Led by Dr Tan Kang San, a team of writers gathered together to contribute essays in appreciation of Dr David Gunaratnam. This results in a publication of the book in October 2007 entitled, "The Soul of Mission: Perspectives on Christian Leadership, Spirituality and Mission in East Asia: Essays in Appreciation of Dr David Gunaratnam."
I am privileged to be a part of this project, in which I contributed an essay, "Is There A Place For Suffering In Mission? Perspectives from Paul’s Sufferings in 2 Corinthians"
Kang San, the editor, describes the project in his introductory chapter:
"David Gunaratnam celebrates his seventieth birthday on October 3rd, 2007. In appreciation of David’s lifelong ministry to the church in Malaysia and commitment to cross-cultural mission in East Asia, a group of friends agreed to contribute a series of essays dealing with the theme of “spirituality, leadership and mission”. These three themes converged in David G’s (as David is affectionately called) life and ministry as a servant of the church, an advocate for global mission, and a disciple of Jesus Christ. Although most of the writers in this volume reflected on East Asian contexts, we hope these essays will contribute to the ongoing discussion on servanthood, mature leadership and genuine spirituality in the practice of Christian mission. The volume also offers a sampling of perspectives from both experienced mission leaders from the West and national leaders from different parts of Asia whereby issues on discipleship, suffering, leadership, growth of the church, and mission in East Asia are explored."
We trust the book will make a small contribute to the ongoing discussion concerning the issues of mission in East Asia. We also wish Dr David G God's rich blessings in his life and ministry.
The contents of the book:
Introduction
Tan Kang-San
Words of Appreciation
1) David Gunaratnam: Quiet Leadership
Wong Fong Yang
2) Spirituality: Some Thoughts on Culture, Context and History
Rose Dowsett
Biblical Perspectives: Leadership, Spirituality and the Corinthian Correspondences
3) No Mission Without Holiness
Allan Webb
4) The Servant of the Lord and Mission Leadership: Reflections from Isaiah 49:1-7
David Pickard
5) Mission and Spirituality: Lessons from 1 Corinthians
Jim Chew
6) Is There A Place For Suffering In Mission? Perspectives from Paul’s Sufferings in 2 Corinthians
Lim Kar Yong
7) Trying to Preach in Context – Some Reflections from 2 Corinthians
Matthew Grandage
Historical Perspectives: Past Models and Present Challenges
8) The Moravians: A Model of Spirituality and Mission for the Asian Church
Peter Rowan
9) Revitalization, Renewal and Missions: A Case Study on Sidang Injil Borneo
5) Mission and Spirituality: Lessons from 1 Corinthians
Jim Chew
6) Is There A Place For Suffering In Mission? Perspectives from Paul’s Sufferings in 2 Corinthians
Lim Kar Yong
7) Trying to Preach in Context – Some Reflections from 2 Corinthians
Matthew Grandage
Historical Perspectives: Past Models and Present Challenges
8) The Moravians: A Model of Spirituality and Mission for the Asian Church
Peter Rowan
9) Revitalization, Renewal and Missions: A Case Study on Sidang Injil Borneo
Gary Roosma
10) Mongolians: Their Journey of Faith
Kwai Lin Stephens
11) Robert Morrison – The Trailblazer and Beyond: Following One Trail of Christian Medical Service in China
James H. Taylor III
12) D. E. Hoste: The Spirituality of a Servant Leader
Patrick Fung
13) The Spirituality of Wang Mingdao
Paul Woods
10) Mongolians: Their Journey of Faith
Kwai Lin Stephens
11) Robert Morrison – The Trailblazer and Beyond: Following One Trail of Christian Medical Service in China
James H. Taylor III
12) D. E. Hoste: The Spirituality of a Servant Leader
Patrick Fung
13) The Spirituality of Wang Mingdao
Paul Woods
Programmatic Proposals for the Future of East Asian Church and Mission
14) The Multicultural Congregation: A Critical Model for the Future of Asian Christianity
Bruce Milne
15) Leadership or Servanthood?
