What happens when an expatriate missionary is thrust into a context where the standard of living is so divergent that perceived or actual wealth suddenly becomes the strongest draw of attraction? What actual message is communicated through the wordless witness of the Western Christian missionary lifestyle? Is attention to so-called good news now so financially focused that other foundational issues become overshadowed? This issue becomes even more complicated when the missionary arrives clueless about personal privilege, ignorant of the envy of others, and carries the mistaken attitude that others think similarly. SEANET proudly presents Complexities of Money and Missions in Asia for all who are asking such questions. From seven different indigenous and expatriate perspectives this volume deals with the perceptions of money specifically from those seeking to serve obediently in the Buddhist contexts of Asia.

SEANET serves as a networking forum wherein groups and individuals can meet to reflect and strategize together on topics particular to their collective mission. SEANET does not promote one particular strategy or one particular theology but seeks to learn from models of hope that show what God is doing around the world. Each year the annual SEANET conference brings together over one hundred and fifty practitioners who are privileged to live and serve throughout the Buddhist world. The chapters of this volume represent seven of those voices from the network.

ISBN: 9780878080380
Pages: 176
Binding: Perfect
Size A5: Paperback
Published: 2012
Publisher: William Carey Library

This is the fourth and latest volume in the Buddhist World series which includes Sharing Jesus in the Buddhist World, Sharing Jesus Holistically with the Buddhist World, and Sharing Jesus Effectively in the Buddhist World. Compiled from papers presented at the annual SEANET Missiological Forum in Thailand, Communicating Christ in the Buddhist World delivers fresh insights from mission theologians and practitioners. The first four chapters reflect on the theological framework by which Christians can fulfill the biblical mandate to evangelize and transform peoples. The next five chapters consider the significant sociological issues that have arisen in the Christian encounter with Buddhist peoples. The final three suggest some strategic ways forward for effective evangelism in the Buddhist world. May this book challenge the international Christian community to find better ways of relating to and approaching people of other faiths!

ISBN: 9780878085101
Pages: 296
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2006
Publisher: William Carey Library

How do Christ followers celebrate unity in the midst of diversity? How do we become the people of God in more than name only? A unifying Christ-centeredness demands living out kingdom values and bearing witness to transformation in and through a multitude of cultural manifestations. We struggle to serve, worship, and witness in the midst of this age-old challenge.

This collection of perspectives comes from settings where the good news of Jesus has not been the dominant historical norm. All contributors in this volume are practitioners. They have a deep appreciation for the cultural heritage and important moral values found in Buddhist contexts.

We believe these chapters hold valuable lessons that speak to all of the family of faith. Here you will find a wide range of topics and approaches that address what it means to become the global body of believers. These can speak to you wherever you are called to participate with God’s work in the world.

Christ followers are in the process of becoming what will one day culminate in a huge and startling celebration of people from all of God’s beloved creation. If you are interested in hearing from those discovering what that might look like outside traditional packaging, this book is for you.

ISBN: 9780878080427
Pages: 242
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2015
Publisher: William Carey Library

If Christian mission in Asia and most of the non-Western world is ever to advance, it must seriously consider the importance of family networks. Far too long the strategy of a “one by one” approach has stifled the spread of the gospel, reinforced a highly individualized unbiblical theology and destroyed social relationships that might lead to conversation, conversion and social transformation. With this concern in mind, SEANET is proud to present another volume in its series addressing critical missiological issues relevant to the practice of mission in Buddhist, Asian and many other contexts. Our title, Family and Faith in Asia: The Missional Impact of Extended Networks, attempts to issue a wake-up call to serious reflection on a highly ignored social reality in Buddhist and many other social contexts. The book is a resource useful for anyone wishing to study practical approaches to issues related to family and faith in Asia, particularly in Buddhist contexts for mission.

