Aizawl Theological College
Missiology 15: Contemporary Theology of Mission
9th-November-2015
Topic : Mission and Evangelism: The Relation and Understanding
Presenter : Rev. B. Lunkholen
Course Moderator : Rev. Vanlalrova Khiangte
Introduction
Mission and evangelism are very often used words in Christianity. They have been so
interminably used together that understanding of Mission and Evangelism overlaps each other. It
is with mission and evangelism that the Christians have been witnessed and understood by the
world. Sadly, many have submerged their understanding of mission to evangelism which is fatally
misleading. Besides, mission and evangelism is considered to have the overtones of colonialist
mentality, a superiority complex that seeks to impose on others one’s own cultural and religious
traditions.1 In the light of these facts the paper will attempt to give a fresh look at mission and
evangelism so that the misgiving doing the round could be checked both in the concept and the
understanding.
1. Trace of Mission in Old Testament
For many Christians, mission began on the mount of Ascension when the risen Jesus
gave his disciples something with which to fill their time till he returned. It is not often
recognized that the mission of Jesus himself, as well as the mission he entrusted to his followers
were shaped by the OT. A biblical basis of mission begins with the basic biblical world view of
reality: God, the earth, and humanity in reciprocal relationship to each other (Gen.1). It also sets
the basic human obligations: love and obedience towards God; care and keeping of the earth and
mutual love and care for one another. These are essential to Christian mission in as much as one
cannot understand the Gospel unless the bad news wrought out by the fall of Human is grasped. 2
The mission commanded by Christ is the proclamation of the restoration of this original
relationship through His death and resurrection.
2. Clarifying the terms
The word or concept “mission” has been debated for many years within the churches. At
the International Missionary Conference at Edinburgh in1910, the understanding of the task of
1
John Chettimattam, “Post-Modern, Post Scientific Evangelism: The Future of Christian Mission,” in Mission
and Evangelism, edited by Somen Das (Delhi: ISPCK, 1998), 51. Hereafter, Somen, Mission and Evangelism…
2
Christ Wright, “The Old Testament and Christian Mission,” in Mission and Missions, edited by Jey J.
Kanagaraj (Pune: UBS Publication, 1998), 12. Hereafter, Mission and Missions…
1
mission was clear to the delegates: to bringing the Gospel to the ‘new’ ‘pagan’ world in that
generation through proclamation and action.3 In order to deconstruct the misgiving regarding the
understanding of “mission” and “evangelism”, the terms have to be understood in its proper
meaning. In the Old Testament, mission is expressed by salah in Hebrew and Aramaic, apostello
in the Septuagint, and mitto in Latin Vulgate. When God sends, the sent one receives a special
assignment.4 Contrarily, the word ‘evangelism’ comes from the Greek word evangelizoma,
meaning to bring or announce the good news. 5 It is act of proclaiming the message. The Greek
word for ‘good news’ has two English versions- ‘evangelism’ and ‘evangelization’. Of the two
‘evangelism’ has a much longer history and association with the great preaching crusades of
evangelist as Billy Graham and also with the work of street preachers. The word ‘evangelization’,
on the other hand, is a word with more Catholic orientation. 6 Evangelism though dichotomous
with mission is to be understood as one important aspect of what mission sets out to do. So
Mission as evangelism should not be confused with Mission is evangelism. However, as
mentioned earlier they are interminably used together.
3. Mission and Evangelism: It’s Relation
In fact there is no consensus yet among the different Christians tradition about the
relation of evangelism to mission. The conservative evangelical section of the church holds that
church’s mission is evangelism and other activities must be seen strictly as subordinate. The main
reason behind identifying mission with evangelism is the fear that, if evangelism is regarded as
one aspect among many others of mission, it will gradually be eroded and loses its priority.
