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Theological schools are often led by teachers with minimal administrative experience or training. Excellence in Theological Education is designed to help leaders of theological schools, especially within the Majority World, to affirm the excellence of their own training institutions, and where excellence may be lacking, to discover ideas that will strengthen the quality of administration and education provision.

Since 1988, hundreds of thousands of evangelical Christians have migrated to the United States of America from former Soviet Union countries, establishing many Russian-speaking immigrant congregations across the country. This study analyzes how these immigrant churches function in their new cultural, social, and religious context. Dr Vyacheslav Tsvirinko, a Russian who lived in the USA for over twenty-five years, examines the holism, authenticity and contextuality of the mission work done by churches in the Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association (PCSBA) in America. He defines authentic mission in light of three major Christian groups - the World Council of Churches, the Lausanne Movement, and Anabaptists - and uncovers startling insights on how PCSBA churches engage in mission, both back in their homeland and in the USA. The findings and conclusions of this work are invaluable to diasporic Christian communities who wish to address their authenticity in the way they do mission, both internationally and in their local context, creating a path to more fruitful gospel and kingdom work.

The African church needs preachers who preach the Scriptures to bring people to Christ and nurture them in the faith. Yet many are failing at this task. Some use their sermons to promote themselves rather than Christ, while others do not know how to preach from the Scriptures. In Preaching the Scriptures Dr Joel Biwul addresses these problems. Using African stories and illustrations, he clearly sets out the process of preparing and delivering a sermon that is rooted in the Scriptures. He also provides sample sermons and outlines that will help preachers apply these principles in their own preaching preparation.

Introducing an emerging academic field known as African British Theologies, this publication explores the significant presence of African Christianity in Britain. Featuring contributions from twelve scholarly African pastors engaged in ministry and theology in Britain, this book is a unique expression of theology from African Christians, contextualizing the gospel for a multicultural British society. Under three key areas of missiology, contextual constructive theology and transformative practical theology the contributors interact with topics such as reverse missiology, African pneumatology, prosperity gospel, and urban mission. This book rigorously examines new contexts of Christianity and articulates new theological perspectives that are required to understand twenty-first-century ministry, not only in urban Britain, but also across the world.

The decision for ministerial training institutions to become broader educational institutions that offer courses outside the traditional areas of theology is certainly not unique to a specific geographical context. While there are many examples of notable institutions making this transition in North America and Europe, very little reflection has been carried out in the global south. In this book, Dr Semeon Mulatu looks to institutions in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo that have completed or embarked upon the journey to university status. The study explores the motivations of educational leaders in pursuing such a transition, as well as the impact it has had or will have on the continued theological education and Christian mission of the institution. Here you will find answers to key questions such as: • What is lost and gained by a seminary becoming a university? • What are the challenges along the road? • Is it all worth it in the end?

The roots of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws can be traced back to the British colonial rule in India, but their harsher clauses were added to the Pakistan Penal Code during a wave of intense Islamization in the 1980s. Everyone in Pakistan is threatened by the misuse of these laws, even Muslims; however a disproportionate number of victims targeted by these laws have come from two minority groups, the Ahmadis and Christians.Dr Qaiser Julius focuses on how these two groups have been affected by Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, their different reactions to these laws, and more specifically, why they are responding differently despite living under the same circumstances. In this well-structured and understandable study, Julius provides a valuable tool for Christians to understand what it means to be a minority in a hostile culture. This thorough analysis presents a way forward for the Christian church in Pakistan, providing hope amidst the discrimination and persecution.

El programa de ICETE para el liderazgo académico (IPAL, por sus siglas en inglés) fue establecido oficialmente en 2010 a raíz de la necesidad de brindar capacitación a las instituciones teológicas en diversas regiones del mundo. IPAL ofrece seminarios de cuatro días en un ciclo de tres años para el desarrollo profesional de administradores académicos evangélicos, con el fin de ayudar a las instituciones en su búsqueda de calidad y excelencia.Esta publicación es la primera de tres volúmenes cuya finalidad es acompañar y apoyar a los seminarios de IPAL, además de proveer, independientemente, un acceso más amplio a los principios que necesitan los líderes académicos para el desarrollo institucional.Cada capítulo comparte la experiencia del autor e ilustra su comprensión de la educación, el liderazgo y la administración en el ámbito de las instituciones académicas evangélicas. Este volumen, que intencionalmente toma por sentada la amplia variedad de contextos no-occidentales, es una guía de vital valor para administradores principales alrededor del mundo.

Today’s refugee crisis has engulfed public policy and politics in countries around the world, deeply dividing communities. With increased migration many fear terrorism, crime and a dilution of their perceived national identity, while others embrace it as an inevitable reality of the globalized world in which we live. But what does the Bible have to say about migration and displacement and how refugees, migrants, and the stateless should be treated?Strangers in the Kingdom asks why God cares for the displaced, presenting biblical, theological, and missiological foundations for ministries to those who have been uprooted from their homes and all that is familiar. Rupen Das and Brent Hamoud apply their experience and expertise to provide timely answers that the Christian community is waiting to hear. Addressing the humanitarian and legal needs of the displaced is the starting point, but relief, repatriation, and resettlement programs need to help the stranger find a place to belong, a place to call home.

