Evangelism and the Openness of God

Synopsis: In Evangelism and the Openness of God, Vaughn Baker argues that a dynamic concept of God as articulated in open theism better serves the evangelistic mission of the church than does conventional theology. Open theism affirms an ontology of love as opposed to power, and it focuses on God's kenosis in creation, allowing for the authentic freedom of creation influenced by divine persuasion. God's genuine temporal relationship with creation--one that is open, synergist, and non-coercive--provides a new perspective for evangelistic activity. In this volume the author has made a valuable contribution to the integration of new developments in theology and evangelism. Endorsements: "Theology truly matters to evangelism. Bad theology muffles the good news or confuses its audience. Vaughn Baker shows that open theology provides a better framework for evangelism than other theological alternatives. It makes better sense of the biblical witness and our deep intuitions about human freedom and responsibility. Baker presents open theology as truly winsome theology of evangelism." --Thomas Jay Oord, Northwest Nazarene University "This is a splendid contribution to the literature on evangelism. Drawing on the theology of open theism, it challenges conventional, populist (and Calvinist) wisdom and provides an alternative, theological foundation for evangelism. It also explores how we should practice the ministry of evangelism in ways that will be both effective and theologically salutary." --William J. Abraham, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University Author Biography: Vaughn Baker is Lead Pastor of Silver Creek United Methodist Church in Azle, Texas, and Senior Fellow of the Polycarp Community.