The danger of misunderstanding God's mission.

That certain religions or faiths are on mission is not to be doubted, but whether or not their mission is valid may be questioned. Loyalty to one’s faith, custom, creed and culture seems natural enough, and one’s mission to extend these elements into the wider society may seem commendable.

But the elements we mention are common to all societies— even if somewhat different in themselves—and may be presented as ideologies. Ideologies are meant to transform society and are dynamical, but at the same time quite dangerous. Once a religion or culture becomes an ideology, it then becomes a mission and becomes perilous to human society. It may make converts but it mainly makes proselytes, and develops sectarianism and fundamentalism. So mission per se is not valid. It may represent danger to society.

That mission represents a threat is clear from the history of the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims. Devotees of these three religions see the danger in each other’s mission, judging other missions as unacceptable ideologies. When we realise that a culture derives from the cultus or worship system of a society, then we see the reason for incompatibility in cultures and their missions. The history of every culture somehow links with the gods and lords of that particular community.

This can be seen in Israel and surrounding peoples and their worship. It was always a battle for Israel not to share in the exotic worship of surrounding nations. In some sense, all the idols have their missions in the total societies of humanity. Throughout this book, we rarely speak of the widest issue—God and Satan. However, we recognise that idolatry does not spring from itself but from creatures both celestial and terrestrial.

from "God and Man in the Mission of the Kingdom", by Geoffrey C. Bingham, Redeemer Baptist Press: North Parramatta, 2003, pp.4-5

from "God and Man in the Mission of the Kingdom"

As convinced Christians, we should be penetrating the meaning of mission, and of the part we are called to play in it.

Is it possible that the mission on which we have been is simply for the enlarging of the number of Christians in the world, or does it go more deeply than this? Is Christian mission genuinely seeking to redeem human beings out of every society so that they may gain eternal life? Is it so that the plan and purpose of God for all history may be fulfilled according to His sovereign will? Are we partners with God in these actions? Are our churches oriented to this wisdom of God? Or are we little more than social clubs, held together by the desire to maintain ourselves, our culture and our numbers? Are we ashamed of our beginnings, and even more so of the mistakes we have made along the way?

Whatever the case, we should be seeking answers to all these questions, for they will certainly stab us awake to the manner in which the Church should be acting in the world today. It is essential that we know God’s will in the matter of mission and be strengthened by fulfilling it. Paul’s words here are apt: ‘Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is’ (Ephesians 5:17).

The matter is clear. Every Christian ought to: understand the matter of mission; know to what degree the ekklesia (the Church) of God is involved in mission; discern whether or not the manner of going about mission is in conformity with biblical principles; and assess whether or not he or she is appropriately on mission.



from "God and Man in the Mission of the Kingdom", by Geoffrey C. Bingham, Redeemer Baptist Press: North Parramatta, 2003, pp.1-2