From Calvinist to Catholic, from Charismatic to AmaZioni, the Rainbow Nation has one of the most colourful, variegated, and bewildering array of Christian churches in the world. Where on earth did they all come from? How did they develop? What do they believe? How are they related to one another?In this clear and readable history of Christianity in South Africa, Kevin Roy answers these questions with comprehensive, succinct and rigorous historical analysis with sympathy and honesty. Dr Roy does not shy away from the failures and sins of the participants in this story that intertwines with the history of the peoples and tribes in South Africa. This book is a testimony of divine love and patience in the midst of human folly and frailty, of successes and faithful service to God.

Dr Jean Uayan comprehensively weaves the story of six Protestant Chinese churches in the Philippines into the local history of their individual settings in this important study. Uncovering new insight and historical information from extensive primary and secondary sources, Uayan presents a rich and previously unacknowledged heritage and support from four American mission organisations during the US occupation from 1898-1946. The seeds sown amongst Chinese communities across the Philippines resulted in indigenous churches that took differing journeys to full independence and now are also bearing fruit in missionary activity in South Fujian, China. This book is an important contribution towards a global church history acknowledging the work of the Holy Spirit establishing and building up the church of Jesus Christ among the nations.

Preaching about the cross of Christ is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities any preacher can have!The four Gospel writers who wrote about the cross of Christ and the events leading up to it, did so in their own unique way. Each interpreting the events through the lens of different Old Testament Scriptures and each emphasising different themes. Based on his own sermons preached over a number of years at All Souls Church in London, Christopher Wright explores the rich variety and lets the four Gospels preach the Gospel in their own way.This is an excellent resource for preachers, which is further enriched by the final chapter that provides a personal commentary on how Wright prepared each of the sermons.

In this clear introduction to Deuteronomy aimed for preachers, pastors and Bible students, Paul Barker covers the major themes and issues of the fifth book of the Bible. Helpful study questions at the end of each chapter provide opportunity for discussion in groups. This integral Old Testament book comes alive in this very useful guide. In Deuteronomy we discover the rich theology of the God who keeps promises, for Deuteronomy is a book which encourages and persuades us to trust in a faithful God.

The doctrine of the Trinity is the foundational doctrine for all Christian theology, doxology and practice. In this publication James Kombo brings a unique and valuable contribution to understanding the Trinity and how God can be understood within the context of any culture and language.Kombo first recognizes and brings into focus God’s self-presentation in Scripture as the triune God. Moving from the early church through various church traditions over the centuries, he interacts with how each tradition viewed God and their interpretation of the Trinity. Closing with a distinctly African view of God from the Luo language tradition, used mostly in Kenya and Tanzania, Kombo emphasises the benefits of considering alternative models of interpretation from various regions of the world. Kombo’s work applying his research across cultures makes this an excellent resource in any context of ministry and the academy.

This book is part of the ongoing debate about Paul’s understanding of the relationship between his own mission and the church’s. While this study endorses some previous scholarship on Paul’s silence about the church’s proactive evangelism in his letters, it argues that explanations for such silence cannot be adequately made from exegetical conclusions on related texts alone. Rather, this study suggests that constructing a plausible conception of mission as understood by Paul, influenced by the impact of the Jesus-tradition and Jewish restoration eschatology, is essential for explaining Paul’s thinking. Dr Kang proposes that Paul’s silence regarding congregational evangelism is due to his unique two-pronged conception of mission – one being the event of eschatological heralds, the other being the event of eschatological community.

In the Bible, storytelling is an important means to pass on the revelation of God. God repeatedly commanded the people of Israel to tell his mighty acts to the next generation. Invariably churches follow this mandate and use biblical narratives as a means to transmit God's self-revelation to enable transformation. The author, Dr Annie George, listens to the voices of children in order to understand their perceptions of how storytelling of biblical narratives help them in their spiritual formation. Dr George's research highlights the importance of evaluating the impact of biblical narratives from a child's perspective as well as emphasising the need to give the same priority to the spiritual transformation of children as with other areas of study and ministry.

In an age of unsurpassed globalization, Melba Maggay reminds us of the beauty of unique cultures no matter how small their imprint on the world may seem. Yet these cultures do not exist in isolation, but have a complex interrelation with one another, be they monoliths such as western capitalism or subsistence communities like El Nido on the island of Palawan, the home of the author's ancestors. This rich global tapestry is a gift from God, yet not without imperfection, sin or hardship. It is these realities to which we must apply the gospel in our own lives and in missiology. This book gives a prophetic call to proclaim the good news and do justice in and towards every culture under the sun, while demystifying some of the major narratives that inform worldviews across the globe today. And it is the kingdom of God for every tribe, tongue, people and nation that brings true global unity.

More and more pulpits are occupied by motivational speakers rather than preachers.Church congregations are not being given a comprehensive, biblical understanding of the faith. Drawing on his own experience as a pastor in Zambia, Conrad Mbewe tackles issues such as the content of pastoral preaching, how pastoral preaching relates to church life, finding the time to prepare pastoral sermons, and dealing with discouragement. Throughout the book, it is clear that the authors conviction is to see preachers grow strong churches, to build a people for God.