Theology of Mission

Definition and Meaning

The theology of mission is the field that examines, on the basis of Scripture and theology, why the church engages in mission, what it proclaims and practices, and how it carries out that mission. It is often regarded as the branch of missiology concerned with theological foundations, while missiology as a whole covers the methods, history, and cultures of the mission field more broadly. Two questions are central. The first is whether the agent of mission is the church or God. The second is whether the scope of mission is limited to evangelism or also includes social responsibility.

Biblical and Historical Background

Commonly cited biblical foundations include Matthew 28:18–20, often called the Great Commission; Acts 1:8; and Paul's missionary journeys, in which the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. From the Old Testament, the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:3) and Isaiah 49:6 are cited as evidence that God works on behalf of all nations.

The modern theology of mission took shape during the nineteenth century, often called the Great Century of missions, and through the 1910 Edinburgh Missionary Conference. After the 1952 conference of the International Missionary Council at Willingen, Germany, the concept of the "mission of God" (Latin missio Dei) gained wide currency. The concept holds that mission is God's own work before it is an activity of the church. Within the ecumenical movement, centered on the World Council of Churches, this line of thought developed into a broader view that treats social issues such as justice and peace as tasks of mission.

Evangelicals criticized this development as weakening evangelism. The Lausanne Covenant, adopted at the 1974 Lausanne Congress, gave priority to evangelism while also affirming social responsibility. Others who have significantly influenced the theology of mission include David Bosch, Lesslie Newbigin, Donald McGavran, and Ralph Winter, who introduced the concept of unreached people groups.

Practice in Korean Churches

South Korea is counted among the leading missionary-sending nations, and among Korean Protestant churches the theology of mission directly shapes seminary education and denominational mission policy. The emphasis, however, differs from one denomination to another.

• Ecumenically oriented denominations: The Korean Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap), the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, and other members of the National Council of Churches in Korea have embraced the concept of the mission of God. They tend to treat social mission, Korean reunification, and environmental issues as areas of mission.
• Conservative Presbyterian denominations and evangelical churches: The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapdong), the Kosin denomination, and many evangelical churches regard personal conversion and church planting as central to mission. They have criticized the concept of the mission of God for obscuring the meaning of salvation.
• Pentecostal churches: These emphasize the power of the Holy Spirit and divine healing as the driving force of mission.

These differences are also bound up with the WCC controversy. More recently, a trend that crosses denominational lines has emerged, as seen in discussions of the missional church; it views the neighborhoods in which local churches are situated, and everyday life itself, as fields of mission.