Mission In The Spirit

Over the past decade, there have been few forums in which the controversial subject of this book could be openly discussed. During the 1994 and 1996 annual conferences of the Evangelical Missiological Society this subject was a central topic of discourse. These ten chapters represent an attempt to reflect the concerns and present understanding of evangelical missiologists on the Holy Spirit and mission dynamics.

"Flying across Iraq in a stolen helicopter, Army Lieutenant Colonel Sam Avery knows that tonight will be his last mission. He and his crew will either be shot down by ISIS, or court-martialed when they return. Sam doesn't care. He can't care--there is too much at stake"--

Joining in with the Spirit makes the connection between mission as the work of mission agencies overseas and mission as the activity of a local church. It shows how, through the global flows of scholarship, missionary movements and migration, mission initiatives in different parts of the world impinge on the churches in Britain, which are but part of a world church. Joining in with the Spirit is an accessible introduction to mission studies - the history, theology and issues of mission, which is up-to-date and supported by contemporary scholarship. It also offers a theological framework for mission, which applies both globally and locally, to help the reader discern the movement of the Spirit of Christ among the many other spirits of this world. This text illustrates the impact of the 1910 Edinburgh world missionary conference and shows how the churches in Britain as a part of a much wider movement of the Spirit of Christ that is world Christianity.

Follows the development of missions throughout Scripture from the Early Church through to the modern church. Includes two appendixes, selected bibliography, Scriputure index, and subject index.

The church has been called to participate in God's mission in the world. But without a robust, biblical sense of the Spirit's action, how can we be sure we're fulfilling that call? In this innovative work of missional pneumatology, Gary Tyra synthesizes charismatic and evangelical perspectives to flesh out the nature and purpose of the church's preaching, proclamation and service.

Part one of the book assesses past theologies, drawing both on scholarly research and the thinking of key church leaders such as John Wimber, who have influenced the Anglican charismatic movement in Britain. Part two addresses different issues that need considering in a holistic theology of mission, including the holistic content, experiential nature, contextual grounding, community focus and spirituality for mission. Spirit-Shaped Mission develops a framework for understanding the 'mission of the Spirit' that contributes to Pentecostal, evangelical and ecumenical thinking on the subject.