Southwestern Journal of Theology
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 62, No. 1 – Fall 2019
Managing Editor: W. Madison Grace II
Edited by Scott N. Callaham and Will Brooks. Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2019. 378 pages. Paperback, $24.99
Scott Callaham and Will Brooks bring together an excellent collection of biblical scholars, theologians, and missiologists with years of cross-cultural missions experience. They aim to place “every aspect of the missional task under the authority … of biblical teaching” (xi). The book has three sections—Theology and World Mission, World Mission Strategy, and Current Issues in World Mission. The first section has three chapters that focus on biblical theology. The second section has four chapters that focus on aspects of Matthew 28:19–20. The last section has four chapters that focus on language, exegetical method, orality, and missionary practice.
The first chapter sets the tone for what follows. Callaham rightly suggests that the “biblical ethos [for missions] stems from biblical theology, such that the content, themes, and story line of the Bible determine everything else” (3). He presents an Old Testament theology of mission that builds on the themes of creation, election, judgment, and new creation. Callaham helpfully shows how accurate biblical theology can shape mission strategy.
Wendel Sun writes the next two chapters. Sun first presents a New Testament theology of mission and then presents a whole Bible perspective. After addressing how Jesus fulfills many Old Testament ideas, Sun argues that the church’s ministry comes through union with Christ. Thus, the church’s mission comes through participation in his mission. Sun follows a progressive covenantal framework, showing how Jesus fulfills the covenants. He rightly states that “all missional activity must be understood within the creational framework” (75). This creational framework also offers fertile connections to wisdom literature, which is largely absent in the chapter.
In the fourth chapter, Stephen Wright analyzes the phrase “make disciples.” He first analyzes discipleship in Matthew before considering the other gospels, Acts, and the larger biblical canon. He shows how biblical discipleship entails adherence to a teacher and implies obedience (129). His research shows the necessity of both teaching and modeling in biblical discipleship.
In the following chapter, Jarvis Williams and Trey Moss address the phrase “all nations.” Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, certain missiologists interpreted the phrase anthropologically. In response, it became common to interpret the phrase as a reference to ethno-linguistic people groups. This interpretation had a lasting effect on missions strategy as it shifted its focus to unreached ethno-linguistic people groups. Williams and Moss argue that the phrase simply means “non-Jews in general” (135). They contend that missions should focus on all people in every place.
In the sixth chapter, John Massey and Callaham consider the role of baptism in the missionary task. They maintain that believer’s baptism by immersion in the Triune name of God best accords with Matthew 28:19. They also show the importance of baptism to the life of the church and how insider movements distort biblical teaching on baptism. The richness of this chapter highlights what missiologists miss when they ignore baptism’s importance in the task.
In the following chapter, Brooks and Sunny Tan claim that theological education remains essential to the missionary task. Missionaries must equip “local leadership to implement biblical forms of preaching, giving, worship, leadership, fellowship, prayer, and of course evangelism and missions” (179). Matthew 28:20 gives purpose to theological education in its result of obedience to Jesus (196–97). The authors persuade that in-depth theological education best trains indigenous leaders to interpret the biblical text on their own and removes a long-term need for missionary guidance.
In chapter eight, Callaham highlights the necessity of knowing biblical and host-nation languages. Callaham suggests that if the “missionary message is the word of God,” then missionaries must strive diligently in linguistic study (212). Callaham offers many practical suggestions in the chapter, emphasizing time and again the role of the Spirit in language acquisition and cross-cultural communication.
In the following chapter, Brooks shows the value of historical-grammatical exegesis in cross-cultural settings. Missiologists have too often encouraged reader-centric models of interpretation, but Brooks convincingly argues that an author-oriented model still provides the best method to validate interpretive accuracy and remove Western bias.
In the tenth chapter, Jackson Wu suggests narrative theology as a means for oral cultures to receive biblical theology. For Wu, the Bible’s narrative framework arises from Israel’s story. Wu goes as far as to state that “Israel’s story … is the inherent story of the Bible” (283). According to Wu, missionary materials should be developed within this narrative framework to faithfully reflect the biblical story and offer a format accessible to oral learners.
In the final chapter, Brooks shows the apostolic and pastoral aspects of Paul’s ministry as a model for missionaries today. Paul risked everything to bring the gospel to peoples and places that did not have it. He started churches, but was “concerned, not just for the existence of churches, but also for the health of those churches” (308). He labored in teaching them, following up with them after he left through repeated visits and letters, and sending other teachers and elders to lead them.
There are few negative things to say about this collection. One critique is the occasional indirect citation. As an example, Brooks references Sydney Greidanus to claim that Chrysostom held to grammatical-historical exegesis (243n12). A second critique arises from an occasional overemphasis on the narrative of Scripture. A common critique against such a framework is that it does not incorporate the frequent non-narrative portions of Scripture well. Alternatively, the work may have profited by using the thematic categories in Callaham’s initial chapter as a framework. These negatives are minimal and should not distract from the importance of this work.
As someone who has served in cross-cultural contexts for several years, I agree that this book addresses actual needs on the field. Pragmatism too often directs missionary practice. Missiologists may reference a biblical foundation, but rarely let the Bible shape their strategy and practice. The authors succeed in their aims. The work is scholarly, yet practical. I expect it to become a standard text for universities, seminaries, and missionary training centers for years to come.