Others, while maintaining the distinction between the two have used the priority or primacy for
evangelism. Given choice, between evangelism and service, between communicating the Gospel
in words or manifesting its reality in deeds, majority would be bound to choose the first. So for
these people mission is wider than evangelism- it is ‘everything the church is sent in the world to
do’-but everything it does must be pervaded by the overriding commitment to evangelism. 7
Interestingly, the main reason for keeping the distinction is the same as that given by those who
wish to merge the two. Perhaps, if evangelism is made to bear the full weight of the entire mission
calling of the church, its sharp characteristics will disappear. In other words, if everything the
church does is called evangelism, then nothing is really evangelism.
3
Fidon R. Mwombeki, “Mission: A Concept We Cannot Afford To Abandon,” in Svensk
missionstidskrift 100/ 2 (2012) :147-161.
4
Paul Vadakumpadan SDB, Missionary of Christ: A Basic Course in Missiology (Vendrame Institute
Publications, 2008), 75. Herafter, Paul, Missionary of Christ…
5
Kalyan Basu, The 21st century Christianity And His End Time Mission (Secunderabad: OM Books, 2005), 149.
Hereafter, Basu, End Time Mission…
6
Donal Dorr, Mission in Today’s World (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2000), 77. Hereafter, Dorr, Mission…
7
J. Andrew Kirk, What is Mission? Theological Explorations (London: Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd, 1999),
56-57. Hereafter, Kirk, What is Mission…
2
3.1. Priority of evangelism
Debates regarding the priority of evangelism have given new dimension to it
understanding of mission. There are people like Kagawa who take evangelism as ‘the conversion
of people from worldliness to Chrislike Godliness.’ William Temple holds that ‘evangelism is the
winning of men (sic) to acknowledge Christ as their savior and King, so that they give themselves
to his service in the fellowship of His church.’ Dr. Ralph Winter divides and distinguishes
evangelism on the lines of language, culture, social strata and cross cultural activity. On the other
hand Dr. J Stott is of the view that evangelism must not be defined and distinguished in terms of
the recipients of the Gospel. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and need
Jesus as their personal savior. It was fashionable to make distinction between missionary outreach
for the non-Christian, and evangelistic meeting for people within Christendom. However, today
this distinction should be done away with because evangelism is for all, the Gospel is for all. 8 The
view of Dr. Stott diminishes the polarization of the core and the periphery for everyone needs the
Gospel. The importance lies in the true encounter with Christ.
3.2. Primacy of Evangelism
According to Dr. J I Packer and Dr. J Stott the primacy of evangelism rests on the
message that is proclaimed. Proclaiming the message is man’s (sic) work, but giving of faith is
God’s work. Evangelism in the true sense is neither to convert people, nor to win them, nor to
bring them to Christ, though this is indeed the first goal. In the biblical sense, it is ‘to preach the
good news’. Packer in his book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God says evangelism is the
work of communication in which Christians make themselves a mouth piece for God’s message
of mercy to sinners. Anyone who faithfully delivers that message under whatever circumstances,
in large meeting, in small meeting, from the pulpit, or in a private conversation is evangelizing. 9 It
is to preach the Gospel to every creature by the church in all its branches and through the service
of all its members presenting Jesus to the world by their living. 10
3.3. Evangelization
About 45 years ago, the word ‘evangelization’ came into widespread use among the Catholic
theologians and church leaders in continental Europe. It was because Vatican II by then had
broadened the meaning of ‘mission’ to cover the whole work of the church. They were beginning
to say, ‘the church is mission’. The problem was ‘mission’ still conjured up an image of working
8
Basu, End Time Mission…149
9
Basu, End Time Mission…150.
10
The World Mission of the Church: Findings and Recommendations of the Meeting of the International
Missionary Council, Tambaram, Madras, India, Dec.12-29, 1983(London: International Missionary Council, 1983),
32-33.
