Mission from the Cross

by Klaus Detlev Schulz

The author of this book exemplifies the global reach of the Christian faith. Dr Schulz is a German, a South African, an experienced African missionary, who currently teaches pastors and missionaries in the United States. He has written a book that is both informative and inspiring, one that brings all Christians, including us laypeople, into the missionary enterprise. -Dr. Gene Edward Veith If The Spirituality of the Cross by Dr. Veith has enriched your faith, Mission from the Cross: Lay Reader's Edition by Dr. Schulz will do the same. This book will provide a contemporary look at mission, including crucial topics such as cultural anthropology, communication styles and linguistics, strategic and ecumenical issues, and much more related to what mission is and how mission is accomplished. The lay reader edition is more user-friendly and readable than its academic counterpart. Author Klaus Detlev Schulz, chairman of the Department of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary, gathers into one place the history, terminology, guiding principles, goals, key topics, ethics, and so much more related to mission. He interacts with key players in the modern mission scene and offers a readable analysis of past efforts and current initiatives in the Christian community. He encourages readers to realize that mission is not simply going to a foreign country but occurs in numerous ways in our immediate daily situations.

Genres: Theology, Christian

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2009

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz, the Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions and the Director of Ph.D. in Missiology Program at Concordia Theological Seminary, gives a comprehensive overview of the Lutheran Theology of Mission.

He begins with an overview of mission with a contrast of how it has changed in the postmodern world. The Lutheran definition is grounded in the context of the church with the goal of repentance and the forgiveness of sins as won on the cross by Jesus Christ. The postmodern world has impacted the Protestant church to the extent that it focuses more on social justice in the face of oppression. Schulz contends that the mission is not to save the world but to save the sinner from the fallen world.

He locates the power to accomplish these things comes solely from the Triune God who creates, redeems, and sanctifies extra nos. Included in this theology is the importance that God not only creates but also, He preserves the world, and likewise He creates and preserves spiritual life. The means to do both is the powerful working of the Word of God. This is the means that God gives for missions.

Therefore, the mission should also be driven by, centered around, and flow from the Word of God, not works. Often works obfuscate the mission and cause more harm by creating an idol. The church should not look for or be driven by works, but they flow out of the working of the preached Word, and it calls sinners to repentance and service to neighbor.

The goal of mission work should always be to raise up indigenous churches that are modeled after the three selfs and proposed by Henry Venn and Rufus Anderson.

In all points above, he articulates the errors of other approaches and methods from a doctrinal defense grounded in Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

[Lydia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could probably write a 1000-word review of this book, but it's not worth the effort. Bottom line: this book got a big eye roll and an emphatic "sheesh" out of me. And I'm a missionary. Maybe someday the LCMS will get it. Today is not that day, apparently.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me awhile to get through but had several good thoughts and ideas.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed the book and learned a better way of missions. Unfortunately, I took so long to read the book, some has been forgotten already.