Our Discussion

Are you ready for a trip around the world? This episode features Dr. Bobby Gupta, President of Hindustan Bible Institute & College. Our conversation with Dr. Gupta addresses gospel contextualization, missions, and theology for the church in India. Our podcast focuses on the difference between systematic theology and biblical theology and how this impacts the church in India. What does the church in India look like? Why does biblical theology have such a crucial role in discipling India? Why has there been a mixed response to biblical theology in India?

We also explore indigenizing missions in the church of India, linear thinking versus cyclical thinking, and much more!

In this episode, we talk about:

• The difference between systematic theology and biblical theology, and its impact for the church of India.
• Biblical theology for the mission of the church in India.
• Contrasting and intersecting linear thinking and cyclical thinking.
• Effective gospel contextualization in the cultural contexts of India.

Highlights

• 0:00:00 Meet today’s special guest, the President of the Hindustan Bible Institute and College with a PhD in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Seminary, Dr. Bobby Gupta!
• 0:03:30 A bit of Bobby Gupta’s story
• 0:08:10 How diverse is India?
• 0:10:20 How can we engage with unreached peoples in India?
• 0:14:00 What are the strengths and weaknesses of the church in India?
• 0:16:50 How would you define systematic theology?
• 0:20:30 How would you define biblical theology?
• 0:25:10 Mission ONE midroll ad.
• 0:26:15 What category do most systematic theologies start with?
• 0:29:00 Why is biblical theology a key to discipling India?
• 0:33:15 Linear thinking versus cyclical thinking.
• 0:37:20 How is both linear and cyclical thinking expressed in the Bible?
• 0:40:15 A story—how God’s Word impacts someone from a Hindu background.
• 0:46:10 How does biblical theology help insure effective gospel contextualization?
• 0:48:25 What are some examples of this?
• 0:51:15 Why is effective gospel contextualization beginning from biblical theology crucial in the context of India?
• 0:55:15 What has been the response to biblical theology in India?
• 1:00:20 What are the challenges of expanding theological education in the Indian context?
• 1:04:30 What is essential to healthy contextualization?

Resources & Links

One Gospel for All Nations by Jackson Wu

Follow Mission ONE on Instagram | @partnerwithmissionone

Learn more at mission1.org

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