3
in foreign non-Christian areas. In that situation, ‘evangelization’ seemed more relevant. It did not
carry any of the old connotations of ‘mission’. So it could be used to describe the fundamental
work of the church in any situation, at home as well as abroad. Furthermore, the text from Luke’s
gospel links ‘good news’ with the liberation of captives, meant that the word ‘evangelization’
could be used to convey a sense of the comprehensiveness and integrated quality of Christianity.
That it is not just a message about ‘spiritual’ affairs or the next life but involves also a
commitment to transform this present world.11 In fact ‘’evangelism’ was deliberately not opted
for because of its long association with the evangelical Protestants who seemed to assume that the
task of ‘evangelism’ was to get people to ‘hear’ the message of Jesus or to read the Bible. 12
4. Paradigm Shift in the understanding of Mission
Christianity in its long years of existence has kept its pace and sensibilities in rhythm with the
time. Missionary works too has taken the shape and the flavor of the people and their time. When
mission is confronted with changes taking place, it has to be retuned to the needs of the changing
scenarios. This often calls for paradigm shift in mission. The paradigm shift in understating and
maneuver of mission is furnished as under:
4.1. Triumphal Missionary Motive Challenged
Traditionally, the term ‘mission’ refers to the act of sending missionaries by agencies of
Christian land to non-Christian land with the purpose of converting the people of the non-
Christian faith. “The language of conquest and triumph” said North American theologian
Douglas John Hall, predominated the missionary movement. For many native people, the whole
enterprise of mission was an arrogant act of conquering “heathen” lands for Christianity by
destroying the existing “pagan’ or non-Christian faiths. The use of the term “mission” as
reference to conversion, and hence, defeat other religions by Christianity began with the Western
colonial expansion of the sixteenth century. However in the second half of twentieth century
changes in the international political landscape significantly impacted mission thinking. From
nationalist movements and quests for selfhood among the colonized nations, emerged the
movement we now call de-colonization. Starting in a few Asian countries in the late 1940’s, the
de-colonization movement reaches its climax in the 1960’s with the independence of many
African nations. The rising ethno-national-selfhood led to the resurgence of religious pride and
de-colonization of nations. The long years of domination was replaced by the resurgence of non-
Christian faiths and the consequential continuation of Christian mission in traditional mood.13
This marks the dawning of new era in mission works.
11
Dorr, Mission…77.
12
Dorr, Mission…78.
13
Lalsangkima Pachuau, “Ecumenical Missiology: Three Decades of Historical and Theological
Development (1952-1982),” in Ecumenical Missilogy: Contemporary Trends, Issues and Themes, edited by
4
4.2. Mission in the New Age: IMC’s Journey from Willingen to New Delhi
The dawning new era challenged the entire mission enterprise and was forced to rethink
its position in the light of it. The IMC’s Willingen Conference (1952) studied the compelling
facts the church confronted in the form of revolutionary faiths vis-à-vis its policy from 1952,
especially on the relationship of Christianity with other religions and the continuity of
proclaiming the gospel to people of other faiths. 14 This led to the search for deeper theological
meaning of mission which resulted in the shifting of “the locus of God’s activity” from the
church to the world, and the identification of the whole world as mission fields. The emphasis
was on affirming God’s mission to the world as the foundation, meaning, and nature of
Christian mission. Although the term missio dei, which was to become dominant later, was
not yet used in the Conference, the idea was clearly expressed. When the WCC met in Delhi
in 1961, one of the most visible events was the integration of the IMC and the WCC on the
first day of the Assembly. Through this integration, the IMC became the Division on World
Mission and Evangelism (DWME) of the World Council of Churches. In 1971 after the
restructuring of WCC it was called the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism
(CWME). The use of the word “world” signifies the ecumenicity of mission in the merging
understanding.15
[Link]-conceptualization of Mission: New Delhi to Uppsala
Division on World Mission and Evangelism convened its Conference in December 1963
in Mexico City. This Conference aimed to widen the horizons of ecumenical mission
understanding. Two theological themes captured the spirit of the Conference. The first theme
“The Witness of Christians to men (sic) of other faiths” was dealt to emphasize Christians’
common humanity with the people of other faiths rather than stressing religious differences. The
second theme was “Mission in Six Continents” which took mission work from “three continents”
to “six continents”, ending the sharp division of Christian world and non-Christian world. The
missionary works therefrom involve Christian in all six continents and in all lands, common
witness of the whole church, bringing the whole Gospel to the whole world. Since this
Conference, Christian mission is exclusively understood as missio dei and perceived as God’s
activity in the secular world. The paradigm shifted from God-Church-world to God-world-
Church. Consequently, the Conference advocated what is called “Christian presence” through
local congregation as a mode of doing mission.16
Lalsangkima Pachuau(Bangalore: The United Theological Collge,2002),30-31. Hereafter, Pachuau, Ecumenical
Missiology…
14
John Patrick Brennan, Christian Mission In A Plurallistic World (Bombay: ST Paul Publication, 1990), 1.
