Sherwood G. Lingenfelter

About Face

Evangelism & Missions

“In this research--integrating history, theology, and social science--Flanders leads his readers to a deeper understanding of 'Thai face' and then examines its relevance for gospel witness and a theology of atonement . . . This book is a critical theological work for both western and non-western mission leaders and scholars, and absolutely essential for any missionary who seeks to work in a Buddhist/Confucian context.”

Cross-Cultural Partnerships

Evangelism & Missions

“Money is the defining and dividing issue in cross-cultural partnerships, and Mary Lederleitner has given us the essential cultural insights and very practical tools and applications to navigate these treacherous waters. Writing from years of experience, Mary shines light on our harmful assumptions and then guides us to better and biblical ways to achieve accountability, build capacity and create sustainable partnerships with lasting impact for the kingdom of God. This very compact book is a must for everyone who aspires to partner with Majority World leaders and churches. Its fresh insights and applications make it invaluable as a training tool, one that I will use in seminars for Western and Majority World church and mission leaders.”

Cross-Cultural Servanthood

Evangelism & Missions

“Elmer provides a fresh and provocative look at learning and ministering cross-culturally through the scriptural mandate to be servants of the master engaged in kingdom work. Noting that the practice of servanthood must vary in every culture, the book provides powerful and practical insights into how to become an effective servant in another culture. This is an excellent resource for practical mission training, and for those already in ministry, the book enables willing servants to sharpen their emotional and behavioral practices to more appropriate contextualized servanthood.”

Cultural Intelligence

Church Leadership & Ministry

“Written for anyone who is serious about ministry, this book explains why cultural intelligence is essential and what one must do to develop and employ it in the practice of ministry.”

Ecclesial Identities in a Multi-Faith Context

Evangelism & Missions

“Duerksen has taken the risk of listening carefully to believers who most evangelicals would dismiss as heretical, of seeking to understand theologically the ways in which these believers have negotiated the tensions between their cultural heritage and the gospel, and then of embracing their ecclesial solutions to this tension as part of the historical process of God's building His church. Each of the narratives analyzed by Duerksen illustrates how crises in the lives and beliefs of both Hindus and Sikhs led to the adoption of a new course of faith and practice, a commitment to Christ.”

Four Careers

Evangelism & Missions

“For those who have been touched by one or more of the published works from the ‘four careers’ of Charles Kraft, this book provides very personal insights into his life and work. Kraft shares how in his life’s journey of social rejection by many, God transformed him, his life of ministry, and his scholarship for the purpose of healing, empowering, and motivating those he served for the greater mission of God.”

Kenneth L. Pike: An Evangelical Mind

History & Biography

“Aldridge tells the compelling story of a young Ken Pike, gifted by God with an ear and a mind for phonetics, discovering the wonderful world of Mixtec languages in Mexico, and using those gifts to become one of a handful of world-renowned linguistic scholar-philosophers in the twentieth century. . . . Pike mentored and influenced hundreds of young men and women to careers of academic scholarship for the kingdom of God. I was one among so many that responded to God’s invitation through Ken Pike.”

Knowing God to Make Him Known

Evangelism & Missions

Foreword

“A masterful blend of theology about God, the practical relevance of knowing God in one’s journey of preparation for cross-cultural ministry, and obedience in following God in the practice of ministry.”

Leading Across Cultures

Evangelism & Missions

“Plueddemann paints powerful pictures of how our 'low context' images of leadership blind us to the expectations and practices of people living and leading in 'high context' environments. He then guides the reader to think and reflect on how biblical principles both challenge and affirm our respective values. Following the same practice, he critiques the contemporary literature on 'power distance' and 'individualism/collectivism.' This is an important theological reflection on contemporary leadership theory (GLOBE) and its relevance for crosscultural Christian ministry.”

Learning from the Stranger

Christian Living

“A radically different introduction to the study of language and culture from a Christian theological perspective. . . Smith's most powerful argument is that learning other languages and cultures is a task for ordinary Americans, not just those who hope to serve as cross-cultural missionaries. . . I recommend this book as an excellent, theologically grounded introduction to cultural learning for use in courses on cultural diversity in Christian colleges and other faith-based communities.”

Pugna por poder

Church Leadership & Ministry

“Wilmer G. Villacorta nos ha brindado una reflexión profundamente personal y bíblica sobre la lucha del poder en la vida y el ministerio de los líderes cristianos. Reconociendo que el liderazgo sin poder es imposible, sostiene sin embargo que en Cristo es posible vivir y dirigir una vida ‘sin poder.’ Este libro es contemporáneo y convincente, que invita a los lectores a una comprensión más profunda de nuestras luchas internas y externas sobre el uso y la práctica del poder en el ministerio.”

The Facilitator Era

Evangelism & Missions

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

The Gap Between God and Christianity

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“This book is a rich and needed cultural critique of American conservative Christianity by a lifelong member of that community who has served half of his life as a foreign missionary, and the other half as a seminary professor. . . . Stallter concludes that cultural expectations, theological systems, and personal needs filter American views of Scripture and God, with the result that we ‘know a lot about self-assertion but little about humility and, therefore, little of the fear of God.’”

The Gospel in Human Contexts

Evangelism & Missions

“The gems in this, Hiebert's final work on anthropology for missions, are the recapitulation of his thinking on critical contextualization and the spelling out in new detail of his thinking about a 'systems approach' to the study of culture for mission. A new and compelling insight is the notion of 'missionaries as global mediators.' Hiebert concludes that living a life of love in Christ demands the building of multicultural relationships and maturing as transcultural persons in order to practice a ministry that leads people into transcultural discipleship.”

The Multicultural Challenge to Sydney Anglican Identity

History & Biography

“From national enthusiasm welcoming immigrants to divisive ‘whitelash’ and withdrawal into ethnic and social class enclaves, Anglican Bishops struggled to define the church and its mission. The value of this book lies in its nearly exhaustive documentation of the theological debate about Christ’s mission to a lost nation through his church, and perhaps without serious reflection on their own bondage to the cultural biases of their national culture.”

The Power of Love for Reaching Out to “the Other”

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

Foreword

“It is impossible for us to change unless we are willing to learn to know ourselves and others in a substantive and personal way. . . . Johnny Ramirez-Johnson has placed in your hands an offering of Scripture, insight, and experience that you may prayerfully employ to begin your personal journey of submission first to Christ and then to obedience as his healing presence for racial healing and justice in your local community and family.”

Transformation Through the Different Other

Christian Living

“From the horrors of his story as a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda, Ntamushobora provides an African perspective on issues of injustice, racism, ethnic conflict, and violations of human rights. . . . He leads the reader to think in fresh ways about what it means to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.”

Tug of War

Church Leadership & Ministry

“Wilmer G. Villacorta has given us a deeply personal and biblical reflection on the struggle of power in the life and ministry of Christian leaders. Acknowledging that leadership without power is impossible, he nevertheless argues that in Christ it is possible to live and lead a ‘powerless’ life. By taking the reader into deep reflection on the connections between power and personal meaning, he guides us to a better way of vulnerability and humility in Jesus Christ. This book is contemporary and compelling, inviting readers to a deeper understanding of our inner and external struggles over the use and practice of power in ministry.”