Christian mission

A Christian mission is an organized effort to spread the message of Jesus Christ. Missions began almost at the start of Christianity. Christians believe Jesus, the son of God, commanded them to go into the world and tell people about Jesus's works and God's word. Much of the New Testament of the Bible concerns the disciples of Jesus and their travels and communications with people about their faith. Although early Christians were Jews, Christianity was soon recognized as a new religion, and its adherents proselytized among other people. People who go on mission trips are called missionaries. They convert people all over the world to the Christian faith, although some have been accused of mistreating Indigenous people and subverting their beliefs and traditions. Missions have also aided people by providing social and charitable benefits, such as establishing and operating schools, shelters, and medical clinics.

Background

The Hebrews believed that God would send a savior called the Messiah to Earth to unite the Jews and bring peace. During the first century CE, the followers of a man named Jesus Christ believed him to be the Messiah, although Jewish leaders did not accept him as the savior. This disagreement led to a split in Judaism, and eventually, the believers who followed the teachings of Jesus came to be known as Christians. Christians believe Jesus died and came back to life days later, an event celebrated as Easter. Jesus then instructed his followers, including men known as Apostles, to spread his message to others, and he departed the earth for heaven.

Several years after Jesus's death, Paul the Apostle began his mission work. He traveled widely, usually to cities that were along important travel and trade routes. Among the places he visited was Corinth, a port city in Greece in a location that frequently drew travelers and traders. Paul was possibly a tentmaker or leatherworker by trade, and some accounts have him working in the city's commercial marketplace, or agora. He would have been in daily contact with other tradespeople and commercial travelers in the agora, which would have given him many opportunities to share his stories about Jesus. Paul's method of mission was to hold small meetings; he eventually established house churches, which were religious gatherings held in private homes. Once these house churches were operating, he moved on and allowed the new Christians to continue the mission in these areas. By concentrating his efforts at spots frequented by travelers and traders, Paul ensured a constant audience for the message of Christianity and the steady spread of it to far-removed places. Paul corresponded with the young churches in many cities, especially when they were roiled by internal conflict. Paul's letters to the Colossians, Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Romans, and Thessalonians are included in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

Another famous Christian, St. Patrick, traveled to Ireland about 432 CE. He converted many of the people who practiced pagan faiths. More than a century later, missionary Columba left Ireland to set up a monastic mission center in Scotland on the island of Iona. His monastery educated the sons of the Gaelic warrior kings. Long after his death, Columba's mission continued. His order established many new monasteries inside and outside of Ireland. Many monks in Europe were devoted to copying manuscripts, which helped to spread the Christian message. Many Christians engaged in mission work in Ireland and Scotland, but the manuscripts created at Columba's monastery ensured his influence was much wider.

A major change during the fifteenth century aided those spreading the news of Christianity. Johann Gutenberg created the printing press, and in 1456, he printed the first Christian Bible. As printed material, in particular, the Bible, became more readily available, missionaries could distribute it and reach a wider audience. They could also use printed material for the educational aims of missionaries, who frequently operated schools. St. Ignatius of Loyola established the Society of Jesus, or Jesuit Order, in 1540; it became known for its tradition of teaching and its scholarly work. The Jesuits developed thousands of textbooks and established libraries.

Christian missions closely followed explorers around the world. About thirty years after Christopher Columbus returned to Spain from exploring the Americas, missionary monks began attempting to convert the Indigenous Americans. The Jesuits established schools and dispatched missionaries to the Americas, Africa, Asia, and India. They also cared for the sick in these locations.

Overview

Over the centuries, many missionaries have died attempting to spread their message. These deaths have often been due to cultural conflicts, such as the Spanish missionaries in what is now New Mexico in the United States. In 1956, five missionaries attempted to contact the elusive Waorani people in Ecuador. After making contact, the missionaries returned for a second visit and were killed. In addition, mission work is outlawed in some countries. In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was killed trying to introduce Christianity to the Sentinelese, an isolated Indigenous group on North Sentinel Island. People visiting North Korea, for example, have been arrested for bringing copies of the Christian Bible into the country.

The Salvation Army, which formed during the late nineteenth century, became one of the world's leading missionary organizations. Although, at first, the organization dedicated itself to reaching all levels of society in England, it soon began operating on many continents. Unlike the missions of many Christians, the Salvation Army operates in many urban areas among those experiencing extreme poverty and focuses on social welfare reform.

Printed material continues to be important in mission work. Since 1908, an organization known as the Gideons has placed millions of Bibles in hotel rooms and hospitals across the United States. They also distribute Bibles to military personnel on active duty. The group expanded to provide Scripture in other countries, and in 2015, the Gideons International distributed its two billionth Bible.

Education has been a primary focus of many mission trips. Some of these efforts have generated controversy and led to accusations of cultural eradication. With government support, many missionary groups, for example, took religious instruction and education to Indigenous American tribes in Canada and the United States. They established boarding schools; however, children were denied their cultural practices at these schools. Students were not permitted to wear traditional dress, and they were forced to speak only English. Boys were forced to cut their hair. When these children returned home, they often felt alienated from their families and cultures. In Australia, similar efforts took Aboriginal children from their homes and families in an attempt to assimilate them into Western culture and replace traditional beliefs with Christian faith.

One of the most prominent versions of a Christian mission in the twenty-first century is the continuing tradition of the Mormon mission, a time of volunteer service for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormon missionaries participate in various activities, including spreading the message of their religion and providing humanitarian aid.

Bibliography

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Lodge, Carey. "6 Inspiring Christian Missionaries Who Gave Up Everything for Christ." Christian Today, 12 May 2016, www.christiantoday.com/article/6.inspiring.christian.missionaries.who.gave.up.everything.for.christ/85936.htm. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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