ISBN: 9780878080229
Pages: 352
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2010
Publisher: William Carey Library

This book on Christian missions to the Buddhist world not only provides understanding of many Buddhist cultures, but provides culturally relevant ideas on sharing Jesus with Buddhists around the world. It lives up to the editors’ goal “to provide the global church with knowledge and understanding of the Buddhist world and how to reach it for Christ.”

ISBN: 9780878085064
Pages: 210
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2003
Publisher: William Carey Library

Communicating Christ in Asian Cities: Urban Issues in Buddhist Contexts is the sixth volume in a series produced from the annual SEANET Missiological Forum held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It developed from a keen awareness that certain urban concerns for evangelistic mission must be addressed in a unique way when viewed within the myriad and complex cultures found within Asian Buddhism. All authors included here write from many years of experience as Evangelical mission theologians, scholars, pastors and practitioners working within Asian urban Buddhist contexts. This book is divided into three sections with the first focused on foundational issues of ministry within the framework of Asian Buddhist cities. The second section includes four chapters addressing several contextual issues specific to peoples within Asian Buddhist cities. The final section includes three chapters on the topic of strategic means of evangelization found useful in specific Asian urban Buddhist contexts.

ISBN: 9780878080076
Pages: 297
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2009
Publisher: William Carey Library

Vietnam's Christians: A Century of Growth and Adversity by Reg Reimer

In 1975, Vietnam, united under communism, fell behind a bamboo curtain. Many feared the worst for churches there. But fifteen years later, churches, especially among Vietnam’s ethnic minority mountain peoples, suddenly exploded in number and vitality.

At last the secret is out! For too long the story of the astonishing growth of the Vietnamese church has lain unknown, underreported, or even ignored.Yet it is one of modern Christianity's most encouraging triumphs. Reg Reimer has done the worldwide body of Christ a huge favour in giving us the first definitive account of the progress of the gospel in Vietnam. Comprehensive and scholarly, nuanced and inspirational, this book deserves to become a modern missions classic. It will challenge and change all who read it.


Pages: 144
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2011
Publisher: William Carey Library

Every movement is only one generation from dying out. Leadership development remains the critical issue for mission endeavors around the world. How are leaders developed from the local context for the local context? What is the role of the expatriate in this process? What models of hope are available for those seeking further direction in this area, particularly in mission to the Buddhist world of Asia? To answer these and several other questions, SEANET proudly presents the tenth volume in its series on practical missiology, Developing Indigenous Leaders: Lessons in Mission from Buddhist Asia.

Each chapter in this volume is written by a practitioner and a mission scholar. The ten authors come from a wide range of ecclesial and national backgrounds and represent service in ten different Buddhist contexts of Asia. With biblical integrity and cultural sensitivity, these chapters provide honest reflection, insight, and guidance.

There is perhaps no more crucial issue than the development of dedicated indigenous leaders who will remain long after missionaries have returned home. If you are concerned about raising up leaders in your ministry in whatever cultural context it may be, this volume will be an important addition to your library.

ISBN: 9780878080403
Pages: 243
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2012
Publisher: William Carey Library

SEANET proudly presents Restored to Freedom from Fear, Guilt, and Shame, volume 13 in its series on intercultural and inter-religious studies.

These three cultural orientations impact the shaping and expression of worldview. While all are present to a certain extent in every context, this volume draws from the expressions and insights found from within the Buddhist world.

Understanding orientations differing from our own helps us understand more of ourselves, part of the enrichment resulting in the process of encounter. We require the lens of the world in order to better recognize our own cultural blindness.

We use the word “restoration” believing that it is God’s purpose to restore all that was lost through fear, guilt, and shame back to the original status of power, honor, and innocence through reconciliation on all levels.

This volume is for all who seek restoration to
freedom for self and others.

ISBN: 978-0-87808-527-9
Pages: 242
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2017
Publisher: William Carey Library

What is dukkha? In Buddhism this word encompasses the concepts of dis-ease, unsteadiness, sorrow, and lack of inner calm. In English it is usually translated simply as “suffering”. However it is defined, dukkha is central to understanding Buddhism. The Buddha described not only what it was, but taught that there is a way out of it.

