Understanding Mission

David Bosch says that the term Mission presupposes a sender, person or persons sent by the
sender, those to whom one is sent, and an assignment.
1
The term Mission comes from the Latin
term missio could be understood in various ways such as to go, profess, serve, teach,
witness...etc. Mission is a community which involves actively with both the faith and social
concern to win the people for the convictions which they believe and for the way of life they
practice.
2
The term Mission is developed from the ree! word apostello "to send#, and the
secular definition can be $sending someone forth with a specific purpose%. The definition of the
mission depends on the theological orientation of the &hurches. Dyrness says that mission lies
at the core of the Theology, mission theology is the foundation of all the theologies.
'
(ramm
says that &hristian Mission is god%s self communication in )esus &hrist, it is a dynamic
relationship between the od and the world. *nd the church on earth is by its very nature of
Missionary, &hurch began due to the universal proclamation of the ospel. *nd the mission is
grounded in scriptures.
+

,reviously mission is understood as -vangelism, &hurch planting, e.tension of the ministry by
crossing the cultural, geographic and linguistic boundaries for -vangelism. *nd in todays
conte.t, od%s mission is broader and we cannot confine it to the &hurches mission. Missio dei
the mission of the od is universal and broad in nature.
/
0n od%s Mission od is involved and it
is the nature and activity of the od in which &hurch is privileged to participate.
1
Mission is carrying the od%s love and liberation to the ends of earth and sharing the love of
od in &hrist with others. The mission could be home missions internally or the foreign missions
both are the same and one in nature. Mission aims for the universality of the salvation.
2
)ohannes
Blauw says there is no other Church without church, mission creates church. Mission and
1
David Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Mission, "3ew 4or!5 6rbis Boo!s, 1772#, 1.
2
-c!hard 8chnabel, The New nterpreters !ictionary of "ible, 9ol. +, -dited by (atherine Doob, "3ashville5
*bingdon ,ress, 2::7#, 111.
3
*. 8cott Morean, #$angelical !ictionary of %orld Missions, "Michigan5 Ba!er Boo!s, 2:::#, 1'1.
4
David Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Mission, "3ew 4or!5 6rbis Boo!s, 1772#, 7.
5
*. 8cott Morean, #$angelical !ictionary of %orld Missions, "Michigan5 Ba!er Boo!s, 2:::#, 1'1;1'2.
6
David Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Mission, "3ew 4or!5 6rbis Boo!s, 1772#, 1:.
7
David Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Mission, "3ew 4or!5 6rbis Boo!s, 1772#, 7;
1:.
e$angelism are two sides of the same coin. The nature of Christian mission mo$es from the
inward compulsion to an outward e&pression of life and ser$ice.
'

Mission to me
<or me mission is reaching people in various difficulties and problems. 8haring the good news
also needs to be understood in both spiritual and physical "material# aspects. Mission should be
in wholistic approach and should cater various needs of the people.
Mission of Jesus as Role Model
)esus ministry started at the alilean countryside at the settlements of peasants, rich land lords
reside. This area was attac!ed and destroyed by the =oman <orces due to the revolution led by
)udas the alilean "*cts /5 '2#, the area was highly influenced pagan culture and the people are
troubled by high ta.ation system.
7
)esus mission field is the poor, captives, blind and oppressed.
These poor in alilee were oppressed by the rich and dominating classes in all the spheres of
life. They are sub>ugated to discrimination by the religious heads and treated this lowly alileans
as outcast. )esus mission focused on these nobodies and outcast and strived for their dignity and
life in fullness. )esus liberated the religious and socially polluted group. The captives were
liberated and became companions in the mission of )esus.
1:

