Dr Jay Mātenga is a contexual theologian of Māori heritage. He serves as the Executive Director of the World Evangelical Alliance’s Mission Commission and Opinion Editor for Christian Daily International. Jay has served cross-cultural missions for over 30 years, with missionary deploying agencies and missions alliances. Jay's passion is to strengthen participation by the people of God in the purposes of God towards co-creating new creation for the glory of God. Jay keeps a monthly blog and other contributions archived at https://jaymatenga.com.
Christian Daily International Opinion Editor counts down the top ten opinion themes for 2024 and the article that best represents each theme.
Habakkuk's prophecy powerfully speaks to our current global crisis, providing a way to understand how God can use empire as a tool for his purposes. As we long for the return of our Lord we can find comfort in the song of Habakkuk with blessed Mary singing harmony.
In light of push back against claims of rising fascism, we would do well to take seriously the warnings from those who seek to understand the times and know how God's people should respond (1 Chronicles 12:32): wise sentinels. It may not come to pass but it is good to know what is at stake and to be prepared.
One of the most successful indigenous gospel movements of colonial missions history was short lived, interrupted by the oppressive ethnocentric Christianity of colonial settlers whose witness failed to match biblical expectations. While outsiders are often powerfully catalytic for the gospel where the gospel is least known, missions is filled with accounts of the gospel spread being hindered by outsider Christians. We can improve gospel effectiveness with greater trust in indigenous/insider beli
Part one of three. The fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (Lausanne 4/L4) was many things to many people. This series is the perspective of one global missions leader. There is much to be celebrated and concerned about the event, and some conclusions are drawn to help the Evangelical Church and its missions walk more confidently and equitably into the future.
Part three of three. The fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (Lausanne 4/L4) was many things to many people. This series is the perspective of one global missions leader. There is much to be celebrated and concerned about the event, and some conclusions are drawn to help the Evangelical Church and its missions walk more confidently and equitably into the future.
Part two of three. The fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (Lausanne 4/L4) was many things to many people. This series is the perspective of one global missions leader. There is much to be celebrated and concerned about the event, and some conclusions are drawn to help the Evangelical Church and its missions walk more confidently and equitably into the future.
The fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization is rapidly approaching. This is the first time Jay Matenga is participating. He notes that a tumult of conversation is already emerging and hopes that participants will keep their eyes on Jesus through a time of robust discussion—maintaining unity in the essentials, liberty on secondary issues, and love throughout.
Jay Mātenga introduces himself as the new Opinion Editor for Christian Daily International while reflecting on women as influential in the growth of world Christianity. Following the example of the mother of King Lemuel in Proverbs 31, the CDI opinion section will work to amplify voices often silenced in global Christian conversations like women, the disabled, the poor, the persecuted, and other marginalized Christians, to bring a harmonic balance to opinion pieces written by those more privileg
The people for whom Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors have their own responsibilities and privileges. All of which are fulfilled in Jesus, whom they must recognise as their Messiah in order to find satisfaction for their millennia of yearning. As I noted in my previous blog post, we Gentiles are settlers to a well-established faith, the Jews (the blood line of Israel) are indigenous. We are grafted into their story. By Jesus’ blood, which has become our blood by faith, securing our
Safety is central to our wellbeing. Our sense of safety has an immediate impact on our physical health, emotional stability, social harmony, economic viability, psychological growth, as well as our spiritual maturity. Even the slightest glance at the news or social media today reveals a dramatic increase in instability resulting in a corresponding decrease in a sense of safety, psychologically if not physically.
The text for this month is 1 Corinthians 1:9-10 (NLT), “God will (keep you strong and free from blame), for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into (koinonia) with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
