INTRODUCTION:
The Journal of Urban Mission exists to promote the mission of God’s kingdom in the cities around the world through education, conversation, and mutual inspiration / encouragement / mobilization among its readership around the world. We seek to feature high-quality, well-researched academic yet practical content on all subjects relating to the work of the gospel urban mission. We also hope to become a growing global community of seminaries, training institutions, mission agencies, practitioners, missiologists, students, writers and readers, who will each contribute to the process of teaching and encouraging one another.
TONE:
We are looking for writings from around the world that are academic and informative, with a practical and strategic twist–theology, anthropology and mission in a trialogue (to borrow from Harvie Conn) that welcomes other voices and perspectives helpful for reflecting on the work of urban mission afresh. Their subject matters can be as broad as anything that will fit under the rubrics of “urban” and “mission”. These articles should be a happy marriage between theory and practice–user-friendly tools for practitioners that are field-tested in the streets of the world’s cities and yet rooted in sound biblical exegesis and appropriate contextual Christian theology. We are especially seeking these writings from the Two-Thirds World perspective, which have not historically been a focus in ministry training, but which have now become critical with the southward shift of the center of Christianity.
TYPES OF WRITING:
The Journal of Urban Mission welcomes feature articles, case studies, editorials, reviews (of mainly pertinent literature–both new publications and older but still relevant ones–but also of applicable works in other media, such as films or web sites), and profiles of notable figures in the field of urban mission.
APPROACHES TO WRITING:
Although the Journal of Urban Mission has an academic tone and is seeking to be well-researched, this should not necessitate a wooden language. The language of the writing should demonstrate the content’s nature of having been borne out of the living reality of urban mission; the language should be engaging and compelling. Your first paragraph should present your piece in miniature. Convey why the topic and your approach to it really matter. Demonstrate why people should care what you think through your expert, lucid, engaging prose. Writers should strive for focus and concision.
Sometimes practitioners have a wealth of important knowledge and experience to share but may feel they are not as confident in their writing skills–we would recommend collaborating with a writer.
REQUIREMENTS:
All writing must be submitted in ENGLISH. If an author’s native tongue is other than English, the regional editor should assist the author in locating a translator so that we will receive it in English.
Although some pieces may run shorter or longer, here are some guidelines on the various types of writing:
- Feature articles: 2,500 to 7,500 words (we may break these down into smaller parts for the web site; when writing, please be mindful of good places for such breaks and give indications).
- Case studies: 2,000 to 4,000 words.
- Editorials (“Urban Voices”): 1,000 to 1,500 words.
- Reviews: 1,000 to 2,500 words.
- Profiles: 1,000 to 2,500 words.
As a rule of thumb, if it can be said more concisely, the better the writing will be.
All submissions should be Microsoft Word-formatted, double spaced, and should be in an easily readable 12-point typeface such as Times New Roman or Calibri. Please also provide a profile photo of yourself with a brief biography. For feature articles and case studies, please provide a few (2-5) high-res photos (at least 4 megapixels) of your context if possible.
SOURCES:
Authors should provide full citation information (CHICAGO, MLA, APA or other mainstream citation styles) for any content in their pieces that is not their own. If you are unsure, err toward over-citing.
MANNER OF SUBMISSION:
Authors should submit their articles to editor@jofum.com. Please include an abstract that includes your main thesis and a summary of your arguments as a separate document. Please also indicate in the body of your email: 1) your subject and what category (from the above list) your writing falls into, 2) your approach and why your treatment of this subject is relevant and/or compelling to the Journal readers, and 3) how your background / experience / training equips you to treat the subject. Editors will respond via email as to the suitability of the article, the timing of the publication, and/or whether we would like some more work done on it.
RIGHTS:
If a writer submits a piece published previously, he or she is solely responsible for obtaining permission to publish it on the Journal of Urban Mission. Writers retain copyright for work published on the Journal of Urban Mission.
ART:
It will be helpful if authors can also provide either their own images or ideas for illustrating their work, either through photography or illustration. Authors are solely responsible for obtaining copyright permission for photographs, illustrations or other images they submit to accompany a piece. Authors submitting images with copyright should also note the length of time for which copyright permission is in effect for display over the web.
OTHER QUESTIONS:
Additional questions may be sent to editor@jofum.com.
Thank you for your interest in the Journal of Urban Mission.
