Research Catalog

Title

Evangelism after christendom : the theology and practice of Christian witness / Bryan P. Stone.

Author

Stone, Bryan P., 1959-

Publication

Grand Rapids, Mich. : Brazos Press, c2007.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

335 p.; 23 cm.

Summary

Evangelism conjures negative connotations throughout the world because it is heavily weighed down by cultural, historical, and theological baggage. Bryan Stone draws the blueprint for recovering an uplifting and vital church practice in his Evangelism after Christendom: The Theology and Practice of Christian Witness. This comprehensive text begins by grounding evangelism as a core church practice that reaches the world, challenges sin, offers Christ, shares Christian worship, and more. Stone then traces the evangelistic call through the stories of Israel, Jesus, and, finally, the apostles and the church. Next, Stone discusses two rival narratives to the Christian story: the Constantinian story in which the church made itself home in the world; and the story of liberal modernity, which advocates an autonomous and temporal world. The practice of evangelism, however, subverts these views by 'being the church in the world' in a distinctive, alluring way. In short, Christian evangelism extends an invitation to challenge and abandon rival narratives and join a new story that makes sense of our past and points us to a different future. This book is ideal for seminary and graduate students as well as professional ministers, pastors, and evangelists. - Publisher.

Subject

• Evangelistic work
• Evangelistic work > History
• Witness bearing (Christianity)
• Missions

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-332) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Introduction: reclaiming the e-word -- The "practice" of evangelism -- Is evangelism a practice? -- The story of the people of God -- Israel and the calling forth of a people -- The evangelistic significance of Jesus -- Apostolic evangelism and the genesis of the church -- Rival narratives, subverted evangelism -- The constantinian story -- The story of modernity -- The evangelizing community -- Evangelism and Ecclesia -- Evangelism as a practice of the Holy Spirit -- Context and conversion -- Evangelism as a virtuous practice -- Martyrdom and virtue -- Conclusion: evangelism before a watching world.

ISBN

• 1587431947 (pbk.)
• 9781587431944 (pbk.)

LCCN

^^2006023654

OCLC

70803303

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library