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Spring 1987 · Vol. 16 No. 1 · p. 2 

From the Editors: Mission and Creative Worship

Allen R. Guenther

Mission and worship are two vital and complementary aspects of the life of the Church. We present them as the major and minor themes of this issue.

The first three articles were designed to present for public discussion the topic of mission theology and policy in general and of current Mennonite Brethren thinking in particular. The lead article by Victor Adrian opens the debate and charts the present directions. He presses home the priority of evangelism in the mission enterprise. Peter Kroeker, a Consultant on Development to the M.B. mission board, encourages a broad missions vision, while keeping Christ central. Hans Kasdorf argues that historically M.B. mission rhetoric and performance have been at odds with one another precisely because we have conceptualized mission in the language of “priority.” He challenges that notion and offers an alternative way of thinking and speaking about the Church’s task.

Missionary statesman, Paul Hiebert, explores world trends which mission theology and policy will need to address if they are to be current in the last decade of this century. Juan Martinez pictures the shape of mission to the ethnic community with which he is so well acquainted. He explodes many of the myths which reflect confused thinking and traditional practice in mission to Hispanics in the United States. And Nzash U-Lumeya helps us conceptualize the need for indigenization of the Gospel by introducing us to some of the problems and misperceptions created by importing Western agenda and interpretations into other (mission) contexts.

Esther Wiens introduces our theme of creative worship with a brief article on the use of drama in worship. She has compiled a comprehensive annotated bibliography of religious dramas in print. We trust it will be published elsewhere. Alan Peters leads us through a contemporary worship liturgy with an interpretive commentary. We hope both of these articles will trigger imaginative possibilities for enriching worship.

Allen R. Guenther

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