Liberative Mission among the Marginalised
0t is not conversion for me? rather it is the liberation from the clutches of caste oppression and
dehumani@ation. 0t is a great opportunity to escape from the e.ploitative caste tyranny. Dalits
and tribals in 0ndia becoming &hristians is a new turning and great shift in their lives. 0t is a new
beginning for them and a new life !eeping their identity and culture alive.
=a> Bharat patta says the &onversion of pano Dalits &hristians in odissa of 0ndia, too! place to
improve their livelihood opportunities and for liberation from the caste oppression. Dalits till
then without education, received education from the schools run by the &hristian missions and
8
9. (. 3uh, A*nalysis of the &hristian Mission in 3orth -ast 0ndiaB, B, -dited by )esudas M. *thyal, Mission
today: subaltern perspecti$es, Mission(#$angelism )tudies( $ol., "Tiruvalla5 &88 Boo! shop, 2::1#, C+.
9
Doward T. ,er!et and 9inoth ramachandra, The Message of Mission, "3ottingham5 0nter;varsity ,ress, 2::'#, 1/C.
10
)ames Massey, The *ospel +ccording to ,u-e: New Testament $ol. ., "3ew Delhi5 &D8, 2::2#, 21;22.
slowly progressed in their lifestyles. Dalits slowly started to establish themselves in business,
health, education and commerce.
11

Ee could also observe mass conversions in )har!hand in 0ndia among the Tribals. overnment
always !ept itself far from the tribals and only involved till the government reFuirements. But
Missionary agencies and &hurches too! utmost @eal in spreading the gospel and sharing the love
among these indigenous groups. The social and charitable wor!, schools, hospitals and the
empowering wor! li!e s!ills training for their livelihood attracted many tribals to convert into
&hristianity. Missionaries in )har!hand also preserved their culture and language in various ways
by helping the tribals to use Dindi script and write down their language. Missionaries also
encouraged the tribals to sing and use their fol! songs, and fol! lore for worship.
12

&lough believes that ospel was od%s gift for the wea! and the despised in the society.
&hristianity identified as Dalit religion. Madiga communities that converted to &hristianity used
the new religious identity as a political weapon in their social struggles. =eligious conversion
was a group activity with social agenda. Dalits articulation of ospel recognised the liberating
power of the gospel and underlined social, emotional and physical dimension in )esus ministry.
1'
The ma>or benefits Dalits received due to &hristian Mission are redemption from &aste system.
Dalits who turned into &hristianity had no more inheritance in Dinduism. &hristianity brought
Dalits social standing, schools and material help and above all a sense of freedom which they
never en>oyed before. 0n a way the missionary movement had enlightened the 0ndian Dindu
reformers to start their missions. &hristian mission sowed seeds to disregard caste system. This
made people li!e =a>a =am Mohan =oy, M. . =anade and Bala 8hastri )ambhe!ar to start
modern Dindu religious movements.
1+

11
=a> Bharat ,atta, + /iolent sight on a silent Night: Missiological !iscourses in the Conte&t of /iolence +gainst
Christians, "Delhi5 08,&(G3&&0, 2::7#, 1:.
12
T.8.&. Dans, A8ocio -conomic and &ultural *nalysis of the )har!hand =egionB, -dited by )esudas M. *thyal,
Mission today: subaltern perspecti$es, Mission(#$angelism )tudies( $ol., "Tiruvalla5 &88 Boo! shop, 2::1#, '';
'/.
13
)ames -lisha Tanneti, AMadiga &hristians and the subversive gospelB, edited by &. 0. David )oy, Transforming
Pra&is: *od, Community and Church, essays in the honor of !r. . 0ohn Mohan 1a2u, "Delhi5 08,&(GHT&, 2::C#,
1'7;1+'.
14
M.D. David, Missions: Cross( Cultural encounter and Change in %estern ndia#, '12;'1+.
The mass conversions in India were happening at rapid pace. Peope !rom the
oppressed comm"nities converted into #hristianit$ !or new i!e with dignit$
and respect. #onversion aso %ro"ght "pward mo%iit$ and deveopment in
their ives. These comm"nities !or the &rst time had ed"cation and decent
empo$ment !aciities in the mission &eds. ' these !actors have great$
in("enced them to convert into #hristianit$. )igh caste #hristians nic*named
these comm"nities as rice #hristians !or their conversion into #hristianit$.
+ost o! the converts are !rom the ower ,sic- caste %ac*gro"nds. These mass
conversions have improved the i!e o! converts and their standard o! i!e
sow$ started to improve. ."t this move made the weath$ and dominant
caste peope to ose their a%o"r. These oppressed comm"nities !or a ong
period o! time depended on these comm"nities and now their new economic
stat"s a/ected the and ords. Th"s the resistance !rom the )ind" !orces has
started.
15

