Papers by George G Robinson
Global Missiology English, 2015
Matthew 28:18-20 has been considered the classic "Great Commission" text since William ... more Matthew 28:18-20 has been considered the classic "Great Commission" text since William Carey ushered in the Modern Missions Movement citing it in his essay entitled, "An Enquiry into the Obligation for Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen." [1] That biblical text documents Jesus' final recorded words in a summative reiteration of what His follower's lives were to be centered upon - the task to "make disciples of all nations." Carey's Enquiry was aimed at discrediting the false notion that the Great Commission was intended solely for the first century Apostles and has not been binding upon Christians since. The authenticity of Carey's message to his 19 th century context is undeniable as he lived out Great Commission obedience by moving and planting his life among the unreached in India. [1] For the full text of Carey's Enquiry, see http://www.wmcarey.edu/carey/enquiry/anenquiry.pdf , last accessed September 15,...
T4T: A DISCIPLESHIP REREVOLUTION, BY STEVE SMITH & YING KAI, reviewed by George G. Robinson. The... more T4T: A DISCIPLESHIP REREVOLUTION, BY STEVE SMITH & YING KAI, reviewed by George G. Robinson. There have been several key methodological shifts in missions over the last few decades, each in some way aimed at the church fulfilling her role in the completion of the Great Commission. In the 1960s Donald McGavran was a catalyst in initiating the Church Growth Movement, which sought to see the gospel extended among receptive peoples through the application of sociological research. In 1974 Dr. Ralph Winter gave a watershed address at the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization effectively helping missionaries to gain much-needed insight on engaging the remaining unreached people groups of the world. Then in the late 1990’s missiologist Dr. David Garrison released a pamphlet documenting a phenomenon known as church planting movements (CPM), from which he derived certain “universal elements” that are present in places where there is a rapid multiplication of churches planting church...
Global Missiology English, 2013
Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Issue Introduction by George G. Robinson The last decade of m... more Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Issue Introduction by George G. Robinson The last decade of missions history has been one of shifting paradigms around the need for establishing reproducing indigenous churches. The term “church planting” is not found within the Bible, but the concept is certainly pervasive in the New Testament. Though church planting may now seem obvious as a strategic goal for missions, how to do it best is still a potentially contentious matter. The advent of what has become known as “church planting movements” has forced the hand of mission strategists who are now taking sides in the growth versus health debate. What should be agreed upon is that if the nations are to be reached (and they will – see Revelation 5:6-10), missionaries from all over the world will need to be committed to working together toward establishing healthy, reproducing indigenous churches. And to that end we have directed the focus of this quarter’s edition of Global Missiology.
After nearly forty years as a missionary in Southern India, Lesslie Newbigin returned to his home... more After nearly forty years as a missionary in Southern India, Lesslie Newbigin returned to his homeland of the UK in 1974 to find himself to be a missionary there as well. While he had been ministering the gospel to a people far from God in India, his countrymen back “home” had undergone seismic cultural shifts ushering in a post-Christian era with unique challenges of its own. Thus, the repatriated Newbigin was once again learning to speak a “new language” and to interpret a “new worldview”. His missionary career wasn’t over. Instead, it was taking on new beginnings in a land that had in many respects, lost its familiarity.
Since 9/11, the subject if Islam has been thrust into the spotlight before a bewildered Western w... more Since 9/11, the subject if Islam has been thrust into the spotlight before a bewildered Western world. Just a few years prior to that tragic event I had struggled to get my friends at church to understand why I would want to pack up with my pregnant wife and our 10 month old son and move to a country that describes itself as an Islamic nation. Few people that I knew here in what is called the Bible-belt had any real understanding of what Islam teaches, and even less desire to learn. Nevertheless, we moved into that context for just over a year, interacting with people whose beliefs I had only previous read about in books. I quickly learned that Islam is no neatly defined theological system that can be adequately summarized with Five Pillars. As I worked and ministered among the people I came to understand that not even the categories of Sunni and Shia could tell me what was going through their minds. I remember trying to write home and share with folks here in America what life was ...
Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 "Among democratic nations each generation is a new peopl... more Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 "Among democratic nations each generation is a new people." ---Alexis de Tocqueville If Alexis de Tocqueville was right then the trends toward globalization and democratization have tremendous implications. In the West democracy has yielded many distinct cultures to which we have affixed labels such as "Builder", "Boomer", "Buster", "Gen X" and now "Millenials". However, in the Post-WWII era democracy has spread to varying degrees to the ends of the earth. So for the first time, many societies in the Far East are seeing monumental shifts in cultural characteristics.
