A Time for Mission: The Challenge for Global Christianity

by Samuel Escobar

Mission is the responsibility of a global church. The heart of "mission" is the drive to cross geographical, cultural and social barriers in order to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all peoples. Drawing on his involvement in missionary work over many years, Samuel Escobar explores how the church spreads the Christian faith. God's word forms the foundation for his reflections, while he uses insights from theological and historical studies as well as from the social sciences to gain a clearer understanding of the church's missionary calling. His stimulating and challenging analysis contributes significantly to a global evangelical dialogue on mission today and in the future. SAMUEL ESCOBAR, a native of Peru and a leading Latin American theologian, was one of the key participants in the International Congress on World Evangelization at Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974. He is Professor Emeritus of Missiology at Palmer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, USA and teaches Contemporary Theology at Facultad Protestante de Teologia UEBE in Madrid, Spain. He has previously served as president of the United Bible Societies and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. The Langham Global Library provides inter-cultural exposition and application of the Christian faith, within the framework of the Cape Town Commitment, by authors from the international evangelical community.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, School, Faith

164 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2003

About the author

J. Samuel Escobar Aguirre was a Peruvian evangelical theologian, missiologist, educator, and author, known for his influential role in shaping Latin American evangelical theology and global evangelical engagement with social justice. A founding leader of the Latin American Theological Fellowship (Spanish: Fraternidad Teológica Latinoamericana), Escobar was widely recognized as a key architect of contextual theology in Latin America and a vocal advocate for integrating evangelical faith with sociopolitical responsibility.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samuel Escobar's book is really an introduction to global missions. He writes about the growth of the church in the global south in the 20th century (chapter 1) before giving a brief overview of the history of mission (chapter 2). The third chapter focuses on globalization and how this has changed, and is changing, missions. He emphasizes the importance of contextualization and translation - bringing the message to a specific culture and how it then transforms the culture. At the same time there is always the danger that along with the message of the gospel will come non-biblical aspects of the sending culture. Differentiating the two is vital. This carries over into the next chapter on the postmodern and post-Christian world.

After this Escobar turns a corner into more of a biblical study of mission looking at the Christian belief in a missionary God (chapter 5), Christ as God's best missionary (chapter 6), the role of the Holy Spirit (chapter 7), and the reading of scripture in mission (chapter 8). Here again he looks at the role the Bible has played in transforming culture, especially when it is given a fresh reading by the new Christians in those cultures. Finally, chapter nine emphasizes the importance of both service and proclamation in missions and chapter ten sums up many of the themes by looking forward to a future of missions which is, as the subtitle of the book states, from everywhere to everyone.

Escobar's book is a wonderful read and should be added to the reading list of those interested in global missions. I appreciated this book because Escobar has worked around the globe as a missionary and he has been in the evangelical discussion of mission for decades. This means he does not just write as an academic, dispassionate observer, but as someone with a passion for Jesus Christ. Highly recommended.

[Greg Devarno · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is honestly a very poorly written book. I am astounded at those who found it to be relevant or interesting. I was determined to give Escobar the benefit of the doubt that it would improve, but I was let down. Page after page I was left with no real sense of any meaning on most pages and very little organization or outline to the book. Maybe I have some growing and learning to do before I am ready to receive this book; I don't know. It's not a page turner by any means.

[Glenn Wishnew III · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful, but quite slow and difficult to get through.

[Porter Sprigg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meaningful, cohesive, and Spirit-focused.

[Chris McLain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escobar has a helpful historical perspective for those, like me, who are being introduced to missiology. His is a powerful and revolutionary perspective for most in the traditional Protestant American church context to consider and be challenged by.

[Ashley]

I'm drowning in the very academic, dry text. I'm sure it says good things, but I just can't wade through it. Abandon ship!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. Worth every single penny.

[Fidel Chapa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book.

[Stan Rea · Rating 4 out of 5]

DTL reading

[Tyler Timmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of the history of mission covering the strengths and weaknesses of different era's of mission and how we should look toward the future of missions

[April Thrush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me realize how I think it is important to join a mission organization that has a global perspective. I like that it gives you insights to think outside of the Western mindset. It shows you there is more to missions than what the western world sends out. I think I will try to find a missions organization such as OM that is broader in perspective and has many countries represented.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels a bit dated at this point, but impressive for having been written in 2003. Seminal text, as I understand it, within missiology literature.

[Sydney Bane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars…review coming but also maybe not bc I have to write a report on this one for class haha

[Elizabeth]

*Para recordar* No leí este libro. Leí Evangelizar Hoy, pero al no encontrarlo en la app, añadí este de Samuel Escobar.

[Victoria Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! Gives a forward glance of Christian Missions and is written in a way that is easy to digest.

[Kevin Casto · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye opening book on the global world of Christian missions.

[Bani]

Encontrar una buena base bíblica sobre las misiones.

[Pearlie Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The new global m

I love this book, it give open eye understanding of world mission works which I didn't fully understand until I've taken prelude to bibical theology studies.

[Pastor Bob]

challenging