Ambassadors of Reconciliation: God’s Mission through Missions for All
Ebook
Reconciling Practice and Theology
What does reconciliation have to do with the work of missions? In today’s conflict-ridden world, the concept of reconciliation has gained traction, and Christian missions is being rethought. The whole world cries out for holistic transformation with eternal value, and God’s people are called to be his ambassadors.
Ambassadors of Reconciliation lays the groundwork for exploring a new paradigm for missions. Divided into three parts, the book first establishes the theological foundations of reconciliation. The second part then shows how theory and practice go hand in hand. Finally, the third part uses case studies to highlight the importance of understanding brokenness, conflict, and culture for effective ministry in reconciliation.
The contributors challenge readers to consider the church’s role in God's mission and how every Christian can become an envoy of his restoration work. They emphasize the spiritual dimension of reconciliation and offer practical guidance for effectively engaging in ministry. Whether you are a missionary, pastor, or someone interested in promoting restoration in the world, this book provides valuable insights and tools for your journey.
Foreword
Dr. Tony Evans
Preface: Why Reconciliation?
Author Name
Part 1: Reconciliation Theology
Chapter 1: Reconciling All Things: Missional Competencies in a Broken World
Al Tizon
Chapter 2: Reconciliation: A Missionary Paradigm for the Twenty-First Century
Johannes Reimer
Chapter 3: Reconciliation: The Neglected Outcome of Kingdom Mission
Ken Baker
Chapter 4: So That the World Will Know: Reflections on an Evangelical Theology of Christian Others and the Missiological Priority of Christian Unity
Michael Hakmin Lee
Chapter 5: Toward a Theological Account of Christian Forgiveness in Intergenerational Communal Contexts
Kazusa Okaya
Part 2: Reconciliation Practices
Chapter 6: Reconciling Discipleship: Living as Ecclesia Wherever We Go
Manuel and Jeanette Böhm
Chapter 7: Worldview Questions in Mission Training and Praxis: The Unintended Consequences of Comfortable Oppositional Thinking
Annette R. Harrison
Chapter 8: Welcomed at God’s Table: Moving from Abstraction to Embodied Reconciliation through Hospitality
Aubry G. Smith
Chapter 9: Marked by Suffering: Discipleship, Sovereignty, and Suffering in the Gospel of Mark and in Mozambique
Alan Howell
Part 3: Reconciliation Case Studies
Chapter 10: Ethnicity, Reconciliation, and the Church in Myanmar
Arend A. C. Van Dorp
Chapter 11: Community-Based Reconciliation: A Case Study of the Sawi Peace Child Story
Dr. Yakubu Jakada
Chapter 12: Effective Discipleship for Reconciliation: Case of Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
Kwizera Emmanuel
Chapter 13: An Invitation to the Table: Stories of Mission, Reconciliation, and Food
Andrea Chang and Nelson Chang
Chapter 14: The Missional Fruit of Reconciliation: The Impact of Armenian and Turkish Reconciliation over the Armenian Genocide
James Jacob Pursley
Appendix: Resources for Next Steps
About the Editors and Contributors
God’s mission of reconciling all things to himself (2 Cor 5:19) speaks to the heart of the gospel, and therefore to us as we bear this good news of reconciliation. The need for conversations on reconciliation grows in urgency as the world around us fractures. I have been deeply challenged and inspired by this landmark publication for EMS. Bringing together diverse voices contributing to the 2022 EMS conference on reconciliation and mission, it demonstrates our growth as a society and deepening commitment to shalom and whole-life participation in the missio Dei.
Robin Harris, PhD
President, Global Ethnodoxology Network
Chair, Center for Excellence in World Arts at Dallas International University, Past president, EMS (2020–2022)
A cynical view of the world might believe that nothing is more constant than conflict, brokenness, and war. Yet the Christian hope is that God is quietly and consistently at work restoring and reconciling the world to himself through Jesus and his Spirit. I’m glad to see this timely set of theological, practical, and contextual reflections on the centrality of reconciliation and peacemaking in Gospel work. My prayer is that it will serve as a catalyst to the Christian imagination of what our communities and our world might look like if only we truly believed, and lived, as if this Christian hope is true.
David Guretzki, PhD
President and Resident Theologian, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
In today’s reality, there is an expanding need for a comprehensive book on the theology and practice of reconciliation. Therefore, by integrating theology, practice, and case studies of reconciliation in this book, the authors reinvigorate the centrality of reconciliation in the Bible. I applaud the authors’ insights when researching the complex theme of theology of reconciliation, yet the book misses some non-Western reflections. Moreover, much progress and insights have been made in social psychology on reconciliation work, which must be reflected in the book. Besides the academic rigor presented by the authors in most of the chapters, I would recommend ensuring the case studies’ methodology corresponds with existing academic standards.
