This book examines familiar corporate Christian practices (such as preaching, teaching, the Eucharist, baptism, etc) as they developed in the New Testament. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, the book focuses on how Christian practices originated and developed historically in relation to the concept of mission in various New Testament settings. The chapters demonstrate how each practice relates to the mission task of the church historically and today. The book seeks to argue that our corporate local church worship practices need to be focused again on their inherent missional power to radically point to a better future for all cultures. Based upon solid methods of academic research, the book will be of enormous interest to pastors, mission leaders, and all Christians trying to understand how to better relate local church worship and witness to global challenges. By viewing Christian practices through their original capacity for cross-cultural witness, the book offers insights to renew the powerful church practices that every pastor and local church engage in corporately. Consequently, the book offers a hopeful vision to transform our own faith communities and renew the world around us for a better human future.