What is the end goal of our missionary activity? John Piper is oft-quoted in this regard: “Miss... more What is the end goal of our missionary activity? John Piper is oft-quoted in this regard: “Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions . . . .” Thus, missiology is the means to ever-expanding doxology. The Great Commission as given in Matthew 28:18-20 has arguably been the primary impetus of missionary activity since the time of William Carey. While it is clear from this classic Great Commission text that our goal is to make disciples of all nations, what may not be as clear therein is the role of the church in that process.
The problem of integration across disciplines of inquiry is certainly not new to Christian thinke... more The problem of integration across disciplines of inquiry is certainly not new to Christian thinkers, it has been with us since the New Testament. But this particular conversation, I take it, is being pursued on the assumption that new resources and possibilities have become available lately that might help Christians, especially missiologists and evangelists, do their work more effectively. I agree with this assessment, though it may turn out for different reasons than other partners in the discussion. But I am grateful to be a part of the conversation because I too have struggled to understand how the disciplines of art history and criticism, and more recently, the social sciences, can be used by Christian thinkers. And I wholeheartedly support the underlying missiological thrust of the conversation, since I have approached my work on theology and culture from the perspective of one whose first teaching experience was on the mission field—though I understand this work in its broade...
Short-term missions (STM) has both its advocates and its nemeses in our postmodern context. In th... more Short-term missions (STM) has both its advocates and its nemeses in our postmodern context. In the course of reviewing hundreds of sources I have come to the conclusion that the advocates often over-estimate the value of STM by allowing any group of people moving from one place to another to constitute “missions” regardless of what their purpose may be. On the other hand the missiological nemeses of STM have managed to pin nearly every problem on the mission field to a bad experience with a group of “ugly Americans” on a STM assignment. Both assessments are subjective in nature and are less than helpful in the task of completing the Great Commission. What is needed is an objectively grounded assessment based upon the phenomenon’s biblical roots. If it can be established that there is biblical precedence for STM and that the approach is not a violation of theological orthodoxy/orthopraxy, then the missiological community should exert its gifts toward the end of discerning a strategic...
Global Missiology English, Feb 10, 2013
Twenty centuries have come and gone since the inception of the Church at Pentecost and the subseq... more Twenty centuries have come and gone since the inception of the Church at Pentecost and the subsequent mission to which she was commissioned. Though at times the Church has experienced what Hesselgrave and Stetzer refer to as “Mission Shift”, the core mission of making disciples among the nations has survived to the present. Trends, for better or worse, have certainly contributed changes both in defining and in executing mission. One stream of trend that has helped advance and shape the Church is its use of technological advances. Our modern understanding of technology turns our thoughts to computers, cell phones, apps, and transportation.
Global Missiology English, Jun 29, 2012
, www.globalmissiology.net Download PDF Version We were made to worship and commune with our Crea... more , www.globalmissiology.net Download PDF Version We were made to worship and commune with our Creator. The primary effect of the fall is not the presence of sin, but rather the absence of authentic worship. Thus, the primary goal of the gospel is the transformation of wicked sinners into awestruck worshippers. Anything less is reflective of our reductionist approach to communicating an otherwise comprehensive gospel message. If the gospel is indeed the greatest story ever told, it must be retold in a robust and compelling manner that elicits authentic, biblical worship.
Global Missiology …, 2010
... BEYOND. Fran Blomberg, Geoff Hart, Tae Kyoon Kim, George G. Robinson IV. Published in Global ... more ... BEYOND. Fran Blomberg, Geoff Hart, Tae Kyoon Kim, George G. Robinson IV. Published in Global Missiology, Featured Articles, January 2006, www.globalmissiology.org. Introduction. Definition of Terms: Paradox ... coming years. This paper.
Genesis 1-3 provides the foundation and context for the disciple-making task. Making disciples i... more Genesis 1-3 provides the foundation and context for the disciple-making task. Making disciples is synonymous with multiplying worshippers.
Global Missiology English, Mar 19, 2010
Global Missiology English, Feb 10, 2013
Global Missiology English, Apr 10, 2011
Global Missiology English, Jan 10, 2010
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Papers by George G Robinson