Most theories of mission appeal to the Bible in one way or another. Many, like Donald McGavran's Understanding Church Growth (1970), tend towards a Proof-text approach whereby specific passages or stories of the Bible are employed to support a particular understanding of mission. For many supporters of this approach, the Church's primary or even sole task is evangelism or the salvation of souls. Accordingly, McGavran does not consider social responsibility for the world to be in tune with the gospel message. Instead, the aim of the mission is primarily "numerical church growth". One of the central passages in support of this theory is what he calls the Pauline Great Commission (Rom 16:25-26).
Others who tend towards this Proof-text approach are less dogmatic and have greater respect for the Bible's complex nature. For these scholars and pastors, the missionary mandate is not just a call to increase church membership but a call to witness to the world of God's love for humanity.
At the other end of the scale, the Thematic approaches interpret the biblical texts within their own historical, social, and cultural contexts to challenge current mission theories about the diverse contexts of today's world. Donald Senior and Carroll Stuhlmueller, in their classic text The Biblical Foundations for Mission (1983), use this approach based on the assumption that mission is a significant theme of the Bible. Their concern is to highlight the core elements of the biblical witness by reading the texts within their own historical and literary contexts. Then, in the conclusion to each chapter, they comment on some of the possible implications of "discussing church mission".
Another variation of Thematic approaches is found in David Bosch's widely acclaimed book Transforming Mission (1991). Bosch attempts to move beyond what he calls the tendencies of modern missiology to narrowly focus on the relationship between theory and praxis by calling into play the process of poiesis. This process involves "imaginative creation or representation of evocative images" (pp. 512). These biblical images or themes form the framework within which Bosch was able to present the outlines of his vision for the future of mission (pp. 512-518).
Let's consider some of the implications that can be drawn from the study of these biblical approaches to mission. First, the Proof-Text approach must account for modern missions' complex nature. As a multifaceted phenomenon, the mission should not be confined to merely one type of missionary activity. Second, because of their narrow mission definition, these approaches use the Bible as a mere set of proof texts.
On the other hand, the Thematic approaches recognise and allow for a diversity of Christian witnesses. In attempting to establish biblical foundations for mission, they can speak to various possibilities for carrying out mission in today's contexts. In other words, this allows for more imaginative ways of reading the Bible, which provide diverse ways of looking afresh at how we live out our mission in today's complex world
Columban Fr Tom Rouse lives and works in New Zealand.
Mission Intentions
July - For the pastoral care of the sick: Let us pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick grant the Lord’s strength to those who receive it and to their loved ones, and that it may become for everyone an ever more visible sign of compassion and hope.
Listen to "Mission World - The Bible in diverse mission contexts"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - July 2024
