Jessica A Udall – författare

Listening to the Voices of Global Practitioners 

In Christian mission, we cross boundaries between the people of God and the not-yet people of God, declaring “[God’s] glory among the nations” (Ps 96:3). Mission begins and ends in worship. In mission, we proclaim the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We also care for the whole person. Thus, at its core, mission intertwines praise, word, and deed.  

This book represents the latest in missiological thinking. Though some contributors are scholars and even professors, most are field practitioners —evangelists, church planters, Bible translators, medical professionals, refugee workers, and community development specialists. Based on decades of faithful service, they report on what they have learned about mission. Mission in Praise, Word, and Deed addresses a wide range of critical concerns, such as informal theological education, Bible translation, business as mission, trauma care, and working on multicultural teams. 

As we ponder best mission practices, it’s wise to hear from global practitioners—those who have been at it for a long time. This book represents the diversity of the global church. They are men and women from Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America, and Europe who have served or presently serve in places across the world. These contributors share the conviction that the future of missions involves a growing global church and missionary workforce joining hands to complete the Great Commission amid severe opposition and disruption.

Listening to the Voices of Global Practitioners 

In Christian mission, we cross boundaries between the people of God and the not-yet people of God, declaring “[God’s] glory among the nations” (Ps 96:3). Mission begins and ends in worship. In mission, we proclaim the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We also care for the whole person. Thus, at its core, mission intertwines praise, word, and deed.  

This book represents the latest in missiological thinking. Though some contributors are scholars and even professors, most are field practitioners —evangelists, church planters, Bible translators, medical professionals, refugee workers, and community development specialists. Based on decades of faithful service, they report on what they have learned about mission. Mission in Praise, Word, and Deed addresses a wide range of critical concerns, such as informal theological education, Bible translation, business as mission, trauma care, and working on multicultural teams. 

As we ponder best mission practices, it’s wise to hear from global practitioners—those who have been at it for a long time. This book represents the diversity of the global church. They are men and women from Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America, and Europe who have served or presently serve in places across the world. These contributors share the conviction that the future of missions involves a growing global church and missionary workforce joining hands to complete the Great Commission amid severe opposition and disruption.

What can James teach us about mission?

While books on a New Testament theology of mission abound, most of them focus only on certain tried-and-true books and passages while often ignoring the contribution of the General Epistles. In Reading Hebrews Missiologically and Reading 1 Peter Missiologically, we began to address this gap in missiological scholarship, and we seek to continue in the same vein in this work on the book of James. 

Reading James Missiologically explores the missionary dimensions of the Epistle of James through three parts: the missionary motive is the reason behind missionary efforts (the why), the missionary message reveals what missionaries communicate (the what), and the missionary methods outline strategies for mission (the how). The global contributors examine James’s profound call to action among the poor and inspire believers toward holistic engagement with the world as “doers of the word, not hearers only” (Jas 1:22 ESV). 

What can James teach us about mission?

While books on a New Testament theology of mission abound, most of them focus only on certain tried-and-true books and passages while often ignoring the contribution of the General Epistles. In Reading Hebrews Missiologically and Reading 1 Peter Missiologically, we began to address this gap in missiological scholarship, and we seek to continue in the same vein in this work on the book of James. 

Reading James Missiologically explores the missionary dimensions of the Epistle of James through three parts: the missionary motive is the reason behind missionary efforts (the why), the missionary message reveals what missionaries communicate (the what), and the missionary methods outline strategies for mission (the how). The global contributors examine James’s profound call to action among the poor and inspire believers toward holistic engagement with the world as “doers of the word, not hearers only” (Jas 1:22 ESV).