When Robert Raikes started his first Sunday School in 1780, he saw his idea grow to reach 300,000 unchurched children within five years - this in a nation widely ignorant of Christian ideas and values. Mark Griffiths has used Raikes' pioneering work in examining child evangelism in the UK. Working from extensive local and national research (leading to a PhD), he considers how children 'tick', what basic theology is at work in Christian outreach, and what constitutes best practice in child evangelism. His text is studded with insights and observations, and brings together the author's passion for his subject with the rigour of careful research. This is an unparalleled resource, laying the foundations of future growth.

This classic elucidation of the gospel and call to faith, by one of the most renowned preachers of the 19th century, includes: . To You . What Are We At? . God Justifieth The Ungodly . "It Is God That Justifieth" . "Just and the Justifier" . Concerning Deliverance from Sinning . By Grace Through Faith . and more. Every person of faith will want to read Spurgeon's inspiring words, through which his great and abiding love of Christ shines. British preacher CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON (1834-1892) frequently delivered sermons to audiences of more than 10,000 people. He also wrote The Treasury of David and Around the Wicket Gate, among many other works.

Over the last quarter-century, evangelicalism has become an important social and political force in modern America. Here, new voices in the field are brought together with leading scholars such as William E. Connolly, Michael Barkun, Simon Dalby, and Paul Boyer to produce a timely examination of the spatial dimensions of the movement, offering useful and compelling insights on the intersection between politics and religion. This comprehensive study discusses evangelicalism in its different forms, from the moderates to the would-be theocrats who, in anticipation of the Rapture, seek to impose their interpretations of the Bible upon American foreign policy. The result is a unique appraisal of the movement and its geopolitical visions, and the wider impact of these on America and the world at large.

Over the last quarter-century, evangelicalism has become an important social and political force in modern America. Here, new voices in the field are brought together with leading scholars such as William E. Connolly, Michael Barkun, Simon Dalby, and Paul Boyer to produce a timely examination of the spatial dimensions of the movement, offering useful and compelling insights on the intersection between politics and religion. This comprehensive study discusses evangelicalism in its different forms, from the moderates to the would-be theocrats who, in anticipation of the Rapture, seek to impose their interpretations of the Bible upon American foreign policy. The result is a unique appraisal of the movement and its geopolitical visions, and the wider impact of these on America and the world at large.

'Christian Warfare in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe' takes a hard look at the history of the Salvation Army in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe and its long history with both the government and the rest of the church. Norman H. Murdoch examines in-depth the parallels between the events of the First Chimurenga, an uprising against European occupation in 1896-97, and the Second Chimurenga in the 1970s, the civil war that led to majority rule. At the time of the first, the Salvation Army was barely established in the country; by the second, it was fully entrenched in the ruling class. Murdoch explores the collaboration of this Christian mission with the institutions of white rule and the painful process of disentanglement necessary by the late twentieth century. Stories of martyrdom and colonial mythology are set in the carefully researched context of ecumenical relations and the Salvation Army's largely unknown and seldom accessible internal politics.

Through a series of remarkable events, Sarah de Carvalho left her glittering career in film promotion and TV production to join a missionary organization in Brazil. There she met children from the age of seven living on the streets, taking drugs, stealing to survive, and vulnerable to prostitution and gang warfare. This is the remarkable true story of a life transformed. It tells of the incredible work that Sarah founded in the Happy Child Mission. It is a story of immense faith, suffering, and love. The children whose stories are revealed in this exceptional book will change the heart of every reader. This new fully updated edition of "The Street Children of Brazil" brings the story up to date. 12 years on, Sarah celebrates the anniversary of the founding of Happy Child, revisits some of the first children she worked with, and reflects on all that God has done.

Exploring how Christianity became a world religion, this brief history examines Christian missions and their relationship to the current globalization of Christianity.* A short and enlightening history of Christian missions: a phenomenon that many say reflects the single most important intercultural movement over a sustained period of human history* Offers a thematic overview that takes into account the political, cultural, social, and theological issues* Discusses the significance of missions to the globalization of Christianity, and broadens our understanding of Christianity as a multicultural world religion* Helps Western audiences understand the meaning of mission as a historical process* Contains several new maps that illustrate demographic shifts in world Christianity

..". this book fills a gap in the historiography of mission history by providing a one-volume history of modern British missions... This work deserves a place on the shelves of university libraries and should be consulted by specialists and readers interested in the history of Christian missions." Geordan Hammond (Manchester Wesley Research Centre and Nazarene Theological College)- H- Albion, H-Net Reviews

Missions are a topic of crucial importance in understanding the relationship between religion in Britain and the British Empire since 1700, as well as a significant part of the history of both modern Britain and the countries across that world that were visited by missionaries.

