Is our gospel witness too small? Should the gospel be proclaimed in words only? Or should we preach the gospel in deeds—and when necessary use words? Or are we missing something in playing the witness of words against deeds? If you are concerned about evangelizing the post-Christian West or the world beyond, you have probably debated this issue. And evangelical instincts drive us to Scripture.
Here is a book in touch with the missional realities of our time and grounded in the missional vision of biblical revelation. It gives us a clear vision of the rich and multifaceted nature of "gospeling" the kingdom of God.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. A People of Blessing: Israel?s Missional Life
2. A Story to Tell to the Nations? Israel?s Witness of Word
3. Announcing and Embodying God?s Reign: The Full Mission of Jesus
4. Doer, Teacher, Savior: Portraits of Mission in the Synoptic Gospels
5. A Mission of Sending Love: Being, Doing and Telling in John?s Gospel
6. You Will Be My Witnesses: Speaking and Living the Gospel in Acts
7. Compelled by Christ?s Love: Paul?s Holistic Mission
8. Partners in the Gospel: the Missional Life of Paul?s Churches
9. Mission from the Margins: Being, Doing and Telling in 1 Peter
10. Following the Lamb: Word and Life Mission in Revelation
11. What Difference Does It Make? Concluding Reflections
For Further Reading
Subject and Author Index
Scripture Index
"'What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.' How frustrating it is that so much evangelical thinking about mission continues to do exactly that, splitting up word and deed, evangelism and social engagement, and then struggling to reconcile them when we should never have divorced them in the first place. This superb book by Dean Flemming leads us on a richly biblical journey that takes us back to the 'one flesh' that God intended--the integration of being, doing and speaking in the mission of God's people. It is deeply nourishing and satisfying, ranging through biblical texts from Genesis to Revelation, yet never losing the reader in technicalities or detail and consistently easy to read and practical in application. The portraits of Jesus and Paul are particularly balanced and convincing, while the lessons we learn from the early church and the book of Revelation are truly eye-opening. Pastors, missions pastors and committees, mission boards and executives--please read this book! Preach through it. Work through it with your people. It will revitalize and rebalance your understanding and practice of mission."
Christopher J. H. Wright, International Ministries Director, Langham Partnership
"Dean Flemming is not satisfied with the hardened divisions we so often encounter in talk about the church's job description--divisions like evangelism or social witness, proclaiming the message or living it. Reading the two disciplines together, biblical studies and missiology, he insists that the discussion must start in the basic recognition of the church's missional identity. The result is a missional reading of the Bible, especially the New Testament, that provides the coordinates for hearing Scripture anew as witness to God's call to his people to participate in God's mission."
Joel B. Green, professor of New Testament interpretation, Fuller Theological Seminary