For the Life of the World

Johannes W. H. van der Bijl

Description

In his previous book, Breakfast on the Beach, Rev. Dr. Johannes W. H. van der Bijl retold the gospel narrative through the eyes of Simon Peter, inviting us to experience Jesus’s life and ministry anew. Now, in For the Life of the World, van der Bijl continues the story, following the disciples on their journey as they become disciple-makers and fulfil the Great Commission, expanding the kingdom of God into every corner of the earth.
This book weaves together New Testament accounts from Acts and the Epistles with early church writings and tradition to give us a glimpse into the life of Peter in the aftermath of Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension. Once again, van der Bijl reminds us that the disciples were not storybook saints but flesh and blood men and women of faith, whose calling to obedience, transformation, and multiplication is no different than our own. This refreshing narrative approach provides an accessible introduction to the New Testament for seekers and new believers, while also providing church leaders and lifelong Christians the opportunity to re-encounter the transformative power of Jesus’s ministry and the calling to replicate it in our own lives and times.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Culture
• History
• Philosophie et théologie
• Biblical Studies

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 02 décembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781839737329
• Langue: English

Extrait

For the Life of the World is an enjoyable read about the ministry of the apostle Peter as seen in the book of Acts. The novel is filled with crisp dialogue from consistent characters. Woven into the narrative is well grounded theology that centres upon Jesus, his words, and how the Scriptures are fulfilled in him. The conversations have a synchronic feel about them, almost as though the best of Christian knowledge developed over two thousand years is transported back in time and given apostolic expression. Yet the telling is whimsical, oldy worldly, and has a hint of the style of magical realism where an idealized portrayal of characters is neatly balanced by a solid sense of historical context. Key women are named: Peter’s wife is Perpetua (their daughter is Petronilla), and Jude’s wife is Rachel. The appendixes outline the presuppositions and assumptions of the book including helpful discussion regarding Peter’s travel chronology. All in all, For the Life of the World is a wholesome read that would benefit old and young alike.
Mark Dickson, PhD
Principal,
George Whitfield College, South Africa
Once again, Johannes van der Bijl’s didactic storytelling has opened my eyes to new ways of reading familiar passages. He deftly weaves together the academic and the imaginative, teaching as Jesus did, through the power of the narrative. This is a must-read for anyone who wishes to expand their view of Scripture.
Jessica Hughes, PhD
Lecturer, Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology,
Uganda Christian University, Mukono
Since ancient times, humanity’s life lessons have been passed from one generation to the next through stories told around the campfire. With his extraordinary flair for narrative and his faithfulness to the Scriptures, Dr. Johannes van der Bijl brings to life the apostle Peter’s transformation and multiplication in For the Life of the World , to help us fulfil Christ’s great commission to make disciples of all nations, and bring life to the world in our generation.
Tak Meng
Archdeacon for Community Services,
St John’s – St Margaret’s Church, Singapore
Some rigorous research, honest presupposing, and creative writing has gone into this very readable recounting of the experience of the apostle Peter as he learns to live and lead as a disciple of Jesus after the Lord’s resurrection and ascension. There is lively conversation, plenty of humour, tender relationship, and moments of regret illuminating the experiences of the original followers of Jesus as they seek to lead a growing Christian movement. Racism comes up for questioning, as does the best way to handle disputes, and how to ensure a good maturing of believers-in-community – all against a background of outward persecution and inward questioning of when would the “end” come? Van der Bijl offers a plausible interpretation of the history and a penetrating exposition of the humanness and the incredible faithfulness of Peter, his wife, and colleagues.
Bill Musk, PhD
Former Assistant Bishop of North Africa,
Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
Chair, Friends of the Anglican Province of Alexandria

For the Life of the World
The Multiplication of Simon Peter
Johannes W. H. van der Bijl

© 2022 Johannes W. H. van der Bijl
Published 2022 by Langham Preaching Resources
An imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK
www.langham.org
ISBNs:
978-1-83973-684-1 Print
978-1-83973-732-9 ePub
978-1-83973-733-6 Mobi
978-1-83973-734-3 PDF
Johannes W. H. van der Bijl has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Requests to reuse content from Langham Publishing are processed through PLSclear. Please visit www.plsclear.com to complete your request.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-83973-684-1
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and an author’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth here or in works referenced within this publication, nor can we guarantee technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

