The Continuing Witness of the Missional Church: Reflections on Darrell Guder's Life and Teaching

For the last three decades, the growing field of missional theology has helped equip Christian communities to adapt to the challenge of Christian witness in a post-Christendom world. For many who lead these ministries, one scholar in particular has offered a powerful and compelling vision of what it means to walk worthily in an increasingly secular context—Darrell Guder. From Guder’s role as editor of Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, to his impact as a sought-after lecturer in seminary classrooms around the world, to his personal mentorship of young leaders seeking an effective witness of their own, Guder is treasured in both church and academy. In recent years, Guder’s role as senior fellow in residence at St. Andrew’s Hall helped build the Vancouver-based Centre for Missional Leadership to equip ministries for contextual mission. In recognition of Guder’s impact on the world of missional theology, this collection of essays celebrates Guder’s theological insight, while exploring the future priorities and possibilities for the missional church conversation in the years ahead.

Jason Byassee teaches preaching at the Vancouver School of Theology in British Columbia, where he holds the Butler Chair in Homiletics and Biblical Hermeneutics. He is a longtime contributor to Christian Century magazine and the author, most recently, of Northern Lights: Resurrecting Church in the North of England (2020).



Albert Y. S. Chu is the director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrew's Hall and the lead pastor of The Tapestry Church in Richmond, British Columbia.


Tim Dickau is the lead pastor of Grandivew Calvary Baptist church in East Vancouver, British Columbia. Like many in his church, he lives in community with his family and housemates.

Ross A. Lockhart is Associate Professor at St. Andrew's Hall at The University of British Columbia. He is the founding Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership and author of Gen X, Y Faith? (2002) and coeditor of Three Ways of Grace (2009).