Hwa Yung
16) Transforming Conversion: From Conversion to Transformation of Culture
Tan Kang-San
17) Rethinking the Meaning of the Cross for Christian Discipleship
Tony Lim
6 comments:
When Dr. David Gunaratnam & Christina walked into Wang Restaurant, the crowd applauded their presence and spontaneously sang 'happy birthday' song. David was astounded to see 150 friends crowded in a room with expression of appreciation written all over their faces. Russel and Dee and their two grown up children Joy and Andrew came from USA to grace the occasion. Joy later gave a speech to thank David for having impacted her parents. She had heard so much about David from Russel. Now she knew why her parents have so much admiration for this man of God. It was a night of great memories. Most of us have been impacted by David's life and ministry one way or another....
Read on
http://wongfongyang.blogspot.com/2007/10/honoring-man-of-god.html
thanks for telling us about this. I confess to never having heard of David Gunaratnam; probably showing my age!
Who is the publisher - do you think I could get a copy in the UK or would I have to wait till I'm in Malaysia?
Hi BK,
It's published in Malaysia by Scripture Union. But I believe Kang San from Redcliffe College, Gloucester, would have some stock available in the UK. You can get in touch with him through Redcliffe College.
If you are making a trip back to Malaysia soon, then you can get it from Pustake Sufes. It's RM22 per copy, only about GBP3. Cheap cheap only!
Hello,
I am a friend and colleague of Kang-San Tan at Redcliffe College.
I also work for a chain of Christian bookshops in the UK called St Andrews Bookshop and have arranged with Kang-San for us to sell The Soul of Mission. We can send orders anywhere in the world. Here is the link: http://www.standrewsbookshop.co.uk/isbn/9789832762065.htm
I will also be reviewing The Soul of Mission in the forthcoming issue of Encounters, a free online mission journal based at Redcliffe College: www.redcliffe.org/encounters
I hope this information is helpful.
Warm regards,
Tim Davy
Thanks, Tim.
Greetings in the Lord Jesus,
Dr. David and Christine Gunaratnam were my mentors and my friends influencing my Christian walk with some of the greatest changes in my life. I arrived in the small Presbyterian Kuala Trengganu Church in the early 1970's, having received Christ only a year earlier. As a Peace Corps volunteer, I taught science in the local high school, which soon became a tent-making job. Under their leadership, I became the church organist, Sunday school teacher, Junior Church leader (leading songs, drama, and Bible lessons), and evangelist in the community. Along with Pastor Lee, they had followed Jesus' model and building code for His church setting everyone who loved Jesus on fire with their teaching, encouragement, empowerment, and supervision. After I left Malaysia, I dropped teaching and followed Pastor's Lee's advice to go to seminary. First, I went to Wheaton Graduate School, then later to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. My husband, Rev. Dr. Stephen Vannah, and I went into missions for SIM working among unreached Muslim people groups in Senegal, West Africa doing evangelism, church planting, Bible teaching, song and drama (all the things the Kuala Trengganu Church had encouraged me to do). Dr. David's and Christine's profound servant leadership in Christ edified everyone around them, including me. When I came back to the U.S., I thought churches would all follow Christ like they did. I found very few do. Even with good theology, most have top-down power structures relegating the masses to pews to listen to Bible messages from the very few and very talented chosen from long-term strong alliances. In one church, I was considered spiritually inferior because of my gender. In another, no elder or pastor ever called, encouraged, or empowered anyone in our family into ministry like David and Christina did. We sat in the masses. When I walked for the first time into Dr. David's and Christine's and Pastor Lee's church, I was a stranger with a different color, different accent, different nationality, and a whole lot of other differences; I was a stranger for one week! The next week, they were my friends in Christ forever and I grew like all eleven disciples did under Jesus' training. Christ was in them and lived through them. After three years in Dr. David's and Pastor Lee's church, my feet were set firm in the Lord's footprints and I never turned back. During the last five years, I have another ministry, even bigger. I have intensely researched the Bible and science discovering they agree on global warming, oceans dying, great forests burning, . . . the first four trumpets and bowls in Revelation are manifesting all over the world through scientific research. The Bible prophecies and science predictions are merging and manifesting like never before heading on a terrifying trajectory of global collapse of civilization in preparation for our Lord's return. Now it is my turn to give back to you. Will you please join me on https://www.revelationisnow-beready.com? Barbara Summers (in the 70's, now Dr. Vannah).
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