World Christianity and the Unfinished Task: A Very Short Introduction

by F. Lionel Young III, Muthuraj Swamy (Contributor)

This book is a short introduction to one of the most remarkable transformations in the modern world that many people still do not know about. In 1900 more than 80 percent of the world’s Christians lived in Europe and North America and nearly all of the world’s missionaries were sent out “from the West to the rest.” In a dramatic turn of events Christianity experienced a decidedly “Southern shift” during the twentieth century. Today nearly 70 percent of the world’s 2.5 billion Christians live in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while nearly half of all missionaries are being sent out into all the world from places like Brazil, Ethiopia, and South Korea. This book is intended to change the way readers think about the church and challenge the way Western Christians engage in contemporary missions.

Genres: Christian

172 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2021

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very brief but very helpful introduction to the many ways that God is and has been at work in the Church all over the world. Western Christians especially will benefit from the way Young opens windows into what Christianity looks like in other regions, from revival movements to social issues. As the global Church moves further into a new era of “missions from everywhere to everyone” this glimpse into worldwide Christianity and church history helps provide a framework for how the Church—east and west, north and south—can use meaningful partnerships to further progress in our shared “unfinished task”: preaching the gospel of Christ to all people of every tribe, tongue, and nation.

[Ryan Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young provides a great summary of the movement of the center of Christianity from the West to the global South. He recounts the history of this movement, the importance, value, and need of the global church, the great need of reaching the remaining unreached peoples of the world, and how we must do this together as missionaries are sent from everywhere to everywhere! This is a great primer on this subject that is helpful for the church to read and then partner with the global church in the Great Commission.

[Chasen Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong summary of the last one hundred years of Christian growth in the whole world. Christianity is perpetuated mostly by Africans, Asians, and South Americans. This occurred through indigenous revivals and not colonialism or American/European missionary efforts. Young's invitation for the Global Church to partner with itself is not substantiated but creates and interesting and novel reflection.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it presents itself to be, a very short introduction to the subject of world Christianity and the unfinished task of evangelism, mostly in terms of its growth over time as reflected in the numbers.The wider activity of mission as touching social justice is not considered.