Missionary/Missions/Mission/Missional fog
One major reason for a tendency to move away from a focus on mission as disciple-making and towards broader definitions has been a loss of belief in the eternal consequences of human lostness and in the uniqueness of Christ’s work as the means by which human beings are restored to the Father.Under those conditions the emphasis necessarily moves away from the spiritual and eternal and towards the physical and temporal.
For the last century Westerners have been discussing, debating, dissecting and reconstructing their view of Mission. This fog continues to drift over the postmodern conversations on mission.
Nothing is more harmful to a Movement than confusion over its core beliefs and calling.
Keith Ferdinando has written a concise article on the background of our mission angst and four prevailing views. He argues that at the heart of our mission is the command to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Complete article: Mission - A Problem of Definintion - Keith Ferdinando
Summary article: Mission - A Problem of Definition Summary