The British Missionary Enterprise since 1700 is unique in providing a one volume summary of the British missionary movement in the last three hundred years. It offers a balanced survey, viewing missionaries primarily as institution builders rather than imperialists or heroes of social reform. Jeffrey Cox examines both Britain as the home base of missions and the impact made by the missions abroad, while also evaluating the independent initiatives by African and Asian Christians. He emphasises the female- dominated nature of missionary ventures from Britain, and also examines the issue of missionary rhetoric. The book also makes comparisons between British missions and those from other predominantly Protestant countries including the United States.

This book brings a fresh and much needed overview to this large, fascinating and controversial subject, and will be of interest to all students of British history, religious history and religious studies.

Religion has always played an important, if often contested, role in the public domain. This book focuses on how faith-based organisations (FBOs) interact with the public sphere, showing how faith-based actors are themselves shaped by wider processes and global forces such as globalisation, migration, foreign policy and neoliberal markets. Focusing on a case study of an FBO in Morocco which gives aid to sub-Saharan African irregular migrants, the book reveals some of the challenges the organisation faces as it tries to negotiate at once local, national and international contexts through their particular Christian values. This book contends that the contradictions, tensions and ambiguities that arise are primarily a result of the organisation having to negotiate a normative global secular liberalism which requires a strict demarcation between religion and politics, and religion and the secular. Faith-based actors, particularly within humanitarianism, have to constantly navigate this divide and in examining the question of how religious values translate into humanitarian and development practices, categories such as religion, the secular and politics and the boundaries between them will need to be interrogated. This book explores the diversity and complexity of the work of FBOs and will be of great interest to students and researchers working at the intersections of humanitarianism and development studies, politics and religion.

This work expresses the understanding of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria/lgbo Church in interpreting Vatican II for the development and communion of the local Churches. The Second Vatican Council is the first council the Nigerian Church has ever experienced. Its influence made it possible that there has not been an organ in the history of Nigeria that is so theological about the development of the local Churches and so diplomatic and out spoken about the situation of the country like the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria. The Reception of Vatican II in Nigeria/lgbo Church is an on going dynamite for the better understanding and cooperation between the hierarchy and the laity. Since Vatican II the laity in Nigeria/lgbo Church breath the air of aggiornamento and renewal and have a clear vision of their functions in the Church in which they also have full and responsible participation.

Among the assumptions interrogated in this volume, edited by Anthony E. Clark, is if Christianity should most accurately be identified as "Chinese" when it displays vestiges of Chinese cultural aesthetics, or whether Chinese Christianity is more indigenous when it is allowed to form its own theological framework. In other words, can theological uniqueness also function as a legitimate Chinese Christian cultural expression in the formation of its own ecclesial identity? Also central to what is explored in this book is how missionary influences, consciously or unconsciously, introduced seeds of independence into the cultural ethos of China's Christian community. Chinese girls who pushed "the limits of proper behaviour," for example, added to the larger sense of confidence as China's Christians began to resist the model of Christianity they had inherited from foreign missionaries. Contributors are: Robert E. Carbonneau, CP, Christie Chui-Shan Chow, Amanda C. R. Clark, Lydia Gerber, Joseph W. Ho, Joseph Tse-hei Lee, Audrey Seah, Jean-Paul Wiest, and Xiaoxin Wu.

"Why is God killing my child?" The Russian mother asked as she looked into my eyes. I didn't know what to say. Another mother asked, "Why does God allow innocent babies to suffer and die?" My heart broke as I listened to these mothers sobbing. "FAITH: The Abyss We All Face" is a true story of one man's journey to the literal "Ends of the Earth" where time after time, he heard these and similar questions. Dr. Bill Becknell has wrestled with the tragic cries of brokenness, pain and suffering in himself and others. They are everywhere, and they challenge our faith. There are no cliches or trite answers to these difficult questions. But despite extreme hardships, pain, brokenness, sacrifices, miracles and even near-death experiences along this road, he found an unexpected treasure... JOY! No matter how difficult the circumstances, the pain, and the brokenness, God has an unfailing Love that is beyond comprehension. Brokenness and sorrow are a part of living, and no one can change that. What we do about tragedy in our lives is an issue of faith. "FAITH" is written to encourage all believers not to be afraid to step out into the unknown "abyss of faith." Non-Believers may also find the stories apply to their lives, because "faith" is something everyone has. There is no greater JOY than following Jesus, even if He leads you to the "Ends of the Earth."

