Marking and reading an essay recently I was reminded of a discussion we had in class.
Is fair to say that the Goal of mission is Justice and Salvation
and the Activities of Mission are Evangelism and Contextualistion?
SUNDAY PAPERS – THE SUPPLEMENT
A CO-OPERATIVE LOOK AT LIFE, MISSION, EMERGING CHURCH AND ALL THAT
I suppose when God communicates to us his message he is communicating a context: The context of our life and his existence. So perhaps evangelism is contextualisation?! When we understand (in some way) our true context in relation to him we have been evangelised.
I guess I would argue that, to some, justice IS salvation . . . evangelism without contextualisation fails. I might use different words – The goal of mission is to make disciples and the activity, rather than being “activities of mission”, I would call activities of the Kingdom – things done in the name of the Kingdom and in the power of the Spirit are heralding all that Jesus promised.
Thanks Ali you comments made me think again about mission goal – justice as also being about structures as well as disciples. I always find it hard to desribe the personal and sturtuaral mission thing.