EMQ articles
Evangelical Missions Quarterly, from 1964 to the current issue. Page 2 of 160 · 3,822 in all.
Members onlyHolistic ministry
By Evelyn Hibbert | Jesus’s coming was whole-of-life. Yet often, when thinking of the gospel, we focus just on words. Thinking of the wholeness of salvation alerts us we always have more to learn. Openness to things we have not previously encountered or thought of is critical for effective missionary work. No doubt…
Members onlyWork as Gospel Ministry
By Larry Sharp | Missionary visas are no longer granted for many countries today. At the same time, we are realizing that being a missionary is not limited to a spiritual professional. Just as God is a missionary God, all his people are called to share with him in his mission work. There is no sacred secular divide.…
Members onlyNomads and Church: Beyond Our Walls
By William J. Stephens | Mongolian nomads, moving from one encampment to another through vast terrains, pose a challenge for church planting. Instead of imposing models of church, let’s learn how Christian nomads themselves experience church. For them, churches are like family reunions, irregular yet incredibly…
Members onlyTibetan Diaspora Ministry – a Reflection
By Zanna Grace | Opportunities exist for Christians to connect with Tibetans who have left their traditional homeland and settled elsewhere, for a time, at least. Nevertheless, there remain significant challenges for Christians who wish to see Tibetans join the number of God’s people around the world.
Members onlyBuilding Healthy Connections with African Diaspora Churches
By Faustin Ntamushobora | This article explores how African diaspora churches in the United States can foster healthy and mutual enriching connections with non-African congregations. Drawing from my personal ministry and teaching experience, I describe three broad types of African diaspora churches—tribal…
Members onlyEngaging Effectively with the Social Systems of Cities: A Case Study of the Emmanuel Gospel Center and Living System Ministry
By Alan Totire | This is a case study of Emmanuel Gospel Center in Boston and its Living System Ministry approach, particularly in its outreach to refugees and other immigrants. It seeks to answer, “What is LSM, and how does it empower others in mission in the city?” This research sheds light on how a Christian…
Members onlyUnsettling the Settled with Resettlement: A Story of Cross-Cultural Outreach to Afghan Refugees in a Chinese-Heritage Church
By Jackie J. Hwang | A Chinese-heritage church was challenged by cross-cultural outreach to Afghan refugees. The members of the church grew spiritually from navigating the challenges in this ministry. It was an opportunity for God to work in and through them in cross-cultural diaspora mission. Lessons learned in…
Members onlyFront Porch Missions: Welcoming People from the Nations in Our Neighborhoods
By Richard Noble | It is helpful to view diaspora ministry as front porch missions. On the front porch, we get to know people and, sometimes, give practical help. With time, the relationship deepens, and we invite them into our homes. Using Allegheny Center Alliance Church in Pittsburgh, PA, as an example, this…
Members onlyDiscipling People Who Struggle to Read
By S.J. Spyker | As refugees and asylum seekers flee situations of violence and terror, they often are disillusioned by what they have seen and experienced. As a result, they frequently arrive in new contexts with an openness to new ideas including hearing about the Lord Jesus. Yet, there are many challenges. One…
Members onlyConversational Evangelism Among Diaspora from Unreached People Groups
By Bill Babione | Conversational evangelism among diaspora from unreached people groups, such as the Ahiska Turks, is most effective when it is relational and intentional. Building genuine friendships, engaging in two-way cultural exchange, and purposefully creating opportunities for dialogue are key.
Members onlyRelationships, Roles, Spirituality: The Keys to Mobilizing New Generations
By Katy White, Dave Jacob, and John McVay | Based on survey results, White, Jacob and McVay outline practical mobilization strategies to overcome the most common obstacles to mission participation and motivate young people to participate in missions. This information could help to transform your recruitment approach…
Members onlyMember-Care During Cultural Adjustment
By Bruce T. Sidebotham | This article helps member-care personnel facilitate personal resiliency, team effectiveness, and good ministry results by assessing culture-stress conditions and coaching workers through the stages of adjustment.
