Martin Rodriguez sits down with Sherwood Lingenfelter, Provost Emeritus and Senior Professor of Anthropology at Fuller Theological Seminary, to discuss his experiences with missiology. Lingenfelter shares about his journey from anthropology to missiology, his influences and contributions, and his hopes for the future of the field.

Our Guest

Sherwood G. Lingenfelter retired as provost of Fuller Seminary on June 30, 2011, but continues to serve on Fuller’s faculty as senior professor of anthropology. He joined Fuller in 1999 as professor and dean of the School of Intercultural Studies (then the School of World Mission) and served as acting provost in 2001 before being appointed provost in 2002.

Before his appointment at Fuller, he served as professor of intercultural studies and provost and senior vice president at Biola University, La Mirada, California, from 1983 to 1999, and professor of anthropology at SUNY College at Brockport, New York, from 1966 to 1983. He holds a BA from Wheaton College and a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Lingenfelter’s field research includes three years in the Yap Islands of Micronesia and short-term research projects with the SIL International in Brazil, Cameroon, and Suriname. He has served as research and training consultant to SIL from 1977 to 2007 in Papua New Guinea, Borneo, Philippines, Africa, and Latin America. He also contributes regularly to mission conferences and to missionary candidate training for other evangelical mission organizations. His publications on missions include Ministering Cross-Culturally (1986, 2003), Transforming Culture (1992, 1998), Agents of Transformation (1996), Leading Cross-culturally (2008), and Leadership in the Way of the Cross (2018). He also served as coauthor with his wife, Dr. Judith E. Lingenfelter, for Teaching Cross-Culturally (2003), and with Dr. Paul R. Gupta for Breaking Tradition to Accomplish Vision: Training Leaders for a Church Planting Movement (2006).

Publications Mentioned

• Sherwood G. Lingenfelter and Marvin K. Mayers. Ministering Cross-Culturally: A Model for Effective Personal Relationships, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016).
• Sherwood G. Lingenfelter. Transforming Culture: A Challenge for Christian Mission, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998).
• Sherwood G. Lingenfelter. Agents of Transformation: A Guide for Effective Cross-Cultural Ministry (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996).
• Sherwood G. Lingenfelter. Leading Cross-Culturally: Covenant Relationships for Effective Christian Leadership (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008).
• Sherwood G. Lingenfelter. Leadership in the Way of the Cross (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2018).
• Works of Mary Douglas.
• Marvin K. Mayers, Christianity Confronts Culture: A Strategy for Crosscultural Evangelism. Rev ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987).
• Sherwood G. Lingenfelter and Julie A. Green. Teamwork Cross-Culturally: Christ-Centered Solutions for Leading Multinational Teams (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, forthcoming).

Credits

Hosted by Martin Rodriguez

Produced by Greg McKinzie