The Productivity Myth
The truly effective and productive missionary is not the one with the largest organization, but the one whose precious and godly work of love survives into eternity.
Archive issue · March 2008
A historical issue examining contextual theology, cross-cultural mission, ministry formation, reconciliation, global research, and ministry among urban communities.
Issue contents
Read the articles individually by department. Statements and historical figures in these summaries reflect the original 2008 publication context.
The truly effective and productive missionary is not the one with the largest organization, but the one whose precious and godly work of love survives into eternity.
A comparison of the Ibero-American missions enterprise between 1987 and 2008 reflects great progress.
An introduction to the issue’s coverage of poverty in Nordic climates, the de-westernization of the gospel, and theology in Africa.
Ministry formation in Jesus’ time, in the Constantinian world, and today.
Christians in all cultures and nations have an equal right to develop interpretations of Christian faith, implying a need for self-theologizing.
De-westernization of the gospel requires time, critical dialogue with national communities, and the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
An examination of vulnerability, imitation, cultural presuppositions, and communicating the gospel in an African context.
Children, women, fragmentation, and glocalization need to be addressed in relation to the whole Body of Christ.
A historical account of an institutional apology concerning the exclusion of African American missionary candidates.
A 2008 research overview of people-group clusters in Southeast Asia. Figures should be read as historical data, not current estimates.
A call for evangelists, missionaries, pastors, and theologians from non-Western cultures to interpret Scripture and life through their cultural perspectives.
An introduction to urban poverty, difficult living conditions, and harsh climates across the Northern Hemisphere.
A historical account of investing in young people living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Establishing a community rooted in discipleship and integral mission, oriented toward restoring human dignity among marginalized people.
A selection of world news items as reported in March 2008. Rankings and conditions described are historical and may no longer apply.
An outline of positive and negative theological trends observed in the African Church at the time of publication.
Reading historical material
World Mission Pulse presents this issue as an archival publication. Its arguments, terminology, institutional references, and research reflect March 2008 rather than current reporting.
Use the issue overview to understand how its principal themes fit together.
Choose perspectives, themed articles, research, reports, or urban ministry.
Treat statistics, rankings, and contemporary claims as historical information.
Use the full-issue or summary PDF when you want the publication in sequence.