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Overview
A Practical Theology of Missions: Dispelling the mystery, recovering the passion

What is the church’s work of missions, and how should we carry it out? In this thorough study, Eric Wright roots missions solidly in the biblical text while giving modern, real-life examples of how missionary principles can be applied practically. He covers subjects such as missions and God’s kingdom, the validity of mission boards, the role of providence, the necessary spiritual gifts, the multi-ethnic nature of ideal churches, how to avoid dependency, the priority of church planting versus humanitarian ministries, and short-term versus life-long missionary commitment. This book reverses the drift away from theology into pragmatics, without denying the importance of a dynamic methodology that responds to changing conditions. Regular snapshots of missionary life as it is being or has been played out in real situations ground the whole book in reality.

Author
Eric E. Wright grew up in Toronto, Canada. After his conversion, he studied Theology in South Carolina, USA, where he met and married his wife, Mary Helen. Called together to missionary service in the Muslim world, they ministered in Pakistan for sixteen years. There Eric became co-founder of the Open Theological Seminary, now serving over 1,500 students. After returning to Canada, Eric pastored Long Branch Baptist Church, Toronto, served as interim pastor in six other churches, and taught both the history and theology of missions at Toronto Baptist Seminary. Eric and Mary Helen have three married children and nine grandchildren. They live in Salem, Ontario, Canada.

He maintains a web site to describe his writing ministry at www.countrywindow.ca 

Endorsements
A good understanding of biblical theology provides the basis for effective cross-cultural missionary work in A Practical Theology of Missions. True missionary stories from several continents reflect the author’s global perspective that has been nurtured by his development of theological education by extension in Pakistan, followed by his teaching of missions at the Toronto Baptist Seminary, where he was my colleague for twelve years. I highly recommend his effort.

Rudolph H. Wiebe, lecturer at the Toronto Baptist Seminary for twenty-nine years and a principal lecturer at the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Nigeria, West Africa since 2004


This book is the climax of Eric Wright’s full life as missionary, pastor and author. It is on a theme he is most qualified to expound, the theology of missions. It distils decades of missionary experience and research, reflection and devotion. The book is thorough and balanced, and yet it is an inspiring book to read. In it the reader will find the threefold calling of the church.

Firstly, the church exists to give praise to God by word, action, prayer and worship. This is the very core of the life of the church, the glory of God constituting the dominating motive in every deed and prayer. Paul declared that grace was given to him to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ among the heathen. He says of God, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 3:10). The ultimate goal of the church lies above this world, on another plane. The church exists for God and his glory.

Secondly, the church exists to make known the glory of God’s Word to every generation of man. The context of this proclamation is to be through the exercise of loving, pastoral care of its members by opening up and applying to every person all of the Scriptures, individually and on the Lord’s Day.

Thirdly, the church exists to encounter and serve the world by bringing to all mankind the good news of Jesus Christ. Through his church Christ stretches forth his hands to those who are outside the light of his everlasting salvation. It constrains the ignorant and lost to come in, as though God were beseeching them by the church.

So Christ uses our words and lives to reveal the glory of his redemptive work to men and women, drawing them to his salvation. The work of mission has received great promises from God. They are our comfort and they also drive us to our knees.

Revd Geoff Thomas, Pastor since 1965 of Alfred Place Baptist Church, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK

Readership suitability
- Prospective missionaries
- Those training in Bible institutes, colleges, and seminaries, lay Bible teachers and those training in churches to teach and evangelize
- Preachers, ministers
- Church office-bearers and leaders, missions coordinators
- Church prayer team leaders

Features and Benefits
- A Topic of vital importance
- Addresses the importance of long-term missionary endeavour
- Written by a man qualified with many years of experience in a hands-on missions situation
- Makes use of extensive case-studies and examples from the missions field
- Considers carefully the importance of making use of spiritual strategy
- Emphasizes the importance of dynamic methodology

Format
Paperback, 384 pages

Product reference
PTM1986

ISBN
781846251986

Chapter contents

Preface
Introduction
Vignette 1. Missions in Paraguay
Part 1. The biblical basis of missions
1. Missions and the nature of God
2. Missions and God the Son
3. Missions in the Old Testament
4. Missionary preparation in the intertestamental period
5. Missions in the New Testament
6. Key missionary questions
Vignette 2. Pioneering in Niger: Trekking with Malam Langa Langa
Part 2. The missionary task
7. A brief historical overview of missionary practice
8. The central missionary task
Vignette 3. Pioneering in Senegal
Part 3. The missionary message
9. Methodology or message?
10. Bandwagon or balance?
11. Mini or maxi message?
12. Absentee landlord or reigning King?
13. Evangelistic persuasion or divine intervention?
Vignette 4. A ladder up to literacy and new life
Part 4. The missionary
14. Searching for the elusive missionary
15. Spiritual giftedness
16. Missionary qualifications
17. The missionary call
Vignette 5. Mullins’ strange calling
Part 5. Missionary teamwork
18. Missions: a team effort
19. Missions and the sending church
Vignette 6. Cabbages and kids: The family factor in Burkina Faso
Part 6. The missionary and culture
20. Understanding culture
21. Missionary acculturation in the New Testament
Vignette 7. Sudan’s suffering church
Part 7. Missionary strategy
22. Choosing a mission field: the importance of strategy
23. Missions: planned or providential?
24. Birds of a feather: bane or blessing?
Vignette 8. Climbing the discipleship ladder in Pakistan: a grass-roots revolution
Part 8. Missionary work proper
25. Missions: worship before work
26. Missionary adaptability
27. Missionary methodology
28. Church planting: the central task of missions
29. Missionary specialists
30. Missions and the national church
Conclusion


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Availability
This book is available now

Key words
Eric E Wright, leadership, mission, gospel, great commission, gospel to the nations