We, The Church... Studies in Mission & Evangelization (Essays in Honor of Bishop Dr. B. S. Moses Kumar)

'We, the Church' is a collection of essays from learned people of God from across three continents. The wealth of their wisdom provides lessons from the past, insights for the present and signposts for tomorrow. These 'Studies in Mission and Evangelization' provide much needed light on several practical issues that concern our existence as the Church. Here is a diversity of contributions in history, theology, anthropology, sociology and missiology.

This is a Festschrift for Rev. Dr. B. S. Moses Kumar who has been faithfully serving His Church for over the last 40 years as a pastor, teacher and as a bishop. This is a labor of love from his wife and children.

Smitha P. Coffey serves as worship minister at Donald Church. She has a Bachelors in Arts from Andhra University, and another Bachelors in Biblical Studies from Southwestern Christian University, Oklahoma, USA. She also has a Masters in English Literature from Andhra University. Her husband Jeff is at missionary to India and they live together with their children, Eliana and Seth, in Hyderabad.

Donna Tracy Paul has served as Country Administrator for People to People Ministries in India (a Benevolence arm of IPHC World Missions). She has a Masters in Information Technology from Sikkim Manipal University. She has a heart for children's ministry, worship, media. and creative arts. She currently resides with her husband, Tracy, in Ohio, USA.

The Dynamics of the Mission of God is all-encompassing-touching people of all ages and generations, embracing all tongues and tribes, and transforming people and places in the process, across the globe. The eternal plan of God has been at work in time and space! We see at work, in the beginning, at creation and ever since in re- creation facilitating a new creation among the redeemed humans and consummating in a new heaven and a new earth'!

The present volume is a collection of essays from learned people of God from across three continents, brought together through the bond of the and the bond of fellowship in the body of Christ. The wealth of their wisdom provides Lessons from the Past, Insights for the Present and Signposts for Tomorrow for the reader, and for the Church at large. These 'Studies in Mission and Evangelization' provide much needed light on several practical issues that concern our existence as the Church. The Church is neither an impersonal object or structure nor a third person that we look at. We are the Church, as the redeemed people of God! So the 'church talk' is to be a 'mutual talk' that we do amongst us for 'mutual edification' and on-going exhortation. This can best happen when the 'church-talk is in tune with 'God-talk'.

Two eminent Church historians of our times, Dr. Vinson Synan and Dr. Daniel Woods present us with great stories of two eminent servants of God in the earlier pages of this volume, and they serve as a fitting starter or appetizer for the main course ahead.

What an honor to be able to introduce Dr. Moses Kumar and share a few thoughts and experiences about this very outstanding servant of our Savior! On my first visit to Maruter, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, in July 1956, I did not get to meet Moses Kumar. I shared the Gospel in a small 'pakha' (palm leaf roofed structure) just across the road from his ancestral village home. No doubt at the young age of three years, he was just enjoying playing or maybe even beginning to learn the English and Telugu alphabets.

I did see and become acquainted with 'Satyanandam' (Moses Kumar) on subsequent trips to Maruter. He was, from the beginning, a very studious and serious student. As a young Christian, he grew in knowledge and faith, as he studied the Bible. During his high school and college years, he proved to be an outstanding student. When Moses Kumar felt that God had called him to minister the Word of God, he pursued the Holy Scriptures with devoted earnestness.

He pastored a couple of congregations in the first decade of his ministry. He was then sent as the first delegate from India to the Centre for International Christian Ministries, London. The Lord dealt with him in a deeper way, and gave him a Strategy. This he was asked to share in the Graduation Exercises, and it was being fulfilled ever since.

**Contents and Sample Pages**