The Pedagogy of Evangelism: Moving from a Didactic to a Conversational Model of Evangelism
In: Mission StudiesMA Lecturer, Church Mission Society Oxford UK
Search for other papers by James Butler in
Current site
Google Scholar
Abstract
This paper argues that while evangelicalism has sought to maintain the importance of communicating a normative understanding of faith, it has done so primarily through a didactic understanding of evangelism. This has made it difficult to integrate informal and non-verbal expressions into an account of evangelism and, I argue, has contributed to evangelicalism’s problems of understanding the relationship between evangelism and social action. By turning to lived experience, and the ‘theology in four voices’ framework from theological action research, I suggest a conversational model of evangelism which enables a move away from a didactic model without losing a commitment to communicating a normative understanding of Christian faith. This model relates more clearly to the lived experience of participants in my research and enables a more integrated understanding of evangelism, which places greater value on the ordinary and everyday expression of faith.
Resumen
Este trabajo argumenta que si bien el evangelicalismo ha procurado mantener la importancia de comunicar una comprensión normativa de la fe, lo ha hecho primordialmente a través de una comprensión didáctica del evangelismo. Esto ha dificultado el poder integrar expresiones informales y no verbales en el relato del evangelio y, el autor sostiene que ha contribuido a los problemas del evangelicalismo en la comprensión de la relación entre la evangelización y la acción social. Al recurrir a la experiencia vivida y al marco de la “teología a cuatro voces” de la investigación de acción teológica, el autor sugiere un modelo conversacional de evangelismo que permite alejarse del modelo didáctico sin perder el compromiso de comunicar una comprensión normativa de la fe cristiana. Este modelo se relaciona más visiblemente a la experiencia vivida de los participantes de la investigación y permite una comprensión más integral del evangelismo que concede mayor valor a la expresión corriente y cotidiana de la fe.
摘要
本文认为，虽然福音主义试图保持对信仰的规范性理解的重要性，但它主要是通过以说教式传福音来做到这点的。 这使得将非正式和非语言的表达整合到传福音中变得困难，而我认为，这导致了福音主义在理解传福音与社会行动之间的关系方面的问题。 通过转向生活经验，以及来自神学行动研究的“四种声音的神学”框架，我提出了一种传福音的对话模式，它可以在不失去对基督教信仰的规范性理解上进行交流，而又摆脱说教式模式。 这个模式更清楚地与我的研究参与者的生活经历相关联，并且能够更全面地理解传福音，它更重视平凡和日常的信仰表达。
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
-
Abraham, William J. (1989). The Logic of Evangelism. Kent: Hodder & Stoughton.
-
Bebbington, David W. (1995). Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s. London: Routledge.
-
Bevans, Stephen and Roger Schroeder (2004). Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today. Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis Books.
-
Bird, Matt (2015). Cinnamon Faith Action Audit National Report. May. Cinnamon Network. Available at: http://www.cinnamonnetwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Final-National-Report.pdf (accessed 24 April 2017).
-
Bosch, David (1992). Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books (USA).
-
Butler, James (2017). ‘Exploring the Lived Theology of Small Missional Communities: Uncovering Charismatic Practices and Beliefs to Enable Sustained Engagement in Social Action’. Unpub. PhD, Durham University. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12849/.
-
Cameron, Helen, Deborah Bhatti, Catherine Duce, James Sweeney, and Clare Watkins (2010). Talking about God in Practice: Theological Action Research and Practical Theology. London: SCM Press.
-
Campanale, Andrea (2018). Church as God’s Conversation Partner with the World. In: Ross, Cathy and Colin Smith, eds, Missional Conversations: A Dialogue between Theory and Praxis in World Mission. London: SCM, 128–136.
-
Cartledge, Mark, Sarah Dunlop, Heather Buckingham, et al. (2019). Megachurches and Social Engagement: Public Theology in Practice. Leiden ; Boston: Brill.
