WHAT EXACTLY IS "MISSIONS?"

What does it mean to be a missionary and is this even a biblical concept since?

What does "mission" mean?

Mission

I can’t find the word "missionary" in the Bible?

The word “missionary” never appears in the Bible. So what is the origin of this word that has permeated the Christian faith

The word "mission" comes from the Latin word mitto, which was derived from the Greek word apostello. This latter word means "to send" and from it we get the English word "apostle." The word "mission" is not used widely in the Bible. It was first used in 1598 (Oxford English Dictionary) and was used in terms of world evangelization by 1729.

" Mission" is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionaryas, among other things, a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its faith or carry on humanitarian work; an assignment to work in a field of missionary enterprise; a mission establish; a local church or parish dependent on a larger religious organization for direction or financial support; organized missionary work.

A more secular definition is simply "a body of persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity"; this can include diplomatic, military, or space missions. A mission can also be simply a task that one is given.

There are many different discussions over what is included in the missionary task of the church, and therefore what is properly defined as "missions." These discussions are best left to other articles.

Missions vs. Mission

In missionary literature, the difference between "missions" and "mission" became prominent in the mid-1900s. "Missions" usually refers to the work of humans to evangelize people with the Gospel and disciple them as new believers. " Mission," on the other hand, is broader: it is a term for everything the church does that points to the kingdom of God (Introducing World Missions, Moreau, Corwin & McGee).

Missio Dei

This is a Latin phrase for "mission of God." It is a technical term meaning God initiates and maintains mission. Writers who use this phrase are touching on the idea that the church is a partner in what God is doing: mission is about God, not about the church. God has given us a part to play but without Him mission would be impossible.

What is Missiology?

Missiology is the science of mission, which closely examines the mandate, the message and the work of the cross-cultural Christian missionary.

Missiology consists of a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary study concerned with all aspects of the propagation of Christianity. The discipline embraces a unique combination of theology, anthropology, history, methods of communication, and an in-depth comparison of religions. In addition the science studies all of the various facets, consequences and effects of the spread of the Christian faith, including the socioeconomic and cultural implications after its introduction.

One of missiologies most demanding challenges is to distinguish between biblical practices that are essential to Christianity, and therefore must be practiced by Christians in all cultures, and the cultural expressions of Christianity that change and should be adapted to each individual culture.