Mission Definition!

We asked a variety of people to define for us their understanding of the concept of ‘Mission’, and here’s what they said…

Mission: Christian jargon for the telling of the Gospel. It conjures up pictures of altar calls, the pressure of talking to people you’ve never met, but also the sense of God using you for bigger things than the average human can conceive.

‘Mission’ is a word not even the keenest of Christians seems comfortable with, in their moments of natural cynicism. I think they get caught up by their petty psychoses. Perhaps they are worried that under examination they might find their faith to be lacking…

Mission is a Christian’s way of Bible-bashing people — ‘born again’ Christians telling other people who would call themselves Christians that they are not really, and need ‘saving’.

The meaning accumulated over the years is either a concentrated period of evangelism (at least presenting the Good News) or a longer term project with the same essential purpose. The key human movers are those gifted as evangelists; they are supported by members of the body, who are called to a temporally perpetual rôle as witnesses.

It’s all very well for Christians to tell us that they have to go on a mission — but what do they mean? Are they about to put on hiking boots and sun hats and go rushing all over the globe making proselytes — or is there something else to it?

Well…no.

Missions can be any outreach projects by Christians which try to convert other people to their faith. But the question that really needs asking is this: is mission in any way for the best? After all, much of the old style missionary work was merely imperialism.

Mission should be the reaping of the seeds sown in everyday evangelism and witness, which is ongoing whatever the season. It should provide the opportunity to bring people to a point of decision who have been considering the Gospel for some time. It is also a tool for Christians to use to introduce their friends to Christ.

Many people think of mission as being armies of Victorian imperialists forcibly converting unwilling African tribes; it should never be like that. Mission shouldn’t be a word to get hung up over; if you had something special which you wanted to share, wouldn’t you tell other people about it?

Tell the world!

Spread the word!

Mission is informing others of your beliefs — and ‘others’ includes all peoples. As Christians, we have been told to spread God’s Word. Jesus said ‘Tell the world about me’, so we haven’t really got much say in the matter — we have no choice!

So what are you waiting for?

Go out and evangelise!

The immediate impression the word ‘mission’ gives is of something designed to reach out beyond Christianity. It seems to have a fuller meaning however: a large proportion of the beneficiaries are those who are already Christian but are in need of inspiration or encouragement. As missions work they are at least as much for the Church as for those beyond the Church.

‘Mission’ — A means of conveying the news of the gospels to people of all backgrounds and creeds, through God’s appointed ‘Missionaries’.

A mission is a task that somebody aims to do because they have to, or because they want to. It is something that is planned and then executed.

Mission — showing and telling people about the love, freedom, forgiveness and healing that God wants to pour out into their lives through Jesus.

Mission — What is this word that is constantly bandied around in Christian circles? A missionary is a person who actively goes and spreads the word of a religion, but not just of Christianity. As Christians, responding to Jesus’ call for us to tell the world about Him, we don’t need to do this on our own: people can work together as a team, as a body.

Mission is aimed at converting others to the Christian faith and yet seems to have an undercurrent which drives away the already converted. Surely we gain only as many as we lose…