The Incarnation and the Church's Witness

Book excerpt: For several years, argues Guder, contemporary Christian churches have often thought of their mission efforts as simply one more program of the church. In addition, outsiders have rightly criticized Christian mission efforts as exercises in cultural imperialism. In this provocative book, Guder argues that the incarnation of God in Jesus provides the foundational model for the practice of Christian missions in the world today. The incarnation is the culmination of God's activity and presence in the world, says Guder, for in this event God initiates the healing of a broken world. Using literary, historical, and social approaches to scripture, Guder claims the contemporary church should return to an Òincarnational missionÓ in which the practice of Christian witness is Òshaped by the life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.Ó