Developing a Strategy for Missions

A Biblical, Historical, and Cultural Introduction

J. D. Payne (Author), John Mark Terry (Author) Part of Encountering Mission Series Release Date: 9/15/13

Overview

In this addition to the highly acclaimed Encountering Mission series, two leading missionary scholars offer an up-to-date discussion of missionary strategy that is designed for a global audience. The authors focus on the biblical, missiological, historical, cultural, and practical issues that inform and guide the development of an effective missions strategy. The book includes all the features that have made other series volumes useful classroom tools, such as figures, sidebars, and case studies. Students of global or domestic mission work and mission practitioners will value this new resource.

Contents
1. Strategy Defined
2. The Crafting of Mission Strategy
3. Contemporary Objections to Missionary Strategy
4. Strategic Planning in Biblical Perspective
5. Missiological Principles for Strategy Development
6. The Apostle Paul's Missionary Strategy
7. Missions Strategy in the Early Church
8. Roman Catholic Strategy
9. Pioneer Protestant Strategies
10. Faith Missions Strategy
11. Mission Strategies on the American Frontier
12. The Indigenous Mission Strategy
13. The Church Growth Movement
14. Frontier Strategies
15. Contextualization Strategies
16. Understanding Cultural Research
17. Developing a People-Group Profile
18. Developing a Communication Strategy
19. Discerning Receptivity
20. Discerning Need
21. Visioning for the Future
22. Forming a Team
23. Assessing the Resources
24. Setting Goals
25. Choosing Appropriate Methods
26. Execution
27. Evaluation
Appendix
Indexes

Endorsements

"Strategies and tactics are closely related, but they are by no means the same. Strategy takes priority; strategy determines tactics. As the title indicates, this is a book on mission strategy--and a very good one. Moreover, it is not simply a book on this or that phase of mission; it lays out a strategy for fulfilling the Great Commission mission. I commend it to the reading, study, and practice of missionaries and mission students, pastors and staff members, and all Christians who take the Great Commission seriously."

David J. Hesselgrave, emeritus professor of mission, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; cofounder, Evangelical Missiological Society

"Some people are theoreticians, while others are practitioners. Some think, others do. In this remarkable piece, we see a unique blend of both. The authors are thinking-doers, much like our missiological predecessor the apostle Paul, and their work here is strategically important. Anyone of any generation interested in seeing local churches and mission movements advance for Christ's sake should read this book and apply its insights."

Keith Eitel, dean, Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

"John Mark Terry and J. D. Payne demonstrate how to develop strategies to reach people groups for Christ by first providing a historic panorama of the last two thousand years of missions strategy before moving to practical guidelines for strategizing in contemporary contexts. This stimulating project provides a comprehensive work of case studies and procedures for serving God in both the majority world and the West."

Robert L. Gallagher, Wheaton College Graduate School

Authors

J. D. Payne

J. D. Payne (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of Christian ministry at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He has published thirteen books in the area of mission and evangelism and pastored churches for nineteen years. Payne hosts the Strike the Match podcast and writes frequently at www.jdpayne.org.

John Mark Terry