The Missionary–Theologian

The Missionary–Theologian is a must read for all Christian leaders, even more so for those called to serve as missionaries. Since the Bible is the Word of God, it contains the self–sufficient content and strategy for missions. The missionary should know how to properly handle, proclaim, and obey it. This book is a clarion call for lives that bear fruit that last.

-- Carlos Calderón (Vice President, Partners International)

It is refreshing to once again have available for mission practitioners a strongly biblical approach to and subsequent evaluation of, the praxis of missions. Written by a perceptive ‘missionary–theologian,’ Burns guides missionaries how to be theologically adept as they perform their high calling as God’s global message bearers. I cannot recommend this book enough.

-- Marvin J. Newell (Staff Missiologist)

… thought–provoking … helps release the missionary from this self–focused introspection and find hope, assurance, and endurance in the all–sufficient power of Christ and His Word. The result is a Gospel–driven approach to mission that is theologically rich, Spirit–empowered, and biblically informed.

-- James A. Blumenstock (Dean & Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology, Asia Biblical Theological Seminary, Chiang Mai, Thailand)

Don’t let the word ‘theologian’ in the title fool you. There’s nothing ‘ivory tower’ about this book. To the contrary, Burns articulately argues that missionaries should, indeed, be out and about and engaged in God’s global mission. He does so with rich and insightful doses of Scripture, history, theology, and missiology, as well as illuminating examples from his own life and others’. As both a missionary and a theologian, Burns has written with aplomb and authority; as an impassioned follower of Christ, he’s written with humility and hope.

-- João Mordomo (Co–Founder and Vice–Chair, Crossover Global and Senior Associate, Lausanne Movement)

Tenacious. That word kept coming to mind as I read this book. I met Burns when we were students together. He was the one leading spontaneous prayer meetings for the nations and speaking about the glory of God. Neither would let him go. This work represents that happy union of theology and mission after two decades in the meat smoker of study and experience. Here is a book on the church and her mission and a theology of both; a book that holds onto the doctrine of sola scriptura and to the practice of global missions as though everything depends on it. Let this book convince you—or re–convince you—that indeed everything is at stake.

-- Trent Hunter (Pastor for Preaching and Teaching, Heritage Bible Church, Greer, South Carolina)

… a no–nonsense, hard–hitting resource that refuses to reduce the missionary calling to anything less than a Christocentric, Word–driven, Spirit–led, church–affirmed, theologically equipped invitation to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the unreached peoples of the world. 

-- Billy Coppedge (Lausanne Movement Catalyst for Orality & Worker for Africa Gospel Church, Uganda (World Gospel Mission))

… warns us of dangerous landmines, guides us through the thicket of contemporary missions issues, and offers us a Christ–centered, biblically serious, church–minded, and grace–driven approach to missions. 

-- Christopher Morgan (Dean of the School of Christian Ministries and Professor of Theology, California Baptist University, Riverside, California)

I rejoice that he writes clearly, simply, and directly with both conviction of the soul and an irrepressible insistence that Jesus be exalted among the nations. My prediction: you will read this book twice!  

-- Mike Abendroth (Pastor, Bethlehem Bible Church, Boylston, Massachusetts & Host of No Compromise Radio)

The Missionary–Theologian cuts like a surgeon’s scalpel, graciously excising the disease and bringing wholeness to form a theology and philosophy of missions that is emphatically biblical.  As a pastor in the local church, this work brings great hope to my soul for the future of missions and its enduring legacy, rooted in fidelity to sound doctrine. For too long, we in the West have minimized the heart of gospel ministry as being profoundly and primarily theological. Instead we have substituted biblical truth with the temporary, pseudo–spiritual remedies of man–centered experience and emotion. Dr. Burns has written with clarity, boldness, and accuracy to call all who value the glory of God among the nations to reconsider and retool for a ministry founded upon the power of the Word of God. His writing here cannot be missed or overlooked in our churches, our seminaries, or on the field. Read it and apply!

-- Brian Fairchild (Pastor, Colonial Bible Church, Midland, Texas)

This is a book I have been hoping to find for years. It is a biblical tonic for missions misunderstanding. It will strengthen your theological moorings, correct sentimental misconceptions, and warm your heart devotionally toward biblical missions.

-- Rick Holland (Senior Pastor, Mission Road Bible Church, Kansas City, Kansas)

… a clear call to consider the gospel as the greatest motivation for missions, not simply as the missionary message to preach to the world, but as the sustaining joy and hope of missionary life and ministry.

-- Joe Fauth (Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Wrightsville, Pennsylvania & Co–Founder, Spread of Grace Ministr