I was reading a post from "Wasted Evangelism" on George Leile (or Lisle or Liele or Sharp) (1750–1828). The article is HERE. He was the first American Missionary to serve in another nation... in this case, Jamaica. He was an emancipated slave, who actually sold himself back into slavery (indentured servitude) to be able to …
Category: History in Missions
Look at Christian mission work through the centuries
Lack of Early Protestant Missions
For three centuries (of five centuries) of the Protestant movement, there was little to no foreign missions. Why was this? There are a number of theories. Catholics during that time saw the lack of mission vigor as evidence of the illegitimacy of the Protestant movement. This argument actually held some merit... at least until things …
“Silence” is Indeed Golden
I rarely see a movie that really challenges my thoughts and perceptions. "Silence" directed by Martin Scorsese is just such a beautiful, horrific, and challenging movie. For me, part of its beauty is in its horror. I have not read the book, the 1966 novel by Shusaku Endo. I rather judge a book than a movie, …
Is Social Ministry Missions?
A. Scott Moreau noted in his book, "Contextualization in World Missions," that social ministry as a part of missions has been a matter of controversy among Evangelicals for 80 or 90 years. With William Carey, there seemed not to be a strong problem with seeking social justice along with evangelizing and disciplining. William Wilberforce, a …
The Radical Middle in Historical Perspective
The following is an abridged quote from the "Declaration of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Council" (April 1990). Noting the date, this at a key time in modern Russian history as the Communist government of the USSR collapsed while its replacement was still in doubt. The bold lettering as emphasis is mine, not …
Continue reading The Radical Middle in Historical Perspective
Missionary Member Care, and the Didache
Been teaching a class on Missionary Member Care. I have enjoyed it--- I make no promise that my 12 students share that opinion. After the student group presentation of Missionary Member Care in the light of the Carey Mission (especially as it relates to William Carey, John Thomas, Dorothy Carey, and Felix Carey), we had …
Of Spiders and Sheep
The Psalmist asks the question: "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" Psalm 8:4 One suggestion could be drawn from the imagery of Jonathan Edwards in his most famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." In it, mankind is likened unto spiders. The …
Manatees, Mermaids, and “Pante ta Ethne”
When I was a small child back in the late 60s/early 70s, I saw a nature show on manatees. In that show, the speculation was brought forth that mythological beings, mermaids, might have been inspired by sailors seeing manatees. When I was in college, I saw another special on manatees and dugongs and it said …