Foundations: Core Missiological Concepts, Key Mission Terms, The Missionary Task

by International Mission Board

IMB Foundations... will help your church see how God’s Word affirms your role in his global purpose and informs your missions practices. Learn how Ten Core Missiological Convictions, Six Marks of a Disciple, and Twelve Characteristics of a Healthy Church guide how IMB aims to fulfill the missionary task. Then consider how these foundational values can help us work together to take the gospel to every nation.

147 pages, ebook

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Kaitlyn Pindak · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 🌟 2nd read

Rereading 2nd time with IMB Foundations Companion Guide 5/30-6/6/2024 for Topics in Missions: Biblical Counseling in Missions with Jeff Neimeyer

This was helpful in understanding how the leadership of the IMB is seeking to continue to be faithful to the Lord to do missions according to his Word as well as understand more of the history of the IMB.

5/5 🌟 1st read

1st read: 1/25/2023 for Intro to Missiology with Zane Pratt

[C.J. Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for Southern Baptists who want to know more about the missiological strategies of the IMB and the churches the IMB seeks to plant overseas.

[Adam Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised, good stuff.

[Cole Shiflet · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really interesting to see Platt's influence on this document from the IMB. My biggest question mark is over the section on C4 contextualization under Healthy Church Formation. The example of celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th is intentionally not controversial, but many of the practices associated with C4 contextualization are highly controversial in missiology because of the concerns over syncretism. This section seems disjointed from the rest of the paragraph and appears to be an addition not featured in earlier versions.

Here's the excerpt:

We are cautiously comfortable with C4 contextualization in which elements of the local religious culture are incorporated into church practice with new Christian content (such as celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25). Because all practices carry their own cultural and emotional baggage, we urge caution in C4 efforts, and we urge that the thoughts and feelings of local converts from the majority religion be taken fully into account in adopting such practices.

[Nickolas Wingholt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of what the IMB is (currently) committed to stick to and strive towards. It won't go into a ton of missiological detail, but Foundations provides a strong framework that many modern problematic missions movements that emphasize rapid growth and underdeveloped ecclesiology will have a hard time sticking to. I think that's a good thing - it paves the way for healthy, vibrant, long lasting churches in global missions that will proclaim the gospel until he comes. 1st-time read. 4/5.

[Pig Rieke · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those who haven’t read this, IMB’s Foundations is more akin to a long treaty on the gospel, church, and missions than a book. Thus, it reads as more of a this is what we believe and do, rather than an arguments for anything specifically. The book generates a skeletal background for the body that is the IMB without engaging in the details of putting flesh on the bones. This stated, the booklet’s content is all excellent and worth someone’s time if considering or involved in missions.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An explanatory work all about the International Missions Board (IMB). There was a lot of information here and when I finished it, I wondered what it all had to do with the IMB. It read more like a magazine than a book, and there honestly wasn't much information about the actual IMB itself.

[Brandon Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

So great. Biblical missions is simple. Biblical missions is not easy. This foundation is clearly built on scripture and leaves flexibility for contextualization and creativity where the Word is not prescriptive.