For churches and church leaders
Biblical Framework. Global Insights. Faithful Application.
––– for any context
WHY WE EXIST
Missionaries inevitably confront suffering on the field. But the Book of Job answers the problem of suffering: True comfort comes only from faith in a wise and caring God who will ultimately overcome sin and death. Although mercy ministry has its place, the church’s deepest hope for the suffering lies in the gospel of reconciliation through Christ.
In the present age, Satan’s kingdom actively works to disciple students toward its own ends. Discipling university students in a biblical worldview is therefore urgent missionary work. See how Antioch Bible Church in Johannesburg actively disciples students by displaying Christ’s lordship in every sphere of life.
Students have been a driving force in modern missions. Christian institutions of higher education can promote their student’s engagement in cross-cultural ministry by instilling a vision of their vocation as an opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission, preparing graduates to advance God’s kingdom worldwide through their careers.
What happens when Scripture is affirmed but not treated as the final and sufficient authority? Miguel Nuñez examines how rationalism, animism, mysticism, and religious tradition shape attitudes toward God’s revelation and authority. In the global South, divine revelation is often supplemented by dreams, visions, and messages from false apostles, producing syncretism and undermining Scripture. Núñez calls for the global South to commit to theological training, expository preaching, and sola Scriptura as the solution to this problem.
Jesus’s Great Commission centers upon making disciples of all peoples, which means baptizing new disciples from those peoples and teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded. Given the fundamental role of baptism in the Great Commission, whatever role that missionaries or missionary support personnel may carry out in the church’s Great Commission obedience—church planter, theological educator, Bible translator, aviator, etc.—they must thoroughly understand biblical teaching on baptism.
This two-article series anchors missions firmly in Scripture in order to deal rightly with the crucial topic of baptism. The scriptural anchor for missions must hold fast amidst a storm of conflicting denominational doctrines, missionary organization policies, and pragmatic considerations. Confusion and discord among new churches on the mission field is the inevitable result of paying primary attention to powerful but quite-fallible influences such as these rather than the Bible. Thus, this first article attempts to dispel confusion by applying the infallible Word of God, interpreted accurately, to baptism. Baptism is a fundamental element of the Great Commission: not the sign of the new covenant, but a sign of faith in Christ. With this crucial biblical foundation in place, the second article will then develop a practical biblical theology of baptism to put into action as the church obeys Jesus’s Great Commission.
[Insert Key Quote from TextBook; something inspiring]
In this conversation, Chris Burnett speaks with Scott Callaham about the biblical foundations of the Great Commission as presented in the Biblical Missions textbook. Their discussion centers on Christ’s authority, disciple-making, and the necessity of grounding missions in the proclamation of Scripture, baptism, and teaching within the local church.
Scott Callaham is a U.S. Navy Chaplain, host of the Daily Dose of Aramaic podcast, a composer of Chinese worship music, and a former missionary in Singapore.
Dr. David Doran serves as the Senior Pastor of Inter-City Baptist Church in Michigan and as the President of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. In the following video, Dr. Doran joins Dr. Mark Tatlock (President, The Master’s Academy International) in a discussion about the chapter he contributed to our new Biblical Missions textbook.
Rodney grew up at Grace Community Church and began serving in youth ministry after completing high school. After several years in engineering, Rodney was called to pursue missionary service. In 2012, Grace Church sent him and his family to China as missionaries until 2018 when he was called to return to Grace Church to train new missionaries. Rodney is now director of Grace Ministries International and co-pastor of the Mainstream fellowship group. Rodney and his wife, Glenna, have two children.
Rodney grew up at Grace Community Church and began serving in youth ministry after completing high school. After several years in engineering, Rodney was called to pursue missionary service. In 2012, Grace Church sent him and his family to China as missionaries until 2018 when he was called to return to Grace Church to train new missionaries. Rodney is now director of Grace Ministries International and co-pastor of the Mainstream fellowship group. Rodney and his wife, Glenna, have two children.