Paul's Missionary Methods: In His Time And In Ours - Softcover

The editors of this book have combined biblical and missiological scholarship that further enhances the relevance of Roland Allen's piece 'Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours?', while also moving us beyond it to the challenges of a new century. Perhaps the most salient insight rendered is the reminder that each generation should avoid simple replication of the methods Allen assessed but should resubmit to the call to ascertain whether or how our missionary actions reflect biblical patterns and then take corrective measures where needed. Correction entails constructive self-study, which is always an emotive challenge. Missionaries, globally engaged pastors, students and mission administrators should read this, mark it up, think through its implications, and do the hard work of analysis for our time. --Dr. Keith Eitel, dean of the Fish School of Evangelism and Missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

In 1912 Roland Allen, a missions researcher and former missionary to China, published his book 'Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours?' In the next one hundred years, Allen's book came to be regarded as a missiological classic. Because this year marks the centennial of the publication of 'Missionary Methods', it is fitting to revisit the book. What contributions has it made to missiology? How has Allen affected New Testament studies? Are the teachings found in his book still valid today? In what ways do our current missiological questions and concerns differ from Allen's day? These questions prompted us to undertake this volume.

We decided to divide the book into two sections: 'Paul's Message' and 'Paul's Missiology.' Robert Plummer agreed to edit the section on Paul's message. He is a rising star in New Testament studies, and the Pauline literature is his specialty. I (Mark) am proud to claim him as my student. He studied with me at both the master's and doctoral levels at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he now teaches. When he took my PhD seminar on missions strategy, he wrote the paper on the apostle Paul's strategy. Later, that seminar paper became the seed from which his dissertation grew.