MR #36: Dream the dream . . . again
Dream the dream . . . again. Walking with God–personally, intimately, faithfully. Being transformed into God’s likeness. Absorbing God’s love, seeing His holiness, witnessing His faithfulness. Shedding anger, losing lust, giving up personal advantage. Reframing ego–from our glory to His glory. Praying, fasting, worshipping . . . communing with God. Bowing before Him, acknowledging that He alone [...]
MR #26: The Missional Helix: Example of Church Planting
In the last missiological reflection I described the Missional Helix and attempted to show the intertwining, inseparable nature of theological reflection, cultural analysis, historical perspective, and strategy formation in the practice of ministry. Developing practice of ministry was understood as a helix because theology, history, culture, and strategy build on one another as the community [...]
MR #33: Imagining Christ’s Church in the City
The following cartoon appeared in the Easter Sunday edition of the Daily Nation, the major newspaper in Kenya, East Africa, soon after “The Passion of Christ” appeared in theatres. The drawing contrasted the “Passion” and “Church” of Christ (Sunday Nation, April 11).
MR #34: Contrasting Missional and Church Growth Perspectives
I pray that churches will become missional, i.e., theologically-formed, Christ-centered, Spirit-led fellowships who seek to faithfully incarnate the purposes of Christ. Missional churches define themselves as bodies formed by the calling and sending of God and reflecting the redemptive reign of God in Christ. They are unique communities in the world created by God through [...]
Communicating Christ in Animistic Contexts
Whether in New Age mysticism, occultism, Haitian voodooism, Chinese ancestor veneration, or Japanese Shintoism, animistic beliefs are widespread, even today. Gailyn Van Rheenen presents a rigorous, biblical, theological, and anthropological foundation for ministering in animistic contexts. Click here to see the book online! In this book Van Rheenen presents a comparative analysis of western dualistic [...]
MR #40: “Case Study: Translating God in Mongolia”
In March 2003 a symposium of Christian leaders was held in Mongolia on the topic “Distinctively Christian . . . Distinctively Mongolian.” This title was especially intriguing because it uniquely captured many of the issues concerning the tension between contextualization and syncretism.
Missiological Reflections
The Missiological Reflections archive, or view by topic.
Missions Dictionary
Dictionary of Missiological Terms Definitions are important because they set parameters of meaning. You are invited to help build this missiological dictionary by suggesting definitions and sources where these definitions are found. Credit will be given for all definitions accepted. E-Mail Gailyn Van Rheenen with suggestions. Note the bibliography of entries at the end of this dictionary. [...]
Mission Quotes
Important Quotes on Missiology If you wish to contribute any additional quotes to this list, please e-mail Gailyn Van Rheenen. Choose a topic: Church Planting Theology and MissionsIncarnationTheology of Power Theological Education Religious Pluralism Morality and Religion Worship Spiritual Renewal Gospel and Culture Postmodernism Missional Ecclesiology Money and MissionsEvangelismMission to the Poor Missionary Acculturation Language and Scripture Language [...]
Mission Bibliographies
Bibliographies concerning specific topics in the area of missiology.
