Missiology: An Introduction

by John Mark Terry (Editor), Justice Anderson, Ebbie C. Smith (Editor)

A valuable resource for anyone currently involved in missions, considering a life as a missionary, seminary students, or those simply interested in the foundations, history and strategy of missions. The writers offer readers a historical as well as current-day tour of international missions. In the end, the editors make a plea for continued support of missions and what readers can do to support this important cause.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Academic, Nonfiction

768 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

John Mark Terry (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of missions at Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary in Malaysia and has served as a missionary.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To date there have been very few, exceptionally few, history and strategy of missions books. Of those few only one can be considered both accurate and readable, this book was Jerusalem to Jaya by Ruth A. Tucker. While this work was considered the standard, it has been challenged and in many ways surpassed buy a new work titled Missiology: An Introduction to the Foundations, History, and Strategies of World Missions. This work by John Mark Terry, takes a different approach than Tucker did. For Terry as editor compiled a scholarly collection of articles detailing missions as a whole instead of individual biographical accounts.

Furthermore while this is a scholarly work it is very readable and can be used in teaching missions to a wide variety of ages from teenagers on up. Even more I would suggest that this work could be adapted to be a Early College text book. While there is definitely a Baptist bent to this work, it does not exclude missions efforts from other theological views. I commend this work to anyone who is serious about missions as a study to understand and apply the history and strategies of world missions up in through the modern era.

I received this book from B&H Academic free of charge for an unbisaed review, I was not required to write a positive review.

[Eric Yap · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best mission textbooks I have read.

[Craig Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The canon of Scripture has not changed, but missions changes every day.”

Though the message of missions does not change, the methods do. Because so, books on missions strategies require updating. Originally published in 1998, Missiology: An Introduction to the Foundations, History, and Strategies of World Missions (B&H) has now a second edition under the same title. This second edition reflects the changing tides in missions needs, both biblically and culturally, and the strategies developed to meet those needs in light of the changing missions culture(s).

The vast majority of content of the book has stayed the same. Almost one third of the chapters have remained untouched in both content and contributor (though I cannot tell without seeing the 1st edition if any of these chapters were revised). Almost half of the other chapters have stayed the same in content but the contributor is new. These new contributors include Christopher J. H. Wright, Eckhard Schnabel, Ed Stetzer, Benjamin Merkle, and J. D. Greear. Seven chapters from the first edition have been completely replaced (like the chapter on music and one of the chapters on education and missions) with seven new chapters. These new chapters reflect the changes in missions over the past nearly twenty years that this second edition seeks to be current on. Some of these new chapters address issues like women in missions, business and missions, and missions in China.

Designed as a textbook, I can only see this book continuing and expanding its use, especially in light of the new contributors. While there are five sections, this book has the three main components of teaching missions: theology, history, and practice. As such, this book offers a broad look at missions. It is rooted in Scripture and seeks continuity with that in its practical chapters.

As with a book like this, it is up to the teacher and reader to expand on the content of the chapters. What is said here is not the end of the discussion but rather a window into the various issues involved. With the addition of some of the new contributors this book will no doubt receive wider use across denominational and theological lines. This book would also be good for pastors seeking to strengthen their missions mindset as well as those within our churches who are heads of missions ministries.

I received this book for free from B&H for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Corey Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm actually reading this book to learn better how to reach my current cultural context in America, not overseas.