I was asked for a review of a book for its Korean publication
The Society for Missions to Africa and the East, now known as Church Mission Society (CMS) was founded in 1799, well over 2 centuries old. Many thousands have gone out from the west, following the CALL to ‘preach Good News’ and to take the Gospel into all the world.
This has resulted in enormous changes in society with the establishment of health and social services, educational institutions, agricultural work, community development and well as the founding of many churches.
My own mission journey over the last 25 years, took us as a family to Pakistan to work with drug addicts and subsequently as a CMS Regional Director to work in Europe, Middle East, Central and South Asia and more recently journeys into East Asia.
I have seen that Mission is indeed changing as we respond to the mission of God - ‘missio Dei’ – and do what we see the Father doing. The call to mission is as relevant as it ever was. This year 2010, conferences in Japan and South Africa have been echoing the call of Edinburgh 1910. But there has been a major change in mission since then - a southern shift – with the Global South taking a lead and seeing new waves of people released for God’s mission in the world.
CMS is continuing to be ‘on call’ as an organisation in Britain and Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America. The CMS office in Korea, based in Seoul, represents a part of a shift in CMS as it moves its work from being based in Europe to becoming autonomous organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
This book which was written in one context - the Global North – drawing on the vast experience of mission over two centuries. It will find echoes in other wider and emerging mission contexts in the Global South. It has now been translated into Korean – the second largest formal missionary sending country in the world and its impact could be greater than the English version. It will help many to explore their own sense of call in more depth.
This Korean edition is an exciting new development. It will be particularly useful for individuals exploring their own call as well as pastors and churches wanting to send and support their people in mission. We are more and more discovering that the church is indeed ‘Mission-shaped’. This means that individual Christians are also ‘mission-shaped’ and being ‘on Call’ includes mission on our doorstep with our own neighbours as well as, for some, working internationally.
This book is a resource for all in the same way as the gospel is a call to all.
During our latest sacred:space Mel (Art by Mel )) spoke of her own journey from theatre scenery painting and costume design to her current art work and it was a journey that like most of us involved a period of darkness. and discovering images that spoke to her
A picture inspired by Adam and Eve and the idea of being a suitable partner (Hebrew 'Khegedu') which has the sense of 'standing boldly opposite'
The power of visual images as testified by CS Lewis:
‘images that grow within the soul have life – like cancer and often cut live on below’
verses that had particular resonance: Being transformed by the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:1-2) - faith being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Heb 11:1)
The image of the archer who has just missed the mark but whick spoke of grace
TIME TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD
we were given space to create - using 3 exercises starting with an IMAGE a SCRIPTURE or a QUESTION.
So after around 3/4 hour 'drawing near to God' all 12 participants shared what had spoken to them - through the pictures and drawings
I tried to draw a picture of a verse that had spoken to me in 3 John v 7
“for the sake of the Name they went forth, taking nothing….."
The imgae it brought to mind was a coracle tossed by the winds and the waves, allowing the elements to direct them believing that God was in the storm and the uncertainty. I still need to finish off my picture (do pictures ever get 'finished'?) but in the meantime here is one I found on the internet - which is cheating I know.......
"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
Dr Laiita Edwardes stared working at Pune and befriending Hijra or Kinnar (Eunuchs), who she calls ‘God’s special people.’ I met Panna, Koelli and Stella. All three have come out of the trade. We talked, they danced and Panna sang: ‘Koi bhi chore mujhe, Yesus kebhi nehin chorega’ (even if others leave me, Jesus will never leave me) Dr Lalita has served them, demonstrating unconditional love. It was a real lesson in acceptance.
This focus on the margins is reflected in our partnerships: Anti-trafficking in Bangladesh, Islamabad Christians against Narcotics, Delhi Brotherhoods shelter for street children. Ministry to hearing impaired in Tamil Nadu, Visranti ministry to abused women in Kerala.
Work on the margins as well as at the centre has been a hallmark of CMS work
Colonial Past Heritage and legacy
In the mid 19th century CMS began work with the ancient churches in India. They concentrated on renewing Theological Education, helping the life and liturgy of the church, so it could be a missionary force.
CMS was opportunistic, engaging with ancient cultures, religions and other traditions, translating sacred texts and books, contributing to a revival of learning for all in the ancient civilisations of Asia.
The social work heritage, female education, health work with untouchables, has contributed to bringing dignity for all people. This is more than the traditional medical, education and church institutions which also developed from ‘starting small’. (see Venn principles – Henry Venn was an early CMS General Secretary)
I have met many in South Asia who have deeper claims to being CMS than I have, born in a ‘CMS hospital’, graduated from a ‘CMS school’ or a member of a ‘CMS church’.
