missions | Christian Library

Mission as Hermeneutic for Scriptural Interpretation

This article suggests one way to read the Bible, which would call for reading Scripture with mission work as its central goal. This should not be the only way to read the Bible, but using mission as a hermeneutic for interpreting Scripture could help us to better understand how we ought to do missions.

Reformed Mission in Southern Africa The Way Forward

This book has contributions from 24 authors on theological and practical aspects of Reformed missions. Many important and interesting topics are covered in this book. Come and see yourself!

“A Sacrifice Well Pleasing to God”: John Calvin and the Missionary Endeavors of the Church

What was John Calvin's view on missions? For John Calvin, mission work is rooted in understanding the victorious advance of Christ’s kingdom, means of the extension of Christ kingdom, and motivations for extending Christ’s kingdom. Learning this from Calvin addresses the accusation that he did not have a vision for missions.

A Joint Venture Prayer, Revival and Missions Go Together – or Not at All

Prayer, missions, and revival go together. This article demonstrates this by looking at the history of missions and revival.

Acts Speaks Louder Faithful Planting of the Word always Produces Reaping, Somewhere, Sometime

What the church needs for church planting and missions, God has provided in the book of Acts. Acts records the progress of the Word, and this article shows how this progress happened and what it means for the church today.

William Carey: The Morning Star of Modern Missions

This article presents an overview of the life of William Carey, the so-called father of modern missions.

What Does Mission Look Like in the Suburbs?

What does it mean to do mission work in suburbs? While suburbs may pose a challenge to missions, this article identifies the needs common to suburbs and shows how these needs can be addressed in order to reach those in suburbs.

Maintenance or Mission?

What does it mean to be a missional church? This article defines first what is it to be missional, and then the challenges facing the church. Based on Colossians 4:2-6, 1 Peter 2:9-11, and 1 Peter 3:13-16, it gives principles for missions, and characteristics of a missional church.

Acts 13:1-4 – Missionaries Sent Out from Antioch

From Acts 13:1-4 this article considers the history of the church of Antioch and the model it gives to the church in doing missions.

Declaring and Demonstrating God’s Saving Rule

What should be the relationship between evangelism and social action in mission work? Should they both characterize missions? To answer these questions this article looks at different views on this issue. It discusses the relationship between the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, and the call to the church to seek justice.

Calvinism and Missions: Irresistible Grace

This article shows that the only hope for missions and evangelism lies in grasping the truth God’s grace is always effectual. It shows that irresistible grace was the motive for Reformers to be involved in missions and evangelism, and so it must be for the church today.

Buying Missions

How the church thinks about the relationship between money and doing mission work is essential in protecting the church from falling in the trap of buying missions. This article gives three scenarios in which the church can buy missions while thinking that it is doing mission work.

To the Ends of the Earth – "For God So Loved the World": John Calvin's Missional Exegesis

In this chapter Haykin reveals John Calvin's approach to Scripture and theology that was clearly pro-missions and pro-evangelism. While Calvin was concerned more directly with purifying the church than initiating a worldwide missions movement, his interpretation of the Bible was consistent with a free proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of the lost.

Seeds of Missiology in the German Erweckung (1815–1848)

It is the contention of this article that seeds of a missiology emerged early in the nineteenth century in Germany. This was necessitated by the vitality of the religious awakening known as the Erweckung. The purpose of this article is to set forth some of the impulses that led at a later date to the systematization of mission theory.

God's Love Compels Us – The Biblical Basis for Missions: Treasure in Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:1-12)

Carson wants to get at the biblical basis for missions. The manner in which he does it is to focus on a specific passage: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12.

How We Live for Missions

Every Christian plays a role in God's agenda; hence, Christians have a role to play in missions. A Christian is part of the restorative work of God, which is a form of mission work. Let this article explain.

Understanding the Times

This article shows how contextualization affects the way the church does evangelism and missions, and it calls for an alternative way to communicate Christ to the culture.

Missions: Understanding Our Times

It has been said that the church is faced with the giants of postmodernism, relativism, hedonism, and consumerism. How can you speak about Christ as Lord in times as ours? This article offers some ways of speaking about Christ as Lord with a sense of understanding the times we live in. Contextualization is not out of the picture if used with caution in missions.

The Missionary God of the Old Testament

Missions is not rooted in the Great Commission. The Great Commission is the fulfilment of what God promised already in the Old Testament. The missionary God is seen in that he is the Creator, he wanted to reach all nations through Israel, and the promised Messiah was for the whole world.

