The cover has text added to a cropped image of a wooden cross in the Saharna landscape reserve, Moldova by Botnari Stefan, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Who do you say I am?”
The Life-changing Confession that Jesus is Christ
The past year has forced us to reexamine many of the things in life we take for granted. When we first heard about a virus affecting the city of Wuhan, we didn’t know how widely it would spread or that it would also be called novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and Covid-19. Neither did we realize how it would impact international travel, commuting to work or school, attending church, going out for meals, and visiting family and friends. Many of us found these things impossible, while others could do them, at least for a while. The arrival of something previously unknown brought life-changing consequences to many, and life-shattering or life-ending consequences to hundreds of thousands of others. And while some have become exceedingly diligent, if not paranoid, in washing their hands, wearing masks, and keeping to a proper social distance, others have responded with denial or scoffing or simply disregarding what government authorities and medical professionals have told us to do. But no matter how we feel about it or respond to it, Covid-19 is a life changer.
Though the analogy quickly breaks down, the life of a man who was born just over 2000 years ago similarly forces us to reexamine our lives and our place in the world. Whether we know him as Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, or the Lord Jesus Christ, his teaching ministry and sacrificial death have greatly impacted people worldwide. And while some sincerely believe that he is the only true God who came to earth in the flesh for the sake of his people and are extremely diligent to obey him, others deny that he was anything more than a man, if he lived at all, and scoff at those who think otherwise.
This issue of Mission Round Table will take up Jesus’ eternally-important question, “Who do you say I am?” to show that the answer will greatly impact individuals and societies. It will, in fact, cause many—including long-time Christian believers—to reassess their lives, work, and relationships in the light of the Lord of all life.
Browse articles in this edition
The Case for Multi-Ethnic Churches in Multi-Cultural Myanmar
Many churches in Myanmar are ethno-culturally defined and predominantly consist of people from a single ethnic group. This strong ethno-linguistic demarcation creates a significant obstacle for other ethno-linguistic groups to join. In order for Christians in Myanmar to make a significant impact in this largely Buddhist country, the church may need to rethink its strong ethnic [...]
Mission to the Shan in Burma (Myanmar) – Lessons We can Learn from the Historical Work
This article briefly looks at the entry of Protestant missions into Burma, reviews the growth of missions to the Shan, and shows how the gospel spread in a number of areas of Burma. It introduces some of the key workers who brought the gospel to the Shan, and looks at the long-term results of their [...]
An Exploration into the Spatial Impact of Spirituality within Khmer Dwellings
Paul D. C. Robinson practised as an architect for several years before moving to Phnom Penh where he taught Urban Design at the Royal University of Fine Arts. He recently completed his PhD in Architecture and Urban Design through the University of Liverpool (UK). He is currently working as the OMF UK Director of Mobilisation [...]
Racism, Mission, and Me: Some Personal Reflections
Dave Andrews explains how he readily recognized that some missionaries were clearly prejudiced against the people they worked with, while it took him many years in India before he realized just how many racist ideas resided his own heart. To correct his attitudes, he drank deeply from Indian Christian culture under the guidance of Indian [...]
The Language of Lament in Reconciliation and the Global Church
P E relates how, as a white American, getting to know black people in Chicago laid the foundation for understanding what a person from a minority background in Asia feels like, particularly when majority-culture Christians share the gospel with them. His study of biblical lament helped solidify these understandings. It further revealed the need for [...]
Peter’s Declaration “You are the Christ”
In his reflections on the conversation in Matthew 16 when Jesus asked his disciples “Who do you say I am?” Richard Schlitt reveals his ardent desire to hear people answer this question rightly and shows that it can only come through deep acquaintance with Jesus, thoughtful reflection, and the revelation that only comes through God’s [...]
Book review – The Missionary-Theologian: Sent into the World, Sanctified by the Word
Reviewed by Chris Howles, Head of Theology, Uganda Martyrs Seminary In The Missionary-Theologian, E. D. Burns argues eloquently and energetically for the stronger integration of theological rigour into applied missiological practice. Throughout a wide-ranging series of chapters covering topics such as “The Missionary in Prayer,” The Missionary as Servant of the Word,” “The Missionary as Sent-One of [...]
Book review – Canon, Covenant and Christology: Rethinking Jesus and the Scriptures of Israel
Reviewed by Martin Paterson Questions relating to the authority and unity of the Bible come to the surface in every context of gospel ministry. It is therefore essential that those who seek to make disciples develop a reasoned response to such crucial questions. Matthew Barrett’s recent addition to the New Studies in Biblical Theology series, Canon, [...]
Book review – Scatter: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You
Reviewed by Paul Robinson Through telling a number of distressing stories from around the world, Scott introduces his text and dramatically states that “this generation has learned to worship in the church but seems unwilling to worship in the world” (32). He provocatively cites Amos 5:23–24 and lays down the challenge that “A good merit [...]