The Salvation Army is nowadays viewed with fondness, but William Booth's evangelical crusade of the 1880s and early 1890s sparked violent riots led by an opposition group, the Skeleton Army. These riots caused destruction to property, injury to many people and, on occasion, loss of life. Spreading across the South and West of England, the Skeleton Army's aim was to eject Salvationists from their towns. Rather than facing repercussions themselves, however, it was often the peaceful parading Salvationists who were imprisoned. In With God on Their Side, James Gardner follows the spread of violence in the context of the popular conservatism of late-Victorian England, with close study of particular towns creating a rich tapestry of historical narrative that will be of interest to scholars and enthusiasts alike. The motives and actions of both groups are considered, along with the subsequent shift in the Salvation Army's focus towards social welfare. It is this shift that enabled the organisation to grow into the treasured charity we know today, and helped transform William Booth from one of the most vilified men of the nineteenth century into its saint.

Mother Teresa was one of the most written about and publicised women in modern times. Apart from Pope John Paul II, she was arguably the most advertised religious celebrity in the last quarter of the twentieth century. During her lifetime as well as posthumously, Mother Teresa continues to generate a huge level of interest and heated debate.

Gezim Alpion explores the significance of Mother Teresa to the mass media, to celebrity culture, to the Church and to various political groups. A section explores the ways different vested interests have sought to appropriate her after her death, and also examines Mother Teresa's own attitude to her childhood and to the Balkan conflicts in the 1980s and 1990s.

This book sheds a new and fascinating light upon this remarkable and influential woman, which will intrigue followers of Mother Teresa and those who study the vagaries of stardom and celebrity culture.

How can an ordinary church become a community of people who help one another live out their whole life at home, work, church, in the neighbourhood as followers of Jesus in his mission to the world? This book is for those who want life together in church to equip disciples who live out their faith in the realities of their day-to-day world. - Draws on three years of work with pilot churches across the UK - Practical examples of how a church can change - Real-life stories of churches and individuals

Wealth, Health, and Hope in African Christian Religion offers a portrait of how contending narratives of modernity in both church and society play out in Africa today through the agency of African Christian religion. It explores the identity and features of African Christian religion and the cultural forces driving the momentum of Christian expansion in Africa, as well as how these factors are shaping a new African social imagination, especially in providing answers to the most challenging questions about poverty, wealth, health, human, and cosmic flourishing. It offers the academy a good road map for interpreting African Christian religious beliefs and practices today and into the future.

We are not meant to live safe, happy, successful Christian lives. Jesus calls us to something more. Don't settle for a life that will soon be forgotten. Mission is not just something for "them," somewhere over "there." Mission is for us, here and now. Don Everts invites you to get caught up in God's mission in this world. He shows what it means to be a missional Christian, to have eyes that see, hands that serve and feet that go. Bringing together personal evangelism, urban witness and global crosscultural mission, Everts shows how you can live your life on mission--whoever you are, whatever you do, wherever you go. Get a glimpse of the vision. See what Jesus is doing. And go and do likewise.

Advance Praise for Organic Church

"This book is profound, practical, and a pleasure to read. It stretches our thinking and brings us to a place where we can see the Kingdom of God spread across the world in our generation. This book has come at the right time."
--John C. Maxwell, founder, INJOY, INJOY Stewardship Services and EQUIP

"My life is about seeing hundredfold results. Neil Cole's approach helps get those kinds of results for churches by planting many new expressions of the Kingdom that reach thousands of people. One of the great joys of my life for the past six years has been to watch the dramatic growth of Awakening Chapels and the organic churches described in this work. Cole's new book tells not only the inspiring story but also describes the principles, so you can apply these ideas."
--Bob Buford, founder and chairman, Leadership Network; author, Halftime and Finishing Well

"I always listen when Neil Cole speaks. His breadth of understanding and practice of what he preaches is right on. Everyone should know or be aware of this guy that God is using in a powerful way."
--Bob Roberts, senior pastor, NorthWood Church, Keller, Texas

"Neil Cole is one of the foremost thinkers and practitioners of organic forms of church. His vision of the church is as new as it is ancient. Cole's story as well as the philosophy of Church Multiplication Associates is paradigmatic for the church as it seeks to negotiate its way faithfully into the twenty-first century."
--Alan Hirsch, director, Forge Mission Training Network, church planter; author, The Shaping of Things to Come

The conversion of Spanish Roma to Pentecostal Evangelical Protestantism is one of the most unknown yet important religious movements of the past century. Its current transnational extension and its spectacular boom are due, among others factors, to the fact that it is directed, organized and composed of gypsies. This volume provides an important historical, theological, and ethnographic account of the Pentecostal Revival movement that has been sweeping through the Southern European Roma/Gypsy communities of France and Spain especially. Written by Manuela Canton-Delgado, an anthropologist from the University of Seville, together with three others collaborators, it is a fascinating and careful account of the social impact of this movement in contemporary Europe. As such, it represents one of the first serious analyses of a religious, ethnic and political movement largely unknown in North American, to be made available in English.