Short-Term Missions as a Spiritual Exercise

Short-term mission work for Christians should be a cross-bearing exercise. If the cross of Christ is excluded, then short-term missions becomes a secular exercise. This article shows how to apply biblical spirituality in short-term missions, in order that people might experience the power of the cross.

Biblical and Confessional View of Missions

This article is on mission work. The author discusses the church as the agent of missions. Preaching is central to the advancement of mission work, and every member of the congregation has a responsibility for missions. The author looks at this topic through the lens of the biblical and confessional position.

The Mission Labors of John Calvin

It is sometimes said that the doctrine of election eliminates the need for mission work. Is this true? John Calvin would rather say that the doctrine of election is the motivation for missions. The hope of mission work is found in the fact that God elects. This article demonstrates this truth from Calvin's life and mission work.

The Task of Missions

This article is about the church's task in missions. The teaching task of the church, missions and church membership, and missions and discipleship is also discussed in this article.

The Objects of Missions

In this article on the object of missions, the author looks at the restrictions and exclusions in our mission work, and the focus of missions. Matthew 28:16-20 is also discussed.

Jonah 3:10-4:1 – Stretch Your Mind, Jonah!

This article on Jonah 3:10-Jonah 4:1 is about the mission of Jonah, and missions and the love of God.

Preparing for Missionary Service

This article is about the calling for a missionary service. Missions and preaching and the preparation for missions is also discussed.

Who Manages Missions?

In this article about the management of missions, matters such as financial support of missions, strategy and methods of missions, and mission committees are discussed. This article is also about missions and the local church, and the sending church of a missionary.

Prayer and Missions

This article is about the importance of prayer for missions. It shows the characteristics of these prayers, and how these prayers are part of the spiritual struggle and warfare of the Christian.

Confronting the Roaring Lion

This article is about Satan's opposition of missions.

Defining Missions Theocentrically

This article is about the God-centredness of missions.

Proselytism or Evangelism?

This article is about an unethical kind of evangelism and missions.

Why Missionaries?

This article is about the motives for missionaries and missions.

Reformation and Mission

This article looks at Martin Luther, John Calvin and Martin Bucer's view and work in missions.

Christian Missions to Islam and Western Culture

This article is about missions to Islam, Islam and the Western culture, the danger of secularism in missions.

John Calvin the Evangelist

This is about John Calvin's heart for missions and his work in church planting.

(New one added on CL) Johan Herman Bavinck

This article is about Johan Herman Bavinck, the man who wrote and studied extensively on missions.

Mission Themes in the Belgic Confession

Are there any mission themes in the creeds? This article looks at the Belgic confession and missions.

Mission Themes in the Heidelberg Catechism

Is it true that the confessions says nothing about missions? This article looks at mission in the Heidelberg Catechism.

Calvin's Missionary Thought and Practice

This article is about John Calvin and missions.

If You Catch 'em, You Clean 'em

This article is about disciple-making in missions and the task of the church in discipleship training.

Hype

This article is about hype in missions, the sober forecasts of Jesus Christ and his calling in missions.

Missions is More than Money: Criteria for Supporting Missions in the Local Church

This article is about the criteria for supporting missions in the local church. The author also discusses money in missions, support from the churches, short term missions and tear jerker missions.

Local Church Evangelism

This article is about the local church as evangelism agent. The author first looks at church, world and missions, then at four mission principles for the local church.

Reading Christ's Thoughts Re Islam

This article is about Christ gathering his people among the Muslims. How do we have to look at missions among the Islam?

Doing Theology from a Missionary Perspective

This article looks at the missionary context and the importance of theology in missions.

A Humble effort to Promote Local Evangelism - What Changes are Needed?

This article is about the local church and missions. This article looks at the missionary, but also at the witness of the normal Christian.

A Plea for Fishing

What is the essence of missions and evangelism? This article is about inactivity in missions and evangelism.

Para-church Missions: Six pointed Concerns

This article is about the relation of church and missions. The author discusses the idea of para-church missions (organizations for missions).

John Calvin and Missions

This article is about John Calvin's view of missions and mission methods.

This Culture is Overrated

This article is about the purpose of preaching, and about the relation of preaching and culture. It is also relevant for missions and preaching.

The missionary challenge

This article is about missions and the compassion for the lost, commitment towards the missionary task, the self-denial of the missionary, and the culture aspect of missions.