Making Disciples in a World Parish

Book excerpt: Description: In this collection of inspirational and challenging essays, Methodists from around the globe reflect on the practice of disciple-making in their own contexts. From their own perspectives, they address questions like: What are the challenges you face? What biblical images shape your missional practice? What examples of Christian authenticity inspire your communities? What gifts related to mission and evangelism do you offer the global community of faith? Churches on every continent have their own stories of struggle and faithfulness. Indeed, each distinct community within any given region has a voice of its own that deserves to be heard. The voices included in this volume belong to women and men alike. Likewise, they resound with the accents of Africa and Asia, Latin and North America, Europe, and Oceania. Each voice is distinct, but all articulate a vision of faith made effective through love. In a world characterized variously by poverty and violence as well as prosperity and peace, the church must reclaim its central mission ""to make disciples of Jesus Christ."" In their effort to articulate a vision of mission and evangelism, the contributors to this volume bear witness to the fact that we can no longer do this work in isolation from one another. To be the ambassadors of the gospel, we need each other and we need to pay attention to the voices that sound different from our own. This volume takes a large step in that vital direction. Endorsements: ""This is a first-rate collection of essays that takes the debate about discipleship to a whole new level. It is indispensable reading for all who are interested in the survival and flourishing of Christianity in an increasingly hostile world. Both scholars and church leaders should read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest its riches without delay."" -William J. Abraham Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. ""Inspiration and hope emerge as one reads Paul Chilcote's new collection of essays. Images, stories, ideas, and perspectives regarding the global context and reality of evangelism spring from the voices of the writers. Insights about evangelism described in multifaceted realities propel one to read the next sentence and paragraph with the expectation of finding yet another perspective-shifting angle of view."" -Karen Greenwaldt General Secretary, General Board of Discipleship The United Methodist Church About the Contributor(s): Paul W. Chilcote is Professor of Historical Theology & Wesleyan Studies and Director of the Center for Applied Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Society in Ohio.