Judith Wiebe con’t . . . packed with great insights and challenges. Ron’s reflections on
the people and places God has used to impact his life has challenged me to look back on my own life and acknowledge the ways in which God has intersected my life. I have been particularly blessed by Ron’s research and writings on missionary resilience; they have impacted my ministry and the ministries of many in the member care field. I highly recommend Intersections, particularly to those who send and/or care for international workers.
Miriam Charter, PhD, Professor of Intercultural Studies, Ambrose University, Calgary, Canada – This book comes as an important tool for the college or seminary setting where professors are always seeking contemporary examples of issues and trends in mission. Intersections brings together a broad spectrum of missiological domains: theology of mission, cultural anthropology, and biblically-based discussion of a variety of missiological concerns and modern-day trends in mission. The format of the book, stand-alone chapters that do not necessarily require the reader to have read the entire book, allows for a small-group leader or classroom teacher to excerpt a single chapter for use in the classroom or a small-group discussion of missiological topics in the 20th and 21st centuries. From that perspective, it functions as a great “bridge” between the increasingly unfamiliar stories of missionary heroes of the 19th and early 20th centuries and today’s world where the issues in mission are rapidly changing and the stories of missionary adventure are significantly different from (and yet hauntingly reminiscent of) the days of William Carey and Adoniram Judson. The book contains fascinating stories of missionary sacrifice and suffering in the last half century, stories to which millennials might more easily relate, stories that needed to be written and now need to be read.
Darlene Jerome, International Coordinator, Mobile Member Care Team, Accra, Ghana – This book moved me to thank God for the countless intersections that have enriched Ron’s life and for “keeping” him to share his often exciting, and always thought-provoking, stories! Reading between the lines, it’s clear that our Lord also uses Ron to intersect with many lives (including mine) to inspire, challenge and share the joy of serving our missional God. May these God-ordained intersections continue! Anyone wrestling with their theology of risk and suffering, or wanting to better understand what helps missionaries be resilient post-trauma, would do well to intersect with Ron through this unique book. He’ll stimulate your thinking and encourage your faith in our keeper God!
Rev Mabiala Justin-Robert Kenzo, PhD, President of the Evangelical Community of the Alliance in Congo – INTERSECTIONS is simply a fascinating book. Ron has a particular way of weaving together personal tales, historical narratives, and theological reflections. Through many intersections, the book takes the reader into a journey, through the meanders of a simple yet extra-ordinary life of a man who never failed to impact those with whom he came into contact.
INTERSECTIONS is not only about extraordinary encounters, that is, intersections, whereby Russia, Canada, Australia and Congo meet in the same unusual way that Guinness, Simpson, Stevens, and Maxwell intersect. It is also about learning a new language with its humbling side and developing resilience after surviving three traumatic evacuations.
What makes INTERSECTIONS really great is the fact that beyond the numerous intersections between countries, cultures, individuals, and events it shares, it is a captivating testimony of the intersection of one person’s life with the life of Christ. So, fittingly, it ends with a theological reflection on divine providence. Born out of real experience, this reflection illustrates what the work of a reflective practitioner—as we used say at Ambrose Seminary—should be.
I highly recommend INTERSECTIONS as a must read book for every missionary candidate and every student in missiology or theology.
Rev Kathy Klassen, Pastor, First Alliance Church, Toronto – Ron Brown’s book “Intersections” in many respects is a Hebrews 11 account of two generations of families that follow the call of God into dark and difficult places. Ron shares of his upbringing as an MK in Congo and then his subsequent call back into the same field. He includes traumas he faced and God’s enabling to grow through them and in-turn pass on to others what he has gleaned. A wholesome read that will assist all those with a heart for missions in better understanding Jesus’ words to “count the cost.”
Jackie Buhler, Vice-President of People, Wycliffe Canada – Reading this book is like sitting with a great storyteller, who captures your attention and holds it as you wait for the next chapter. But it’s much more than a bunch of stories, it’s also packed with extremely helpful insights into what caring for missionaries really can and should be, and how to offer that care effectively.