-
Church Army (2017a) Stepping into Evangelism. Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfCMx0v-0Ww&list=PLlqtGfS9S4lk7PAGfIRhz_fU0DCxlG5IS&index=21&t=35s (accessed 9 November 2020).
-
Church Army (2017b) Stepping into Evangelism Website. Available at: https://churcharmy.org/Groups/291072/Church_Army/web/What_we_do/Resources/Stepping_into_evangelism/Stepping_into_evangelism.aspx (accessed 9 November 2020).
-
Cray, Graham (2004). Mission Shaped Church. London: Church House Publishing.
-
Doornenbal, Robert J.A. (2012). Crossroads: An Exploration of the Emerging-Missional Conversation with a Special Focus on ‘Missional Leadership’ and Its Challenges for Theological Educational. Delft: Eburon.
-
Green, Phil (2012) “Christians Against Poverty” idea 03–12–2012. Available at: http://www.eauk.org/idea/christians-against-poverty.cfm (accessed 12 October 2020).
-
Guest, Mathew (2007). Evangelical Identity and Contemporary Culture: A Congregational Study in Innovation. Milton Keynes: Paternoster.
-
Hartropp, Andrew and Oddvar Sten Ronsen (2016). “Evangelism Lost? A Need to Redefine Christian Integral Mission.” Mission Studies 33(1): 66–84. DOI: 10.1163/15733831 -12341434.
-
Heath, Elaine (2017). Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Vision for Christian Outreach. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
-
Knott, Geoff (2014). “Investing More for the Common Good. National Church Social Action Survey Results 2014.” December. Jubilee Plus. Available at: https://jubilee-plus.org/docs/Report-National-Church-Social-Action-Survey-2014-Full.pdf (accessed 24 April 2017).
-
Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (1982). LOP 21: Evangelism and Social Responsibility: An Evangelical Commitment – Lausanne Movement. Lausanne Occasional Paper LOP 21. Available at: http://www.lausanne.org/en/documents/lops/79-lop-21.html (accessed 22 February 2012).
-
Micah Declaration on Integral Mission (2001). Available at: http://micahnetworknepal.org.np/how-we-work/micah-declaration-on-integral-mission/ (accessed 9 April 2021).
-
Mosser, Carl (2013). “Torah Instruction, Discussion, and Prophecy in First-Century Synagogues.” In Porter, Stanley and Andrew Pitts, eds, Christian Origins and Greco- Roman Culture: Social and Literary Contexts for the New Testament. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 523–551.
-
Moynagh, Michael (2018). “A Conversational Approach to New Forms of Church.” In Ross, Cathy and Colin Smith, eds, Missional Conversations: A Dialogue between Theory and Praxis in World Mission. London: SCM, 137–146.
-
National Secular Society (2018). “The Questionable Ethics of Evangelical Debt Advice.” Available at: https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2018/10/the-questionable-ethics-of-evangelical-debt-advice (accessed 12 October 2020).
-
Noll, Mark A. (2010). “What is ‘Evangelical?’” In McDermott, Gerald R., ed., The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195369441.001.0001.
-
Noll, Mark A. (2014). “Defining Evangelicalism.” In Lewis, Donald M. and Richard V. Pierard, eds., Global Evangelicalism: Theology, History & Culture in Regional Perspective. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press., 17–37.
-
Paas, Stefan (2019). Pilgrims and Priests: Christian Mission in a Post-Christian Society. London: SCM Press.
-
Rich, Hannah (2020). Growing Good: Growth, Social Action and Discipleship in the Church of England. London: Theos Think Tank and the Church Urban Fund. Available at: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/cmsfiles/GRACE-CUF-v10-combined.pdf (accessed 1 April 2021).
-
Stone, Bryan P. (2018). Evangelism after Pluralism: The Ethics of Christian Witness. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
-
Stott, John (2008). Christian Mission in the Modern World. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
-
The Lausanne Movement (1989). The Manila Manifesto. Lausanne Movement. Available at: https://lausanne.org/content/manifesto/the-manila-manifesto (accessed 4 September 2021).
