The document discusses the concept of mission through various perspectives. It provides quotes from historical figures like Amy Carmichael and Gandhi regarding mission. It also lists words related to mission and elements that mission includes and does not include, such as not including fixed doctrines or superiority complexes. The document outlines David Bosch's perspective on transforming mission and how mission involves creative tensions between different goals like evangelism, liberation, and justice.

1. 1
What is Mission
Trying to understand Mission
Session 1
Joshva

2. 2
Amy Carmichael
"I know not what to say about
the mission. I feel as a farmer
does about his crop;
sometimes I think the seed is
springing, and then I hope; a
little time blasts all, and my
hopes are gone like a cloud.
...I preach every day to the
natives, and twice on the
Lord's Day constantly, besides
other itinerant labours; and I try
to speak of Jesus Christ and
Him crucified, and of Him
alone; but my soul is often
dejected to see no fruit."

3. 3

4. 4
Gandhi and Christianity
• Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most respected leaders of modern
history. A Hindu, Ghandi nevertheless admired Jesus and often
quoted from the Sermon on the Mount. Once when the missionary
E. Stanley Jones met with Ghandi he asked him, "Mr. Ghandi,
though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear
to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?“
• Ghandi replied, "Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's
just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."When
asked why he did not embrace Christianity, Gandhi has said that he
had studied the scriptures and was tremendously attracted. For
him, "to be a good Hindu also meant that I would be a good
Christian. There was no need for me to join your creed to be a
believer in the beauty of the teachings of Jesus or try to follow His
example," he said.

5. 5
Go to the References
• Mission - An act of sending, especially to
perform some function; a flight with
specific purpose such as bombing and so
on – Page 951 of The Chambers
Dictionary.

6. 6
Complexities of Mission…
Theological touchstones,
Pittsburgh

7. 7
With Clarity and Compassion
Theological touchstones,
Pittsburgh

8. 8
Mission Is Not Only for the
Old…

9. 9
…it is also for the young

10. 10
Mission is not only for the
stranger…

11. 11
It is also for the strange!

12. 12
How can we be faithful…

13. 13
To the nations…

14. 14
And to the Lord of the nations?

15. 15
Today, however, we need to learn both from
our history, and from the nations.

16. 16
And which show we have learned
from History and from the
Nations

17. 17
Mission in People’s Context
Mission companion/partners
personal context - Divided, taking
sides, listening…
Context of the people local and
national
Global Context
Neo-Liberal values, Economic disparity,
concentration of wealth
Nationalism, fundamentalism, terrorism

18. 18
In Mission – Am I Making Sense to
different age?
Youth
Children
Adults
Women
Outsider

19. 19
– John Stott, in Between Two Worlds, defines the
missionary task as faithfully translating “the Word of
God into the modern language and thought-
categories, and to make it present in our day” (Stott
1982:149).
– And yet, if we are build bridges into the real world,
and seek to relate the Word of God to the major
themes of life and the major issues of our day, then
“we have to take seriously both the biblical text and
the contemporary scene…Only then shall we discern
the connections between them and be able to speak
the divine Word to the human situation with any
degree of sensitivity and accuracy (Stott 1982:180).

20. 20
Words related to Mission
 Sending
 Commissioning
 Proclaiming
 Converting
 Building
 Sponsoring
 Supporting
 Persuading
 Promoting
Being
Participating
Liberating
Listening
Humanising
Sharing
Witnessing
Accepting
Receiving

21. 21
Mission includes
 An Action of emptying
 A Process of learning and
listening
 Content – good news
 Effect – transformed lives
 People – all no barriers
 Place – any where
 Culture – dignity restored
 Method – prophetic, dialogic
 Means – community based
 Reflection – critical improvement
 Institution - supportive
 Relationship – reign of God
Does not include
Fixed doctrines
Rejection
Ethno-centric attitude
Superiority complex
Denominationalism
Fundamentalism
Exclusive dualism
Allurement
Monetary persuasion
Offensive words
Proselytising

22. 22
Mission
Creative
Tension
Church with
others missio Dei
Mediating
Salvation
Quest for
Justice
Evangelism
Liberation
Common
Witness
Ministry by
(Whole) People
of God
Witness to
people of
Other Living
Faiths
Action in
Hope
Theology
David Bosch’s Transforming Mission
Additions by Norman E Thomas to
Bosch – Contextualization, and
Inculturation, dialogue in Classic Texts

23. 23
Holistic Mission
Plurality of Mission
Prophetic Liberative
Nourishes
Culture
Building
Communities
Proclamation
Development-
oriented
Participatory
Dialogic
and
interactive
Developed from WCC’s Statements 1980 -2005
You are the light of
the world Unity

24. 24
Prophetic
Liberative
Nourishes
Culture
Building
Communities
Development-
oriented
Dialogic
Plurality
of Mission
Evangelization
conversion

25. 25

26. 26

27. 27
Jesus’ mission
From addiction
Great Commission - Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you….“
“preach Good News to the poor…free the
prisoners…release the oppressed”—Luke 4:18
“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”--
John 20:21
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8