Peoples and Places
How Geography Impacts Missions Strategy
by Matthew Hirt
Foreword by Daniel L. Akin
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
Jesus's final command to his disciples was to make disciples of all nations. But who are the nations? How do we know we are being obedient to the task? Do our current lists of ethnolinguistic people groups sufficiently answer the question? For the last fifty years, missiologists and missionaries have discussed this topic, but much of the conversation has been focused on definitions that give little attention to biblical theology. When we explore how the Bible describes "the nations," we find some other categories that have been overlooked, forgotten, or set aside in the development of missions strategy. Geography is one of these categories. However, this is not simply bringing current geo-political entities back into our missions strategy. Instead, Matthew Hirt is calling on missiologists, missions researchers, and missionaries on the field to discover how people groups identify their own geographies and, in turn, how that geography contributes to a people group's identity.
Matthew Hirt has a PhD from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is missionary faculty at The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomosho, Nigeria. He is a contributing author and assistant editor of Generational Disciple Making.
“‘Place’ and ‘geography’ are trendy topics these days. How important, then, that when we reflect on these matters, we are guided not by the zeitgeist but by careful biblical reflection. Matthew Hirt’s fine new book is an example of such faithful work.”
—Robert L. Plummer, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Matthew Hirt has diligently worked through biblical-exegetical, sociological, and missiological studies to clarify whether recent developments which emphasize people groups while de-emphasizing geography are justified. . . . This excellent study makes readers think, learn, reassess, adjust, and devise avenues on which to fulfill the Great Commission with greater precision, biblical fidelity, and contextual objectivity.”
—Eckhard J. Schnabel, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“Hirt has made a compelling case for the need to consider geography when understanding the meaning of people groups and developing mission strategy. Peoples and Places will reset the conversation regarding people groups, and those who ignore this work will do so at their own peril.”
—Benjamin L. Merkle, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Matthew Hirt has written a needed book that reminds us that our Great Commission calling is to reach people who live in a place. Through thorough research, he concludes that missions strategists must give attention to contextual geography when seeking to reach a people. He stretched my thinking, and I suspect he will stretch yours as well. For the sake of the nations and the next generations we send to reach them, read this book.”
—Chuck Lawless, Southeastern Seminary
“Peoples and Places displays the convergence of a keen academic mind with an insightful missionary heart. This yields a desperately needed contribution that has potential to strategically reshape missions in our time. Matthew Hirt provides extensive research to document a truly biblical/theological approach to reaching the nations, bringing clarity that strategy development and execution demands. Every missiologist and mission practitioner needs this book!”
—George G. Robinson IV, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
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