-
The Lausanne Movement (2010). The Cape Town Commitment: A Confession of Faith and a Call to Action. 24 October.
-
Thomson, John (2003). Preaching as Dialogue: Is the Sermon a Sacred Cow? Cambridge: Grove Books.
-
Van Gelder, Craig and Dwight Zscheile (2011). The Missional Church in Perspective: Mapping Trends and Shaping the Conversation. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
-
Walton, Roger (2012). The Reflective Disciple: Learning to Lives as Faithful Followers of Jesus in the Twenty-First Century. London: SCM Press.
-
Warner, Rob (2007). Reinventing English Evangelicalism 1966–2001. Milton Keynes: Paternoster.
-
Watkins, Clare (2020). Disclosing Church: Generating Ecclesiology Through Conversations in Practice. London: Routledge.
-
Wright, Christopher (2006). The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. Nottingham, England: IVP Academic.
-
Zink, Jesse (2017). “Five Marks of Mission: History, Theology, Critique.” Journal of Anglican Studies 15(2): 144–166. DOI: 10.1017/S1740355317000067.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 882 | 220 | 7 |
| Full Text Views | 80 | 35 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 218 | 82 | 5 |
The Pedagogy of Evangelism: Moving from a Didactic to a Conversational Model of Evangelism
In: Mission StudiesMA Lecturer, Church Mission Society Oxford UK
Search for other papers by James Butler in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
This paper argues that while evangelicalism has sought to maintain the importance of communicating a normative understanding of faith, it has done so primarily through a didactic understanding of evangelism. This has made it difficult to integrate informal and non-verbal expressions into an account of evangelism and, I argue, has contributed to evangelicalism’s problems of understanding the relationship between evangelism and social action. By turning to lived experience, and the ‘theology in four voices’ framework from theological action research, I suggest a conversational model of evangelism which enables a move away from a didactic model without losing a commitment to communicating a normative understanding of Christian faith. This model relates more clearly to the lived experience of participants in my research and enables a more integrated understanding of evangelism, which places greater value on the ordinary and everyday expression of faith.
Resumen
Este trabajo argumenta que si bien el evangelicalismo ha procurado mantener la importancia de comunicar una comprensión normativa de la fe, lo ha hecho primordialmente a través de una comprensión didáctica del evangelismo. Esto ha dificultado el poder integrar expresiones informales y no verbales en el relato del evangelio y, el autor sostiene que ha contribuido a los problemas del evangelicalismo en la comprensión de la relación entre la evangelización y la acción social. Al recurrir a la experiencia vivida y al marco de la “teología a cuatro voces” de la investigación de acción teológica, el autor sugiere un modelo conversacional de evangelismo que permite alejarse del modelo didáctico sin perder el compromiso de comunicar una comprensión normativa de la fe cristiana. Este modelo se relaciona más visiblemente a la experiencia vivida de los participantes de la investigación y permite una comprensión más integral del evangelismo que concede mayor valor a la expresión corriente y cotidiana de la fe.
摘要
本文认为，虽然福音主义试图保持对信仰的规范性理解的重要性，但它主要是通过以说教式传福音来做到这点的。 这使得将非正式和非语言的表达整合到传福音中变得困难，而我认为，这导致了福音主义在理解传福音与社会行动之间的关系方面的问题。 通过转向生活经验，以及来自神学行动研究的“四种声音的神学”框架，我提出了一种传福音的对话模式，它可以在不失去对基督教信仰的规范性理解上进行交流，而又摆脱说教式模式。 这个模式更清楚地与我的研究参与者的生活经历相关联，并且能够更全面地理解传福音，它更重视平凡和日常的信仰表达。
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 882 | 220 | 7 |
| Full Text Views | 80 | 35 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 218 | 82 | 5 |