifetime of writing. In broad strokes, what are some spheres of daily and church life that are affected by honor and shame? Everything. All people have a sense of identity and a system of values that... Read more
What do you think about this article, “Why Sharing Your Story Is Not the Best Way to Share the Gospel“? (more…) Read more
I previously wrote a post announcing that Werner Mischke, Executive Vice President and Director of Training Ministries at Mission ONE, has designed a new evangelistic booklet that uses an honor and shame perspective. It’s called The Father’s Love Booklet. Today, I review it. Overall, I like it. I should first give full disclosure. I’m not a fan of things like tracts but acknowledge that they can be useful tools, if they are used wisely and do not replace a more... Read more
If Jesus has been born Chinese, he may well have said it this way, “For whoever would save his face will lose it, but whoever loses his face for my sake will find it,” (cf. Matt 16:25). Here are some other passages for thought–– Rev 22:3–4, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name... Read more
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