For All Peoples: A Biblical Theology of Missions in the Gospels and Acts

Today, Christian missions is in the blessed state of utter confusion!

The claim "evangelization of the world in our generation"

represented the "holy confidence" of the Edinburgh Missionary

Conference (1910) among the western mission leaders. This

"confidence" may have been confused with the western political or

colonial power. Ironically, as the colonial system broke down, global

Christianity shifted radically and grew exponentially. With almost

two-thirds of world Christians now living in the three southern

continents, and their immigrant communities bringing new energy to

the waning churches in the North, a large space has opened up for

creative rethinking of Christian witnessing. Hence, the rethinking and

revisioning process of mission urges us all to go back to the Scripture

afresh, devoid of any cultural lenses but listening to the Holy Spirit.

Given this unique locus of today's church, this book takes us back

to the foundational teachings of Jesus on missions: the Great

Commission (Gospel of Matthew) and the Messianic Commission

(Gospel of John). Although these two passages are "universal" in

grounding Christian mission, Professor Keener wants to assure that the

role of the Holy Spirit is central to Christian living and acting as God's

witnesses. The chapter on Pentecost is an important contribution not

only to Pentecostals in missions but the entire Christian church. The

growth of Pentecostal Christianity, which has fueled the radical shift

in and expansion of the global church, will find that this chapter serves

as the firm foundation for Spirit-empowered witnessing. The last

chapter presents the fundamental and equally challenging feature of

global missions: crossing barriers. This drive to embrace diversity and

desire for unity appears counter-intuitive and even counter-norm. This seeming contradiction can take place only when Christ's followers

invite the work of the Holy Spirit into their life! At the end of this rather

short reading, one is left with a deep sense that we have been

commissioned to live, work, and proclaim in this world as Christ's

witnesses through the power of the Holy Spirit. Implicitly,

-Foreword by: Wonsuk Ma