Suffering is an undeniable theme in both Christianity and Buddhism. Both treat the topic with great intensity. Buddha taught that suffering was inherent to the mortal condition. Christ was born into a life of suffering and called disciples to follow him in this path. Through enlightenment Buddha pointed to a way out of suffering. Through his death Christ suffered once for all. Both groups experience suffering but often talk about it from completely different starting points. Are there insights from each perspective that can inform the other? We believe so.

Suffering: Christian Reflections on the Buddhist Dukkha is a collection of articles by Western and non-Western Christ followers for those who want to delve deeper into one important aspect of Buddhist worldview. It is written for the practitioner privileged to live and serve in the Buddhist context. This book is also for the Buddhist seeking to understand the Christian perspective on existence in today’s world where suffering is our ever-present reality.

ISBN: 9780878080243
Pages: 234
Binding: Paperback
Published: 2011
Publisher: William Carey Library

First person account by Lloyd Oppel of his experience together with Sam Mattix, as prisoners of the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. Both were newly arrived, very young, missionaries to Laos when the town where they were living was overrun by the communists. Five months of captivity followed, including 40 days of forced march, 800 kilometers from central Laos, across the mountains into Vietnam and ultimately to imprisonment in the notorious “Hanoi Hilton.”

For these two twenty-year-olds, their captivity and survival became the defining discipleship experience of their youth. The lessons that God was teaching them have lasted a lifetime.

Pages: 241
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2016

Communicating Christ Through Story and Song, the fifth volume in the Buddhist World series, presents models and case studies of communication of the Gospel through orality in Southeast Asia. With contributions from seasoned practitioners working in Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Philippines, this insightful book explores the Biblical foundations – and the cultural imperative – of employing oral tradition to effectively communicate in Buddhist contexts.

ISBN: 9780878085118
Pages: 320
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2008
Publisher: William Carey Library

This book compiles the works of “reflective practitioners” who are committed to developing creative approaches of communicating the gospel in culturally sensitive ways to the Buddhist peoples of the world with the hope of seeing them follow Jesus. The five major dimensions of a holistic witness among Buddhist peoples discussed are experiential dialogue, intellectual dialogue, biblical exposition, cultural sensitivity, and economic development.

ISBN: 9780878085088
Pages: 386
Binding: Perfect
Size: A5 Paperback
Published: 2005
Publisher: William Carey Library

Description

This is the third book in the “Sharing Jesus in the Buddhist World” series, written by evangelical mission “reflective practitioners” who are committed to developing more effective ways to win the Buddhist peoples to the Lord Jesus Christ. The opening chapter describes “The Changing Demographic Context of Global Buddhism”; the next six describe some of the best models of mission approaches for reaching Buddhists; and the last four depict some past and present “people movements” or “church planting movements.”

ISBN: 9780878085095
Pages: 398
Binding: Paperback
Published: 2005
Publisher: William Carey Library

Expect some shaking and refining of your biblical worldview as you read this book.

Hindus often have a high view of Jesus, but they struggle with traditions and customs around Christianity and church. Christian Barriers to Jesus uniquely challenges readers to examine nine barrier-producing Christian traditions from three perspectives:
• Concerns Hindus commonly raise about the traditions
• Assumptions Christians may hold about the traditions
• Teachings of Jesus and Scripture that often question the Christian traditions that confuse, offend, and alienate Hindus from Jesus.

This book suggests that we are not asking deep enough questions about what is essential for following Jesus and what is non-essential human invention. If we truly care about Jesus, we must honestly address where those non-essential traditions unnecessarily alienate millions of people from him.

ISBN: 9780878085453
Pages: 304
Binding: Paperback
Published: 2017
Publisher: William Carey Library