2014 Pruett Dissertation

2007

Journal of Relifious and Culture (JORAC Uniport), Vol 22, No 1 and 2July , 2022

This paper discussed the impacts of Contextualizing the Gospel on African Christianity, which cut across the cultures and language of the people of Africa.The research employs a descriptive method approach, and secondary sources of information were used to actualize this research. It was recognized that the Contextualization of the Gospel was the main factor that contributed to the remarkable expansion of Christianity in Africa. Primarily, Africans had their beliefs and practices prior to the missionaries who brought the Gospel to Africa but tried to impose the Gospel on them by rejecting their ways of life influenced by their culture; Africans refused because of the value they placed on their cultural practices, then, the missionaries and theologians were able to contextualize because of the feat that they understand the cultural behavior of the people of Africa, through the zeal to learn the languages and study considering the African cultural practices and traditional beliefs, and it was evident that contextualizing the Gospel on African was successful. Therefore, the researcher identifies means used in contextualizing the Gospel on African Christianity, which is as follows; indigenization of African Christianity, contextualizing the worship style, African worship, Bible translated in African, and reconstruction of African theology. The paper draws lessons for the contemporary missionaries, Pastors, and Christian Leaders, to always incarnate Christ in any given culture for the fruitful mission of God to be achieved because not many would have been reached.

Sharing the Gospel in Animistic Context, 2021

It is no longer news that we live in a globalized world that makes it increasingly easier for ideas, strategies, and materials to travel freely around the world. This trend applies to commerce, finance, politics, culture, education, religion, mission, etc. In such a setting, it is pertinent to keep evaluating the effectiveness and impact these trends have on the local culture, most notably as it applies to our topic of gospel presentation, and come up with alternative ideas and strategies suitable for the need of the local population. In this vein, this paper, "The gospel in a traditional religious context: a case study of Central Idoma People of Nigeria," seeks to evaluate the use of gospel booklets and their effectiveness in a traditional or animistic people group. This is because these booklets did not consider the worldviews and beliefs system of the Idoma people when they were designed and developed. In these analyses, this paper examined a brief history and religious worldviews of the Idoma people. It introduced some gospel booklets and contrasted these with the cultural objections and worldviews to see how they intersect to measure their effectiveness in presenting the gospel using these booklets. Ultimately, it suggested that the initiative must begin with a dialogical step and content that addresses the cultural factors that resonate with people in a traditional or animistic community like the Central Idoma People of Nigeria, West Africa.

2012

Immediately after his resurrection but before his ascension, Christ Jesus gave a mandate to his disciples. He said " poreuqe,ntej ou=n maqhteu,sate pa,nta ta. e;qnh(bapti,zontej auvtou.j eivj to. o;noma tou/ patro.j kai. tou/uìou/ kai. tou/ a`gi,ou pneu,matoj " (going therefore make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit). The church believes this to be a perpetual imperative that defines her vision and mission to the world at large. In order to fulfil this mandate, she sees the scripture as the primary source of the teachings handed on by her founder, Jesus. She assumes the responsibility of interpreting and communicating this message of evangelization. In order words, she has the message enshrined in the inspired Word of God and then she communicates it to people through her catechesis. This paper examines the role the Scripture and Catechesis have played and still play in evangelization. The paper moves from general study of the roles and then zeroes it down to African specifics. The primary preoccupation is not so much with the impact of the missionary catechetical method. The paper takes up some notable challenges posed by aberrations sequent to misinterpretation of the bible and then postulates the best way to evangelize Africa without exploiting the ignorance of our people enrich ourselves instead of winning them for Christ.

Farah, Warrick. 2015. Factors Influencing Arab Muslims to Embrace Biblical Faith That Inform Adaptive Evangelism in Islamic Contexts, Doctor of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA. According to Richard Peace, “How we conceive of conversion determines how we do evangelism” (1999, 286-9). Through inductive coding and qualitative content analysis, this research investigates the common themes found in the faith journeys of twenty-four Muslim background believers (MBBs) in “Islamland” and compares it with the experience of twenty-six other Arab MBBs to provide a comprehensive description of the specific factors that influence Arab Muslims to embrace biblical faith. These factors are examined and analyzed through sustained critical reflection on missiological views concerning conversion from Islamic backgrounds and additional relevant issues in evangelical missiology. Based on a robust understanding of Arab MBB conversions, a proposal for “Adaptive Evangelism Discovery” is envisioned whereby cross-cultural workers learn together in missiological reflection. The anticipated outcome of this reflection is for individual workers to integrate the Arab MBB conversion journeys with their personal experiences of evangelism and philosophies of ministry in order to stimulate “adaptive” witness among Muslims in our day.

Global Missiology, 2022

Intentionally rooting this article in a church visit by the author connects to African contextual reality. Interpretation by the author may be unlike indigenous African interpretation, that will be affected by financial and other dependencies, and arise from contextual presuppositions unfamiliar to the West. Practice of vulnerable mission (use local languages and resources), implemented with determined conviction, is proposed for a Westerner to acquire eyes and ears in indigenous contexts. For Westerners to communicate good sense in the light of indigenous realities is difficult. God's love is universal, but how his love is understood is not.

Mission Studies, 2007