Advanced Missiology draws the connections between the theory and practice of missions. Using the metaphor of a river, the book shows how theories "upstream" such as theology, education, anthropology, community development, and history have exerted an influence on missiology (and missiology, in turn, has gone back upstream to influence those disciplines). What causes these disciplines to converge in missiology is the goal of making disciples across cultures. Whereas missiologists are not always explicit about how their abstract theories actually relate to the task of making disciples across cultures, each chapter in Advanced Missiology shows how numerous theories, sub-fields, models, and strategies of missiology ultimately facilitate the Great Commission. The book argues that by using interdisciplinarity for this fundamental purpose, missiological studies will be more credible and useful.
With contributions from:
Rebecca Burnett
Leanne Dzubinski
Julie Martinez
Kenneth Nehrbass holds a PhD in Intercultural Studies from Biola University, and has taught missiology at Biola University and Belhaven University. He has authored more than sixty academic publications including books, articles, reviews, and a multi-language dictionary. He also serves with the Summer Institute of Linguistics and the Seed Company as a translation consultant and an anthropology consultant. He and his wife Mendy lived in Vanuatu for ten years with their four children, where they advised a translation of the New Testament.
“Nehrbass and company tackle multiple missiological big questions with adroitness and nuance in this ambitious text. Rather than focusing on what missiologists believe and use, they give us glimpses into how said missiologists utilized their own disciplinary frameworks as launching pads to engage God’s mission. From where I sit, this is the best available examination of ideas and practices that currently drive the discipline of evangelical missiology. . . . This is a perfect book for those who want an overarching view of contemporary missiology from an evangelical vantage.”
—Scott Moreau, Academic Dean, Wheaton College Graduate School
“Nehrbass has succeeded in writing a thorough and comprehensive volume that addresses key issues facing missiology, both historically and in the present era of change. . . . This book will be useful to all those who are learning about, or are currently engaged in, the missions enterprise.”
—Stephen A. Clark, Professor of Intercultural Studies, Moody Bible Institute
“Having been frustrated by the scarcity of textbooks in missiological research methodology during my past twenty-four years of teaching at the doctoral level, I am glad that this book can fill that void. It is an outstanding text due to its comprehensive coverage, including both historical heritage and contemporary development.”
—Enoch Wan, Director of Doctor of Missiology and EdD Programs, Western Seminary