15
Pachuau, Ecumenical Missiology…32-34.
16
Pachuau, Ecumenical Missiology…36-38.
5
In 1968, WCC Assembly, Uppsala, the report on “Renewal of Mission” stressed on the
first word “renewal”. Following in the footsteps of the study program on “The Missionary
Structure of the Congregation” and the World Conference on Church and Society, the section
made a radical break from the traditional understanding of mission. Based on the understanding
of Jesus Christ as “the new human” and “the head of ne humanity,” the report promoted “full
humanity”. It was unambiguously socio-political in nature and characterized by modernizing
change. In a situation of rapid changes, the section recommended new church structures, which
were open to the world. The focus on humanity provided good ground for the promotion of
dialogue with people of other or no faiths. The statement, “in dialogue, we share our common
humanity, its dignity and fallenness, and express our common concern for that humanity” was a
landmark shift.17
5. Responses from the Conservative Evangelicals
The new concept and understanding of mission drew a stiff opposition from the
Conservative Evangelicals. What was mostly not acceptable was the ecumenical mood that
conceived mission as the church’s involvement in the struggle for justice and liberation. Since
the process of forming the WCC was started, there was opposition particularly in North America.
But it was in the 1960’s the concerted evangelical criticism became vibrant. Two major meeting
took place: The Congress on the Church’s Worldwide Mission, Wheaton and the World
Congress on Evangelism, Berlin in 1966. Billy Graham was very fervent in his criticism of the
ecumenical mission. The conservative evangelical criticism reached its high point after the
Uppsala, 1968. Donald McGavran, a scholar from Fuller Theological Seminary (USA) severely
attacked “the Renewal in Mission”. He charged the ecumenical mission of misusing the word
“mission” by neglecting the “classical” meaning of “communicating the good news of Jesus
Christ to unbelieving men (sic) in order that they might believe and live”. 18
6. Decade of Convergence and Consolidation
The Nairobi Assembly of WCC, 1975 was “An Assembly of Consolidation”. In the
matter of a decade (1972-1982) there were three major ecumenical meetings within the WCC
family. In 1972-73, CWME called its second Conference. The conference witnessed the
participation and voicing of the opinions of leaders from Asia and Africa. The Melbourne
CWME conference was dominated by the liberation theme. In between the two CWME
conferences fell two important events, namely the International Congress of World
Evangelization, Lausanne in 1974 and The Nairobi Assembly of 1975. The most significant was
Lausanne 1974 because it witnessed the coming together of ecumenist and evangelicals. The
issues deliberated include- social action, the Gospel and culture, dialogue with the people of
17
Pachuau, Ecumenical Missiology…38-39.
18
Pachuau, Ecumenical Missiology…38-39.
