‘Virtuous Persuasion,’ with Dr. Michael Niebauer

The Rev. Michael Niebauer joins Matt and Alastair to discuss a virtue-ethical approach to mission.

Michael Niebauer

What counts as doing God’s mission? How do we measure the success of Christian mission? It’s very tempting to turn it into a numbers game, or to rely on our own strategies. But Dr. Michael Niebauer has written the Mere Fidelity Book of the Month about this very topic. Matt and Alastair examine with him this very crucial aspect of our Christian life.

Links Mentioned:

Lexham Press Book of the Month

Merrie Band

Dr. Michael Niebauer

This We Believe podcast

Alan Hirsch

Missio Dei Movement

Paul’s Areopagus Speech in Acts 17

The Book of the Month for September is Virtuous Persuasion: A Theology of Christian Mission by Michael Niebauer. Niebauer proposes a theology of mission grounded in virtue and theological ethics, advocating a view of Christian mission as specific activities that develop virtue in their practitioners and move them toward the ultimate goal of partaking in the glory of God. Get a 40% discount on this essential resource at lexhampress.com/merefidelity.

Timestamps

1:44
Author of the Month
2:42
Getting Christian Mission Wrong
6:40
Missio Dei Sociology
12:44
Who’s the audience?
18:20
What counts as mission?
23:26
What is not mission?
28:09
Too Much Instrumentalization
32:56
Bringing People to the Sacraments
38:08
Variety in Mission
43:35
Prudence over Winsomeness
45:05
Divided Attention, Limited Resources

Follow Derek, Andrew, and Alastair for more tweet-sized brilliance. Thanks to Timothy Crouch for keeping us organized. Special thanks to Tim Motte for sound editing and show notes. And thanks to The Joy Eternal for lending us their music, which everybody should download out of gratitude for their kindness.

Ecclesiology
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