Literature Mission

Definition

Literature mission is a form of missionary work that proclaims the gospel and teaches the faith through written and printed materials such as Bibles, tracts, Christian books, magazines, and newspapers. Unlike evangelism carried out in person through the spoken word, written material is noted for its ability to reach people before a messenger does and to remain and continue to be read after the messenger has left. It is classified as one mode of mission, alongside medical missions, educational missions, and others.

Biblical and Historical Background

Two grounds are commonly cited for literature mission. First, a considerable portion of the New Testament was written as letters, such as the Pauline Epistles, which were circulated and read among various churches. Second, John 20:31 states that the purpose of what was written is to lead readers to faith. During the Reformation, the spread of printing allowed the writings of Martin Luther and the German Bible to be disseminated rapidly, and this is regarded as having played a major role in the spread of the reform movement.

Korean Protestantism likewise began with the written word. In 1882 John Ross, a Scottish missionary working in Manchuria, and his Korean collaborators published the Gospel of Luke and other portions of Scripture in Hangul. Seo Sang-ryun and others brought these books into Korea and distributed them (see Korean Bible translation). Thereafter, colporteurs (gwonseo, literally "those who commend books"), who traveled about selling or giving away Bibles and evangelistic booklets, played an important role in early mission work. The Korean Religious Tract Society, founded by missionaries in 1890 and known today as the Christian Literature Society of Korea, is recognized as a literature mission organization that published evangelistic booklets and teaching materials.

Practice in the Korean Church

• Bible distribution: The Korean Bible Society is responsible for the translation, publication, and distribution of the Bible. Churches and mission organizations support efforts to send Bibles to military units, prisons, hospitals, and similar institutions.
• Tracts: Tracts containing an introduction to a church and a brief explanation of the gospel are widely used in street evangelism and to invite people to Invitation Sunday events. Some critics note, however, that indiscriminate distribution can provoke resentment.
• Publishing and curricula: Christian publishers such as Duranno and the publishing departments of various denominations produce Christian books, quiet time devotionals, and Sunday school lesson materials. Some churches also maintain church libraries or run book-sharing programs.
• Denominational differences: There is little disagreement among denominations about the need for literature mission. Each denomination, however, publishes its own curricula and denominational newspapers in keeping with its theological tradition. As a result, Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, Baptist, and Full Gospel bodies may emphasize different points even on the same topic.
• Digital transition: In recent years, a growing number of churches and organizations have come to regard illustrated social media slides ("card news"), e-books, online devotional writings, and similar media as an extension of literature mission.