A mission paradigm shift
As we prepare for our annual Missions Sunday this Sunday, Pastor Nestor shares with us the importance of understanding our place and purpose in mission.
The previous paradigm of mission, as reflected in the great missionary enterprise in the late 19th century, has mainly focused on the human task. Christopher Wright aptly puts it as an overemphasis on the “sending” act of mission as reflected in the Latin word “mitto” or “ to send” which primarily refers to the human action. Theological developments led to a recognition that there is a significant distinction between God’s action and human enterprise. The phrase missio Dei, or the Mission of God, became a distinct theological movement that gained traction leading to a clearer perspective of what mission is beyond human action. In the conception of missio Dei, mission is the act of God. This conception is grounded on the very nature of God. Particularly, it is based on the missional character of the triune God.
As mission is God’s, human enterprise for mission is a “the privileged participation in God’s mission to make himself known.” In the missio Dei, God calls humanity to be the agent of this mission, starting from his creation of man where he gave the cultural mandate of exercising responsibility to subdue the earth (Gen. 1: 26-30). Even in the context of the fall, with humanity not anymore in mission with God, God still chose a nation that will bring witness to his glory, and choosing this nation to be a vessel for the messiah that will redeem humanity, reconcile man back to God, and usher God’s kingdom. Christ inaugurated a new missional community, the church. The church, being his ambassador of reconciliation has a role of delivering the message of reconciliation.
A key narrative of establishing the biblical and theological foundations of mission, being anchored on the missio Dei, is God’s call to the nations. In this manner, the mission to the nations or to every cultural, racial, and language group (“panta ta ethne”) necessitates a cross-cultural endeavour. This has significant implication to our mission work. As God loves the nations, then so too our mission must be an expression of love to these nations, particularly respecting all cultures.
—Pastor Nestor
Join our worship livestream this Sunday at youtube.com/knoxtoronto.
Join in supporting Knox supported missionaries through prayer. Each month you’ll find a link to a monthly prayer calendar at knoxtoronto.org/serve.
Are you curious about how God might be calling you to serve locally or globally? Pastor Nestor and the folks at the Missions Hub would love to talk with you. nestor@knoxtoronto.org and julia@missionshub.ca.
