Building up the Church of Christ

Table of Contents

1. Theological Education: Theological education in southern Africa: the challenge of turning rhetoric into reality

2. Evangelism: Theological giants and the evangelistic dimension of mission

3. Apologetics: The Battle for truth in Namibia

4. Missional Theology: Globalisation and mission: what do missiologists mean when they speak of globalisation?

Objectives and Topics

This volume provides a series of missiological essays from the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS), addressing the practical and theological challenges of ministry in the southern African context. The work critically examines how foundational theological concepts—such as education, evangelism, apologetics, and globalization—are applied within the church, with the goal of ensuring that theological rhetoric translates into authentic, effective ministry that builds up the body of Christ.

• The role and challenges of theological education in equipping church leaders.
• The theological understanding of evangelism through the perspective of major 20th-century theologians.
• Defending biblical truth against modern heresies and philosophical distortions in Namibia.
• Analyzing the intersection of globalization, mission, and the church's response to these forces.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Theological education in southern Africa: the challenge of turning rhetoric into reality: This chapter addresses the gap between the stated purpose of theological institutions to serve the church and the reality of their academic focus, emphasizing practical ways to integrate ministry skills and local church engagement.

Theological giants and the evangelistic dimension of mission: This chapter evaluates the views of Barth, Bonhoeffer, Tillich, and Moltmann regarding mission and evangelism, arguing that their theological reflections often fail to adequately incorporate the full process of disciple-making as commanded in the Great Commission.

The Battle for truth in Namibia: This chapter analyzes how modern philosophical and religious movements undermine biblical truth in Namibia, warning against the abandonment of absolute truth and the rise of human-centered ideologies and prosperity gospels.

Globalisation and mission: what do missiologists mean when they speak of globalisation?: This chapter defines globalization through various schools of thought—hyperglobalists, skeptics, and transformationalists—and urges church leaders to adopt a transformationalist view to better understand the impact of migration and changing value systems on the mission of the church.

Keywords

Theological education, ministry, evangelism, mission, apologetics, biblical truth, heresies, globalization, church, discipleship, missiology, prosperity gospel, transformationalist, southern Africa, Namibia

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this book?

The book consists of missiological essays that examine the practical and theological responsibilities of the Church of Christ in the context of southern Africa and the broader modern world.

What are the main thematic fields covered?

The themes include the effectiveness of theological education, the theological underpinnings of evangelism, defensive apologetics against modern heresy, and the missiological impact of globalization on the church.

What is the core research question or objective?

The primary objective is to evaluate whether current theological practice is truly equipping Christians for ministry and to challenge the Church to ensure its actions align with biblical truth rather than current cultural or ideological trends.

Which scientific or theological methods are applied?

The authors utilize historical-theological critique, case studies, and missiological analysis to test traditional theological models against current contemporary realities and challenges.

What topics are discussed in the main body?

The body addresses the gap between theological rhetoric and practice, critiques the missiology of four 20th-century theologians, exposes the impact of false doctrines in Namibia, and provides a framework for understanding globalization from a theological perspective.

What are the key terms associated with this work?

The key terms include theological education, evangelism, apologetics, mission, globalization, heresy, discipleship, and church vitality.

How does the book address the problem of false teaching in Namibia?

It identifies various "modern heresies" and philosophical threats to biblical truth and calls upon believers to stand firm in the Word of God rather than yielding to human-centered teachings.

How does the author view the role of globalization in the church?

The author argues for a "transformationalist" view of globalization, highlighting that while it creates challenges for the church, it also presents new opportunities for understanding migration and the cross-cultural growth of the global church.