6
other faiths and even church unity. The Nairobi Assembly brought together the Churches of
Africa, the Orthodox theologians, the evangelical world and the Roman bishops together. They
deliberated on the meaning and practice of mission.19
7. An Ecumenical Affirmation on Mission and Evangelism
The WCC’s “Mission and Evangelism: An Ecumenical Affirmation” is an outcome of the
quest for deeper theological understanding of mission. Prepared between 1976 and 1982, the
affirmation tries to highlight “the basic convictions of the ecumenical movement on the topic of
mission and evangelism.” The list starts with “conversion” and ends with “witness among
people of Living Faiths.” It is a search for ground for doing mission in the new age. To affirm
the validity of conversion while holding to the faiths on “non-Christians” as living faiths,” and to
promote a dialogical relationship appears untenable. But these are, in the experience of
ecumenical debates, different dimensions of missions of the incarnate Christ. 20
Concluding Reflection
The dynamic nature of Christian mission is its transformability. Challenges to mission are
not posed only by external conditions of life, but also by changing human consciousness itself.
To affirm the rights and dignity of fellow human beings and other creatures, an essential feature
of life in our modern “global village,” could not allow the continuation of mission as an act of
domination and conquest. The meaning of mission in the traditional sense may positively be
defined as the transmission of faith, but the act of transmission itself has to be done according to
the content of the faith. Consequently, the multi-faceted nature of Christian faith demands
mission in multiple modes for the gospels transcends method and cultures. 21 Our affirmation of
mission as missio dei, therefore, should also compel us to recognize the depth of God’s mystery
and our human limitations to discern the whole meaning of God’s mission. The struggle to define
and differentiate mission and evangelism helped us to see the richness of its meaning. At the end,
mission is not only multi-dimensional, but also an enterprise that has to hold together various
seemingly contradictory motives in creative tension.
19
Pachuau, Ecumenical Missiology…41-43.
20
Pachuau, Ecumenical Missiology…44-45.
21
Ebe Sundar Raj, “Evangelism in the Pluralistic Context,” in World Evangelization and Christian
Leadership: A Festschrift in honour of the Rev. Dr. Samuel T. Kamalson, edited by J.T.K. Daniel (Delhi: ISPCK,
2005), 123.
7
Bibliography
Books
Basu, Kalyan . The 21st century Christianity And His End Time Mission. Secunderabad: OM
Books, 2005.
Brennan, John Patrick Christian Mission In A Plurallistic World .Bombay: ST Paul Publication,
1990.
Chettimattam, John. “Post-Modern, Post Scientific Evangelism: The Future of Christian
Mission.” In Mission and Evangelism. Edited by Somen Das .Delhi: ISPCK, 1998.
Dorr, Donal .Mission in Today’s World .Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2000.
Kirk, J. Andrew. What is Mission? Theological Explorations. London: Darton, Longman and
Todd Ltd, 1999.
Pachuau, Lalsangkima. “Ecumenical Missiology: Three Decades of Historical and Theological
Development (1952-1982).” In Ecumenical Missilogy: Contemporary Trends, Issues and
Themes. Edited by Lalsangkima Pachuau . Bangalore: The United Theological
Collge,2002.
Raj, Ebe Sundar. “Evangelism in the Pluralistic Context.” In World Evangelization and Christian
Leadership: A Festschrift in honour of the Rev. Dr. Samuel T. Kamalson. edited by
J.T.K. Daniel. Delhi: ISPCK, 2005.
SDB, Paul Vadakumpadan . Missionary of Christ: A Basic Course in Missiology. Vendrame
Institute Publications, 2008.
Wright, Christ. “The Old Testament and Christian Mission.” In Mission and Missions. Edited by
Jey J. Kanagaraj. Pune: UBS Publication, 1998.
Journal
Mwombeki, Fidon R. Mwombeki, “Mission: A Concept We Cannot Afford To Abandon.” In
Svensk missionstidskrift 100/ 2 (2012):147-161.
Report
The World Mission of the Church: Findings and Recommendations of the Meeting of the
International Missionary Council, Tambaram, Madras, India, Dec.12-29, [Link]:
International Missionary Council, 1983), 32-33.