Missions are an important topic in the history of modern Britain and of even wider importance in the modern history of Africa and many parts of Asia. Yet, despite the perennial subject matter, and the publication of a large number of studies of particular aspects of missions, there is no recent, balanced overview of the history of the missionary moment during the last three hundred years.

The British Missionary Enterprise since 1700 moves away from the partisan approach that characterizes so many writers in field and instead views missionaries primarily as institution builders rather than imperialists or heroes of social reform. This balanced survey examines both Britain as the home base of missions and the impact of the missions themselves, while also evaluating the independent initiatives by African and Asia Christians. Also addressed are the previously ignored issues of missionary rhetoric, the predominantly female nature of missions, and comparisons between British missions and those from other predominantly Protestant countries including the United States.

Jeffrey Cox brings a fresh and much needed overview to this large, fascinating and controversial subject.

Jesuit Mission and Submission explains how the Jesuits entered the Manchu world after the Manchus conquered Beijing in 1644. Supported by Qing court archives, the book discovers the Jesuits' Manchu-style master-slave relationship with the Kangxi emperor. Against the backdrop of this relationship, the book reconstructs the back and forth negotiations between Kangxi and the Holy See regarding Chinese Rites Controversy (1705-1721), and shows that the Jesuits, although a group of foreign priests, had close access to Kangxi and were a trusted part of the Imperial circle. This book also redefines the rise and fall of the Christian mission in the early Qing court through key events, such as the Calendar Case and Yongzheng's prohibition of Christianity.

Who cares for your pastor in times of special need? What can you do to help your pastor's family on a regular basis? Are there steps you can take to ensure your pastor is personally and spiritually nurtured? While Paul urges the church to "overwhelm them with appreciation and love" (1 Thessalonians 5:13), research and anecdotal evidence shows that most pastors experience little support when they need it the most. The result? One long-time pastor reports that he thinks about quitting the ministry as often as twice a week, and an estimated twenty-five percent of all ministers relocate every year. In How to Keep the Pastor You Love Jane Rubietta explores the "flip side" of pastoral care--caring for your pastor. She breaks down the largely unexamined myth of the superhuman pastor. And she provides everything you need to know to build healthy, caring, mutually sustaining relationships among your church and its leaders. Ministers and their families can profitably read the book along with lay leaders to become more aware of where they need the help and encouragement of their congregations. Questions at the end of each chapter guide pastoral families in reflecting on their own experiences--both positive and negative--of life in the church.

Missionary families were an integral component of the missionary enterprise, both as active agents on the global religious stage and as a force within the enterprise that shaped understandings and theories of mission itself. Taking the family as a legitimate unit of historical analysis in its own right for the first time, Missionary families traces changing familial policies and lived realities throughout the nineteenth century and powerfully argues for the importance of an historical understanding of the missionary enterprise informed by the complex interplay between the intimate, the personal and the professional. By looking at marriage, parenting and childhood, along with professionalism, vocation and domesticity, this first in-depth study of missionary families reveals their profound importance to the missionary enterprise, and concludes that mission history can no longer be written without attention to the personal, emotional and intimate aspects of missionary lives. -- .

The explosive expansion of Christianity in Africa and Asia during the last two centuries constitutes one of the most remarkable cultural transformations in the history of mankind. Because it coincided with the spread of European economic and political hegemony, it tends to be taken for granted that Christian missions went hand in hand with Imperialism and colonial conquest. In this book historians survey the relationship between Christian missions and the British Empire from the seventeenth century to the 1960s and treat the subject thematically, rather than regionally or chronologically. Many of these themes are treated at length for the first time, relating the work of missions to language, medicine, anthropology, and decolonization. Other important chapters focus on the difficult relationship between missionaries and white settlers, women and mission, and the neglected role of the indigenous evangelists who did far more than European or North American missionaries to spread the Christian religion - belying the image of Christianity as the 'white man's religion'.

Contributing simultaneously to both British imperial and Indian history, this book demonstrates that missionary understandings and interactions with India, rather than being party to imperial ideologies, often diverged from metropolitan and imperial norms.