The United Church Experiment
Part of working at the Centre has been to work with the established churches many of which CMS helped to found - the United Churches in South India CSI and North India (CNI) , and In Pakistan (COP) The Anglican Church of Ceylon and the National Churches Fellowship of Nepal. These remain our traditional partners.
I also visited Chennai (Madras) in search of St Thomas who brought Christianity in 52AD. What struck me was that the disciple who doubted the most went the furthest. And our most ancient partners – the Syrian Orthodox and Mar Thoma churches trace the foundation of their church to Thomas’s arrival and ministry. The Christian legacy is deeper than the British Raj.
The CHINDIA Phenomena
The Indian subcontinent is a vast geographical area and a growing economic force, part of the rising economic BRIC Nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Indeed the ‘CHINDIA” phenomena as it has been called, suggests that China and India will change the economic face of Asia and probably the spiritual face as well.
Mission Movements
New Mission movements are part of this spiritual change of face:
Indian Evangelical Mission, Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association, Mission Board of Presbyterian Church of Mizoram, Anglican Inland Missionary Society of Sri Lanka, BORN Network in Bihar state, Al Bashir in N India, Isa-e-Jamat in Bangladesh, Bhutan outreach project.
CMS acts as a bridge between existing and emerging church movements. We have encouraged this growth through Leadership development, discipleship training and scholarships.
Ram Prasad from Nepal has been supported through various programmes, and now as a Co-Mission Partner, he is making a significant contribution to the growth of the Nepali mission movement through his leadership in the Mission Commission of Nepal.
Focus on Youth
South Asian Christian Youth Network brings together youth form the established and more emerging partnerships from all over the Indian Subcontinent. Over the years SACYN has been ‘Called to Peace’ in Sri Lanka and looked at ‘Gospel and Globalisation’ in Bangalore. And becoming ‘Bridge Builders’ in Pokhara Nepal in May 2010
CHALLENGES
The challenges of the subcontinent are vast. There is real need for Integral Mission, for a holistic social transformational Gospel meeting some of the challenges on the edges - Indigenous Mission reaching out to the tribal peoples of NE India. The untouchables. Himalayan Arch and the strategic place of Nepal. Myanmar, Tibet, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asian republics. How to connect up the Chinese and India movements.
The field is vast but the harvesters are already being mobilised from within the region. Our task is to work alongside them
Let Bishop Samantaroy of Amritsar Diocese, CNI have last word:
If Indian churches get together, then there is no need to look elsewhere…. Our people are encountering Missionaries from South India. We see their dedication and are challenged….CMS has adapted to the changing situation, doing mission with the locals. Now God has opened a door. It is a new Avatar (incarnation) - an Indian CMS - an Asian entity with a new face.
I came across this quote which I liked:
"Mission is everything the local-global church is sent into the world to be and do as a participant in God's mission and every person and gift the local-global church receives in Christ's name and way. The missional practice of the local-global church must be holistic, with activities of evangelism, compassionate service, and social justice. God's loving mission is two-way; it includes both giving and receiving. Every person, religion and culture has material, intellectual, aesthetic, social, affective, and spiritual values that the other can receive."
Sherron K. George, "From Missionary to Missiologist at the Margins" in Teaching Mission in a Global Context, eds., P Lloyd-Sidle and Bonnie Sue Lewis, (Louisville:Geneva press, 2001)
A colleague used the same article as a basis for a reflections she gave Available on FULCRUM
‘A god who cannot suffer is poorer than any human. For a God who is incapable of suffering is a being who cannot be involved. Suffering and injustice do not affect him. And because he is so completely insensitive, he cannot be affected or shaken by anything. He cannot weep, for he has no tears. But the one who cannot suffer cannot love either. So he is a loveless being’ Jurgen Moltmann (1974) the Crucified God
The meaning of the story is found in every detail, as well as in the broad narrative….. The death of Jesus…. is either the most stupid, senseless waste and misunder-standing the world has ever seen, or it is the fulcrum around which world history turns’ Tom Wright: Simply Christian (p95)
‘God’s act of universal forgiveness is the whole train of action he sets working through Christ, through the Spirit, through the Church, through all-embracing providence, towards the reconciliation of the unreconciled, whether in this world or in a world to come. And of this great process Christ’s blood was, once more, the cost.’ Austin Farrar Saving Belief (p 107)
‘God in Christ has united our human nature to himself…. And demonstrated to us that supreme love of which Christ himself speaks: ‘Greater love has no-one than this (John 15 13), We are thus joined through his grace to him and our neighbour by an unbreakable bond of love….’ Peter Abelard