Converted to eBook by EasyEPUB

For my children and my grandchildren,
physical and spiritual
Contents

Cover


Foreword


Preface


Acknowledgements


Preamble


Part One “I will breathe my Spirit into you, and you shall live again”


1 Tying up Loose Ends


2 The Promise and the Power


3 The External Threat


4 The Internal Threat


5 Whom to Obey


6 Priorities


7 The Blood of the Martyrs


Part Two “We will not withhold the [lessons from the past] from our children”


8 The Seed of the Church


9 Sprouting Seeds in Samaria


10 A Dry Branch Blossoms


11 The Wolf Lives with the Lambs


Part Three “ . . . all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you”


12 Widening Circles and the Ripple Effect


13 To Rome and Back


14 Pastoral Writing


15 Capture and Release


16 Return to Rome


17 Return from Rome and Delicate Deliberations


18 Final Jerusalem Visit and Seasons of Change


19 Winning the Race


Appendixes


Appendix A Presuppositions


General


Jesus


Disciples


Appendix B Assumptions


Appendix C Thesis, Tradition, and Timeline


Timeline


Bibliography


Bibles Consulted


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Foreword
I met Johannes and Louise, his charming and gracious wife, in South Africa at the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders (SAMS-USA) retreat several years back. We had an immediate affinity. It deepened as the days went by and I became more blessed with the presence of this extraordinary couple. As the retreat ended, we parted with the awareness that, separated by thousands of miles, we might never meet again. But God had other plans.
We met again at the New Wineskins International Missionary Conference in the United States some months later. Johannes was teaching mini seminars on discipleship, and, as I sat in his classes, I became more aware of the depth of scholarship with which he presented. But even more obvious was his passion for “making disciples who can make disciples,” as well as his deep love for the Lord who gave us that commandment. Over meals and conversations during breaks our friendship grew.
In the ensuing years, I have come to know a man whose driving passion is to serve his Lord and to teach others how to fulfil the Great Commission: to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). In many ways, Johannes has endeavoured to do just that; as a lay missionary in Namibia, an ordained Anglican Priest serving in the United States, India, the Philippines, and in Egypt, as the founding Dean of St Frumentius Anglican Theological College in Gambela, Ethiopia, and now as an itinerant teacher and trainer working in several Southern African countries under the auspices of SAMS-USA.
With the publication of his first book, Breakfast on the Beach: The Development of Simon Peter , Johannes has moved on from sharing his wisdom with small groups in a few countries to reaching thousands globally, believers and unbelievers, young and old. Reading the endorsements in the front of the book, you realize the breadth of his influence on international scholars and theologians alike, and yet parents and grandparents of ten- and eleven-year-old children have written to let him know how the children’s lives have been positively changed by the book. This is the nature of his skill in writing. Deceptively simple yet profoundly deep, touching all walks of life.
For the Life of the World: The Multiplication of Simon Peter , Johannes’s second published work, continues Peter’s story, and offers deep insights into the lives of first-generation followers of Jesus who wrestle with the application of this new and yet ancient faith, who go way beyond evangelism, making disciples who can make disciples, effectively multiplying themselves by intentionally and substantially investing in the lives of others. I believe Johannes’s own storm-tossed childhood and multifaceted adult life has gifted him the ability to grasp and appreciate the challenges faced by these early believers so that he might write so compellingly and eloquently about their struggles, their sorrows, and their spirituality.
I implore you to endeavour to set aside your personal cultural biases so that you may fully enter the world of Peter and his colleagues as they seek to apply, in their own first-century world, the radical, life-changing teaching of the man they once called Rabbi, whom they now worship as their resurrected Lord and God. Join them on their joyful yet tumultuous journey of personal growth and global kingdom expansion, and you will find a new depth to your own walk of faith.
Let the adventure begin!
Rev. Dr. “Padre” Richard Copeland
The Hermitage, Texas, USA
Epiphany 2022
Preface
Disciple making is a proce