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by William P. Payne (Author), W. Joseph Stallings (Foreword by)
Is there a unifying key that enables Christians to interpret the Bible and see the guiding hand of God in history? Professor William Payne says there is. He calls it the missional hermeneutic. It is a grand design. Design implies a designer. Others call it the mission of God. Always and forever, God is pursuing his plan. Payne contends that the Scriptures and human history show God's purposes, illuminate his unfolding plan, and point to his end goal. This book unpacks the missional hermeneutic and teaches readers how to apply it to Bible interpretation and historical analysis. For example, his lengthy chapter on Acts masterfully uncovers how God and the heavenly powers interacted as the church took the gospel from Jerusalem to the heart of the Roman Empire per God's directions. Other chapters show how God messages history and works through it to accomplish his will. Payne calls it seeing God's footprints. In short, this book shows you how to grasp the big picture and align yourself with God's work.
Author Biography
William Payne retired as a tenured professor from Ashland Theological Seminary in 2024 after teaching for twenty-three years. Currently, he pastors First Methodist Church in Live Oak, Florida. He has published three books: American Methodism: Past and Future Growth (2013), Adventures in Spiritual Warfare (2018), Satan Exposed: A Biblical Theology of Spiritual Warfare (2019), and thirty-one peer-reviewed articles. He earned a PhD from Asbury Theological Seminary.