Members only10/40 Window: People or location?
By José Cruz Parada | The 10/40 Window highlights regions where people have least access to Christianity. It encourages Christians to focus missionary efforts on those areas. However, it has led to neglect of diaspora populations, such as Muslims living in the US, who also need outreach. Parada argues that mission…
Members onlyFriendship Evangelism in the Workplace
By Glenn Deckert | This article narrates the journeys of three adults in diverse cultural settings that took them from unbelief to salvation. These were a Chinese medical doctor in America, a female poet in Hong Kong, and a traveling Iranian businessman. Two were confronted with the gospel in workplace settings, and…
Members onlyMission Among Diaspora Communities
By Evelyn Hibbert | Christians are called to welcome strangers, build relationships, and share Christ’s love across cultures. Cultural diversity is increasing in many neighborhoods across the world. New ways of connecting are affecting how people do church. Mission among diaspora communities requires flexible…
Members onlyThe Art of Goodbye: How TCKs Navigate Friendship and Loss in an Ever-Changing World
By Corinne Kelley and Anthony Casey | This article presents the findings of research focused on the processes and emotions utilized to cope with goodbyes for Third Culture Kids. TCKs move an average of 4.3 times during their formative years. The article presents a brief overview of the research method, then outlines…
Members onlySpiritual Resilience
By Evelyn Hibbert | Spiritual resilience is a fruit of vibrant spiritual life. Resilience enables missionaries to persevere through hardship, learning to find joy in its midst. It enables them to navigate the unfamiliar, overcome spiritual blocks, and learn together with friends. Its essence is willingness to give up…
Members onlyHow Eschatology Affects Missions: Reviewing Pierson’s Impact
By Jake Hines | Eschatology has influenced the way that Christians understand the mission of the church and the trajectory of the world. Within the Student Volunteer Movement, assumptions of Christ’s return urged thousands to pursue “the evangelization of the world in this generation.” A. T. Pierson, an early SVM…
Members onlyThe Expulsive Power of a New Narrative: Why the Biblical Story Must Displace Competing Alternatives
By C. S. Barefoot | No one lives without a narrative. Rather, everyone lives in accordance with some story that forms and shapes their worldview. Christian ministers and missionaries – – particularly those laboring to make disciples among all peoples – – must account for this reality. True transformation requires the…
Members onlyRethinking Generosity
By Jim Harries | Sometimes, as missionaries, we are not aware of the ways our generosity unintentionally causes problems. Often, providing material resources is associated with power. This disrupts local relationships, even when nothing is said. Sacred power is an alternative to the power associated with material…
Members onlyDeveloping Spiritual Resilience for Workers Among Nomads
By Evelyn Hibbert, Lance Williamson, and Barbara Williamson | Spiritual resilience enables missionaries to persevere in the face of difficulties. It is developed through nurturing spiritual disciplines and relationship with God and others. It increases with experience of hardship. This article reports the views of…
Members onlyUsing a Meeting with Jesus to Overcome Discipleship Blocks
By Neil Miller | Blocks in spiritual growth can be due to traumatic experiences, disappointments and challenging life events. This article describes a way of praying and reflecting that helps to identify the source of the block, deal with it and move on. This can apply equally to ourselves as well as those we disciple.
Members onlyDiscerning God’s Will: Learning from Hudson Taylor and Ignatius of Loyola
By Jasmine Lee | Hudson Taylor and Ignatius of Loyola both emphasized the role of emotions and a strong relationship with God in discerning God’s will. Taylor relied on prayer and waiting for God’s guidance, while Ignatius developed the structured approach taught through his Spiritual Exercises. Their methods, which…
Members onlyOvercoming Fear of Sorcery: Discipling in Unfamiliar Areas
By Tom Gerick | Mahmud and his family faced a suanggi (shapeshifting sorcerer) terrorizing their community. We conversed deeply about culture and the specifics of suanggi. We studied how to understand spiritual beings from a biblical perspective, and how to overcome fear, examining scriptures to learn how to act…