Chaos is not God's will. We see this in the opening verses of Genesis and in the First Epistle of John, where those causing confusion are ultimately labeled as "children of the devil" (1 John 3:10). We see examples of this theme throughout Israel's history, in the messages of the prophets, in Jesus' demonstrations of authority over the powers of darkness, in the Epistles where we find principles for living godly and non-chaotic lives, and finally in the Book of Revelation where, in the end, Jesus victoriously reigns over all. These images illustrate the origin of international development: setting right what is not right, something destroyed and desolate, something that is not compatible with life-tohu wabohu. "Creation ... constituted bringing order to the cosmos from an originally nonfunctional condition." There is a need in all societies for restoring order and relationships to reflect God's will for this world, overcoming evil with good.

First the Kingdom of God assembles a collection of essays from renowned Christian leaders of diverse cultures at the frontiers of global Christianity to elevate the conversation and to address key aspects of the changing trends aforementioned. This volume offers unique perspectives from multiple disciplines, ethno-racial diversity, and confessional affiliations. The lay person, clergy, or scholar is invited to re-examine his/her theological and social framework of missions afresh in the light of a global and interconnected geo-political global landscape. The contributors have aptly married first class scholarship with accessible style for general readership to inform, ignite a new passion, and refocus mission praxis on the Master's vision-to "seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33).

This anthology is a collection of William Carey International University faculty and student writings concerning the nature and goals of international development. This book is the first in the WCIU Press International Development Series. The perspectives of twelve different authors are represented. Sign up for the WCIU Press newsletter to be notified about new books from this author and more http: //eepurl.com/rB15L