In preparation for tomorrow’s class – I have come across a few other potential definitions, guides in our search for “What is Mission?” In an article by Dr. David J Hesselgrave from ‘Evangelical Missions Quarter’, July 1999 titled “Redefining holism: It’s time to take another look at ‘holistic mission’” I came across the following:

“Liberals generally think of mission as the establishment of shalom (social harmony).”[p278] I always thought that ‘shalom’ was the Christian variation of ‘regards’ that you stick at the end of your emails!!

Hesselgrave then went on to quote from the work of John R.W. Stott, who had abandoned his priority read of Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission) as his definition for Mission, in favour of the Johannine statements of 17:18 and 20:21, which he argues should take precedence over Matthew.

So it got to thinking – What was Jesus sent to do, that he then send us to do? I mean, I have always loved the Great Commission, in fact when I was ‘sent out’ by my ‘home’’ church in SA, then gave me a Parker Pen with Matthew 28:16-20 engraved on it – it was my ‘calling’ verse. But I also like the notion of the Johannine ‘sending out’ idea. Hesselgrave continues to quote the work of Stott by commenting that, “Jesus deliberately made his own mission a model for ours…as summarised in Luke 4:18-19”

“Christians” he said, “are sent into the world to serve – to demonstrate concern for man’s (sic) total welfare, the good of his soul, his body, his community” [p279]

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 at 11/15/2005 08:22:00 pm. You can skip to the end and leave a response.