Sharing our Faith:

What is mission?

What is Mission?

The misconception of evangelism as words

and mission as action

What is Mission?

Evangelism as initiation into the

kingdom

Abrahams, Scott Jones, Bosch, 2000

What is Mission?

Initiation:

Making converts and launching them into

discipleship.Abrahams, Scott Jones, Bosch, 2000

What is Mission?

Initiation:

Making converts and launching them into

discipleship.Abrahams, Scott Jones, Bosch, 2000

Mission as God demonstrating his

love for the world…

What is mission?

…And the part that we play as his ‘missionaries’

What is mission?

Key Questions…

What is mission?

Are we realistic about how other

people perceive us?

What is Mission?

Are we discerning where God is at

work in our world – and serving Him?

What is Mission?

How do we witness outside the walls of

our Church?

What is Mission?

Do we feel equipped to survive in a multi-

faith nation?

What is Mission?

Are you on continually on the

move?

What is Mission?

Are we speaking out against injustice – on a local level?

What is Mission?

What is Mission?

Key questions:

Do we think that our Churches have a

divine right to exist?

Negative stereotypes of

mission

What is Mission?

The abuses of the Church: absolute power corrupts

What is Mission?

Peter Mullan2003

Story of three women who arrive at a Dublin Convent in 1964.

‘One of the great injustices of the second half of the 20th Century’

30,000 Women, Oppressed cf cared for.

Church mission compromised by

politics and state…

What is Mission?

Jesuit missionaries

in South Americacaught

betweenChurch and

State

Warner, 1996, Starring Irons/Nero Dir. Joffe

Negative StereotypesOf Mission

Roman CatholicOverseasArrogant

Non-indigenous Paternalistic

State-sponsoredColonialising

In response:

Home & Overseas.Protestant and RC.Protestant Church and ‘trade’ in partnership.Church challenges Colonialisation and latterly slaveryNon-indigenous - yesPaternalistic – yesArrogant – at timesAbusive – partly

Now Independent of State.Increasingly Multi-denominational.

Mission undertaken overseas & at home. Less Paternalism, More Partnership

Increasingly indigenous.Now challenging & globalisation

Shameful of its failings in the past.

What is the true picture of mission?

How is the Churches mission perceived

today?

What is Mission?

The Church in decline: peripheral, one

organisation among many others.

What is Mission?

How has the Church responded and its

missiologists responded?

What is Mission?

The Missio Dei, 1952

What is Mission?

Mission belongs to God, not us!

Karl Barth 1952 Willingham Conference of the IMC. Everything starts with God.

What is Mission?

Mission bears the hallmarks of the

triune God/ cruciform shaped.

WCC Mexico City, 1963

What is Mission?

Revolutionising our thinking…..

What is Mission?

Mission is God’s & ‘global’, cf something done by us, in hostile

foreign lands.Challenges Christian imperialism & Paternalism, Encourages indigenous Christianity, Witness where we find ourselves.

What is Mission?

The new frontier:

Human belief & social conscience cf

geographical presence

What is Mission?

Challenging our approach:

Where is God already at work & how can we

serve Him?

What is Mission?

God is at work beyond the limits of the

Church or its evangelists

What is Mission?

God is at work in people who aren’t

Christians….

What is Mission?

God is at work in people of other

faiths

What is Mission?

The Missio Dei

What is Mission?

Weaknesses of the Missio Dei…

Introducing ThangarajThangaraj M.T, The Common Task: A Theology of Christian Mission (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 1999) 

What is Mission?

Thomas Thangaraj:How do we work

together with people of other faiths?

Thangaraj M.T, The Common Task: A Theology of Christian Mission (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 1999) 

What is Mission?

Thomas Thangaraj:

Religious partnership does not begin with

talk about ‘God’

What is Mission?

Thomas Thangaraj:

Talk of ‘the Church’ as God’s agency for

mission is limiting.

What is Mission?

Thomas Thangaraj:

Starting point for dialogue is human

relationships….

What is Mission?

Thomas Thangaraj:

….and the human concerns that we

share.

What is Mission?

What is God’s mission to the world?

What is Mission?

Restoration of a fallen world and a

fallen people

What is Mission?

Israel as a vehicle of mission in God’s

world

What is mission?

Facets of mission:

God is the one

true GodVerkuyl, Contemporary Missiology, 1987

What is Mission?

Facets of mission:

Rescue and Liberation

What is Mission?

Facets of mission:

International witness

What is Mission?

Facets of mission:

God wrestles and defeats evil.

What is Mission?

How does Israel ‘mission’ in God’s

world

What is mission?

What is Mission?

Key questions:

Does Israel search for converts?

What is Mission?

Key questions:

Does Israel wait for the world to arrive on

its doorstep?

What is Mission?

Key questions:

Cetrifugal or Centripetal witness?

What is Mission?

Key questions:

Do we have a divine right to be here?

David Bosch

‘Shapes’ of Mission: an ecumenical age.

What is Mission?

A Challenge to Churches….

What is Mission?

Are we realistic about how other

people perceive us?

What is Mission?

Are we discerning where God is at

work in our world – and serving Him?

What is Mission?

How do we witness outside the walls of

our Church?

What is Mission?

Do we feel equipped to survive in a multi-

faith nation?

What is Mission?

Are you on continually on the

move?

What is Mission?

Are we speaking out against injustice – on a local level?

What is Mission?

What is Mission?

Key questions:

Do we think that our Churches have a

divine right to exist?