Salim J. Munayer, PhD
Senior Consultant, Musalaha–A Vision of Reconciliation
Because Jesus is “our peace” who has broken down the “dividing wall of hostility” (Eph 2:14), part of the church’s call to mission is to pursue reconciliation. In this timely volume, the authors explore the theological foundations of mission as reconciliation and then bring it to the street level of mission with contemporary case studies. This book will be a great resource for churches striving to engage their communities with the gospel and for mission organizations and missionaries laboring to make disciples of all nations.
Edward L. Smither, PhD
Academic Dean and Professor of Intercultural Studies & History of Global Christianity, Columbia International University
One of the most powerful dimensions of the gospel is our reconciliation with God through Christ that makes possible reconciliation with one another. This collection of essays provides both biblical foundations and practical case studies as a welcome primer on the subject. In a world of such deep divisions politically, racially, ethnically, and domestically, we urgently need the kind of insight that is found in Ambassadors of Reconciliation.
Craig Ott, PhD
Professor of Mission and Intercultural Studies, Trinity International University
The authors of this compendium argue persuasively and passionately from Scripture that holistic kingdom mission must include reconciliation. Blending theology, practice, and case studies, their invitations to restoring broken relationships include examples from multiple continents and contexts. This volume offers a timely appeal in our divided world.
David W. Bennett, DMin, PhD
Global Associate Director and Congress Director, Seoul 2024, Lausanne Movement
Ambassadors of Reconciliation is an inspired vision to reframe mission as reconciliation with God and our neighbor in all the dimensions where sin has divided and defiled us. This compendium is a comprehensive treatment of the subject—from the broadest biblical underpinnings to its practical expressions through reconciling disciples. In our war torn, justice thirsty world this volume offers a path forward. The Suffering Servant Sovereign King sends us as his incarnational ambassadors of reconciliation, with the humility and awareness that we have much work to do.
Randy Friesen
VP for Leadership Development, Global Disciples
How refreshing to read this collection of articles addressing the brokenness of our world with a message of hope! Seeing reconciliation as part of our shared calling motivates these writers to reflect theologically, identify practices of reconciliation, and offer case studies for consideration. People, created in God’s image and likeness, and their interactions lie at the heart of these articles. Jesus calls us to be peacemakers (Matt 5:9), and Paul says the church has been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5; Eph 2). Peacemaking and reconciliation offer an attractive paradigm for mission in the world today.
Jonathan Bornman, PhD
EMM Christian-Muslim Relations Team
This magnificent collection of theology, praxis, and real examples rekindles our imagination for how good the good news really is and how great the great commission of Jesus must be. In a world fractured and fragmented by sin, the global voices of the contributors create a compelling chorus. Get this book to be challenged to embrace and pursue with deeper consideration and renewed vigor the reconciling mission of God.
Walter Kim
President, National Association of Evangelicals
Peace and reconciliation cannot be understood without an understanding of the mission. This book is a great help in understanding the mission for peace and reconciliation that is most needed in today’s world. It is important because it encompasses a theological perspective and practical practices of mission, peace, and reconciliation.
Thir Koirala
Asia Coordinator, Peace and Reconciliation Network
A major challenge today lies in pursuing peace and reconciliation at different levels of society. The EMS 2022 compilation is a tremendous recourse with practical and pragmatic ideas on peace building. This compilation is critical for Africa, a continent which has experienced turmoil from precolonial times to date, events which have resulted in intergenerational trauma. This book is profoundly helpful, and insightful, with remarkable case studies as it helps church leaders and others build a theological framework for reconciliation.
Martin Kapenda
PRN African Regional Coordinator
- Title: Ambassadors of Reconciliation: God’s Mission through Missions for All
- Authors: Geoff Hartt, Michael A. Ortiz, Manuel Böhm
- Publisher: William Carey Publishing
- Print Publication Date: 2023
- Logos Release Date: 2023
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781645085126, 1645085120
- Resource ID: LLS:9781645085126
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-09-08T22:49:32Z
Geoff Hartt (DIS, Western Seminary) is the Executive Director of Hispanics for Christ. He has been a local pastor for over twenty-five years and serves as an adjunct professor at Kairos University and Corban University. He is the regional VP for EMS in the Northwest.
Michael A. Ortiz (PhD, Seminario Teológico Centroamericano) serves as VP for Global Ministries and is Associate Professor in Missiology at Dallas Theological Seminary. He also serves as the Executive Director of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education.
Manuel Böhm (MA) has been working for the Peace and Reconciliation Network (PRN, a commission of the World Evangelical Alliance) since its beginning in 2016. He works with The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and is a licensed worker with The Alliance of Canada.