Charles E. Van Engen - Böcker

Communicating God's Word in a Complex World reaches out to the growing number of missionaries, pastors, Bible translators and teachers, mission and theological educators and students dealing with communicating the gospel. This is increasingly difficult in today's pluralist and global contexts. What was God's message, and how has spreading that message changed through the generations? The answer to that question requires a hermeneutical process that seeks to understand the biblical text and the context in which it was originally presented.R. Daniel Shaw and Charles Van Engen say that contemporary proclaimers of God's word can model their approach after that of the writers of scripture, who reinterpreted and restated their received texts for their audiences. Thus, Gospel communication is impacted by the way humans know God. This, in turn, is informed by contexts. Communicating God's Word in a Complex World draws lessons from the biblical authors themselves as a guide for how best to present God's message.

For the past thirty years mission theology has taken a backseat to mission practice. Recently, however, people of all theological stripes have begun to reexamine the theological presuppositions that underlie the mission enterprise. In Mission on the Way Charles Van Engen masterfully articulates the contours of mission theology. The result is a complete investigation of evangelical mission theology as it relates to (1) biblical and narrative theology, (2) cultural context, (3) ecclesiology, (4) world councils, (5) religious pluralism, (6) interaction with competing theologies, and (7) the overall task of ministry.

Announcing the Kingdom provides a comprehensive survey of the biblical foundation of mission. It investigates the development of the kingdom of God theme in the Old Testament, describing what the concept tells us about God's mission in creation, the flood, and the covenant with Abraham. It then describes God's mission through the nation of Israel during the exodus, at Mt. Sinai, and through the kings of Israel. The book then examines God's mission as Israel is sent into exile and the stage is set for the Messiah's coming.Finally, the book considers the fulfillment of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ and the church. It examines Jesus' parables and ministry, his proclamation of God's kingdom among the nations, and the work of the Holy Spirit through the church.Announcing the Kingdom is the product of Arthur Glasser's more than thirty years of teaching and has been used by thousands of students at Fuller Theological Seminary. Now revised by Glasser's colleagues, this study provides mission workers and students with a new understanding of their calling and its biblical foundation.

The author advocates a closer identification between the local congregation and the universal church. He works through the realities of church life and denominational organizations before challenging church leaders to redefine ecclesiology.