Established in 1991, the mission of the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS) is to equip Christians with knowledge and skills to live godly lives and serve the Church and the wider community. The purpose of this book is to contribute to the accomplishment of this mission. It is the first volume of essays by NETS faculty members. Each essay is a sustained reflection on a particular aspect of God’s mission in southern Africa and beyond. Josh Hooker gives a reflection upon the role of theological education in the southern African context. For him the crucial question is: Are we truly equipping Christians for ministry? Basilius Kasera examines the impact of modern heresies, such as prosperity gospel and open theism, on the church in Namibia in the light of Genesis 3:1-5. Thorsten Prill tests the claim that evangelism has never been popular both as a concept and a ministry. For this he investigates four 20th century theologians (Barth, Bonhoeffer, Tillich and Moltmann) who have had a significant influence on theological thinking both in European and North American mainstream Protestant denominations and in mission initiated churches in southern Africa. In a second essay he explores the relationship between globalisation and mission.
Table of Contents
1. Theological Education: Theological education in southern Africa: the challenge of turning rhetoric into reality
2. Evangelism: Theological giants and the evangelistic dimension of mission
3. Apologetics: The Battle for truth in Namibia
4. Missional Theology: Globalisation and mission: what do missiologists mean when they speak of globalisation?
Objectives and Topics
This volume provides a series of missiological essays from the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS), addressing the practical and theological challenges of ministry in the southern African context. The work critically examines how foundational theological concepts—such as education, evangelism, apologetics, and globalization—are applied within the church, with the goal of ensuring that theological rhetoric translates into authentic, effective ministry that builds up the body of Christ.
- The role and challenges of theological education in equipping church leaders.
- The theological understanding of evangelism through the perspective of major 20th-century theologians.
- Defending biblical truth against modern heresies and philosophical distortions in Namibia.
- Analyzing the intersection of globalization, mission, and the church's response to these forces.
Excerpt from the Book
The Battle for truth in Namibia
The subject is of serious concern in a growing population like that of Namibia and every theologian and Christian who wants to remain true to God’s Word needs to take the subject content seriously. Since independence in 1990, Namibia has been experiencing a rapid and serious change in its religious milieu and 20 years later, the situation is going from bad to worse. All sorts of religions are now flocking to this developing country and heresies are ever increasing. This change in the religious climate is a serious concern because biblical truth and the Christian message are at stake, and it is about time that Evangelicals take their stand for God’s truth.
It is very interesting to observe how God’s truth has been the centre of satanic attacks right from the beginning of human history. This tells us something about the importance of the subject of God’s truth and the centrality it holds in Christian theology. Satan’s attack in the Garden of Eden has not ceased but has rather advanced and is the reason for all the evil and sin continuing in the world today. It is a fight to establish satanic truth or to make it preferable to God’s truth. Over the centuries of religious and philosophical history, we see how Satan has manipulated the thinking of humanity and turned it against the eternal truth of God. Today, this is obvious when we observe the philosophical influence of the Enlightenment Era (EE), Modernism, Postmodernism, and Pluralism.
Summary of Chapters
Theological education in southern Africa: the challenge of turning rhetoric into reality: This chapter addresses the gap between the stated purpose of theological institutions to serve the church and the reality of their academic focus, emphasizing practical ways to integrate ministry skills and local church engagement.
Theological giants and the evangelistic dimension of mission: This chapter evaluates the views of Barth, Bonhoeffer, Tillich, and Moltmann regarding mission and evangelism, arguing that their theological reflections often fail to adequately incorporate the full process of disciple-making as commanded in the Great Commission.
The Battle for truth in Namibia: This chapter analyzes how modern philosophical and religious movements undermine biblical truth in Namibia, warning against the abandonment of absolute truth and the rise of human-centered ideologies and prosperity gospels.
Globalisation and mission: what do missiologists mean when they speak of globalisation?: This chapter defines globalization through various schools of thought—hyperglobalists, skeptics, and transformationalists—and urges church leaders to adopt a transformationalist view to better understand the impact of migration and changing value systems on the mission of the church.
Keywords
Theological education, ministry, evangelism, mission, apologetics, biblical truth, heresies, globalization, church, discipleship, missiology, prosperity gospel, transformationalist, southern Africa, Namibia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this book?
The book consists of missiological essays that examine the practical and theological responsibilities of the Church of Christ in the context of southern Africa and the broader modern world.
What are the main thematic fields covered?
The themes include the effectiveness of theological education, the theological underpinnings of evangelism, defensive apologetics against modern heresy, and the missiological impact of globalization on the church.
What is the core research question or objective?
The primary objective is to evaluate whether current theological practice is truly equipping Christians for ministry and to challenge the Church to ensure its actions align with biblical truth rather than current cultural or ideological trends.
Which scientific or theological methods are applied?
The authors utilize historical-theological critique, case studies, and missiological analysis to test traditional theological models against current contemporary realities and challenges.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The body addresses the gap between theological rhetoric and practice, critiques the missiology of four 20th-century theologians, exposes the impact of false doctrines in Namibia, and provides a framework for understanding globalization from a theological perspective.
What are the key terms associated with this work?
The key terms include theological education, evangelism, apologetics, mission, globalization, heresy, discipleship, and church vitality.
How does the book address the problem of false teaching in Namibia?
It identifies various "modern heresies" and philosophical threats to biblical truth and calls upon believers to stand firm in the Word of God rather than yielding to human-centered teachings.
How does the author view the role of globalization in the church?
The author argues for a "transformationalist" view of globalization, highlighting that while it creates challenges for the church, it also presents new opportunities for understanding migration and the cross-cultural growth of the global church.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Thorsten Prill (Author), 2010, Building up the Church of Christ, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/152255