The !"ndamenta %ehavior o! the #hristian missionaries treating the )ind"
reigion as pagan reigion is one serio"s pro%em. #onsidering a other gods
and reigions as devis and the strong criticism against these reigions has
res"ted the co"nter )ind" reactions. T"rning the whoe India into a #hristian
state and even the +"sim conversion activities have res"ted the response
!rom the )ind" !"ndamenta !orces. 0hiv 0han*ar 'pte sa$s in 1rgani2er the
mo"th piece o! 300 have made mention o! this4 that 5the decared o%6ect o!
#hristianit$ is to t"rn the whoe word into #hristendom 7 as that o! Isam is
to ma*e it 8Pa*9. .esides these two dogmatic and prose$ti2ing reigions. :or
a o! these the ma6or target o! con;"est is the vast )ind" societ$ iving in
this and and scattered over the go%e<.
16

Womens empowerment and ordination
15
=ohn #. .. >e%ster4 History of Dalit Christians in India, ,0an :rancisco? +een 3esearch
@niversit$ Press4 1992-4 36.
16
#hristophe =a/erot4 5The Aiswa )ind" Parishad4 0tr"ct"res and 0trategies<4 The Sangh
Parivar, A Reader, 319.
Mission is dynamic in nature and should be empowering. Mission for long time is understood as
charity but it has moved beyond that premise. Mission is empowering and building lives. The
socio cultural and political factors have resulted in the bac!wardness of women. Missionaries
have ta!en initiative in educating and helping women with self employment opportunities. Many
of the local and foreign missions are helping to achieve this goal of women empowerment.
Ecological Concerns
Mission in the present day conte.t cannot be detatched from the present e.istence of the life on
earth. Ee should create awareness around us that creation is also cop;traveller and also suffering
with our selfish motives. Eor!ing for the preservation of nature wholistic spirituality and
mission to reach the groaning creation.
Interfaith dialogue
Mission is also to bring peace and harmony between the religions. <rom the inception of &hurch
and later days &hristianity is misunderstood for cannibals and incest relations and so on. &hurch
also wrongly understood all the other religions in the world as pagan and !illed many people in
the crusades. 6ur mission should be healing mission and not destructive in nature.
ransgender
Mission is always to care the outcast and the marginali@ed ones. Transgender are not considered
as human beings also their rights are denied and not accepted by the mainline society. This third
gender of se.ual minorities are also born in the image of god and they deserve dignity and
respect in the society. &hurch has started recogni@ing them but still we need to accept them into
our midst.
Mission statement
The &hurch of 8outh 0ndia affirms that the &hurch is the 8ervant of od to carry on the mission
rooted in )esus &hrist based on the 8criptures. The &hurch through her mission e.presses
solidarity with the bro!en communities for a new hope to face the challenges of life. The &ross
continues to be the sign of hope for the witnessing &hurch, which strives towards Hnity, ,eace
and =econciliation as a vibrant &hannel of od.
Primar$ concerns o! the #0I are evangeism and socia 6"stice. +a6or programmes
and activities o! the #0I are? evangeism4 stewardship4 heaing and ed"cationa
ministries4 technica and vocationa training4 r"ra and "r%an deveopment4 #hristian
n"rt"re o! the congregation4 theoogica ed"cation and training o! pastors.
http5GGwww.csisynod.comG accessed on 7
th
march 2:1'.