GOD’S MISSION, A PEOPLE’S ACTION

GOD’S MISSION, A PEOPLE’S ACTION

Rev. Jeric C. Cortado

 

One of the Plenary Session I attended during the WCC 10^th Assembly held at Busan City, South Korea last October 28 to November 8, 2013 was the Mission Plenary. This plenary highlighted the common challenges and opportunities for mission in the light of development. This event was organized by the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches. Prof. Stephen Bevan presented in the plenary his perspective (from the Roman Catholic Church) on mission. According to him, God is mission – with all creation. The Spirit is God’s power guiding the process of life, originated the world religion, taking flesh in a human face. The Spirit of God the same spirit who anointed Jesus in baptism, empower the ministry, give essential to the resurrection event. It is the Spirit who leads us together in the fullness of life. Challenge us to accept Jesus as our identity.  The Spirit of God is the principal agent for Church Mission. Rev. Cecillia Castillo Narjari presented the concept of mission from the Pentecostal Tradition. She stressed on the gender violence, slavery, and migration where the women and children are the most vulnerable. She pointed out that the technological development is presented as an object of consumption rather than service. In this concern, it seems the church is part of taking advantage of the scenario, losing its essence of being the church. The Church lost from the essence of the gospel and real human condition. Thus the challenge for the Church is to make the gospel a way of life and get involves in the movement against oppression and imperial power. On the other hand, Bishop Geevarghese Mor Coorilos of the Syrian Orthodox Church shared also the view of an Orthodox for mission. According to him, mission is an outpouring of love, justice and peace. The denial of life is a denial of the God of life. Thus Bishop Mor Coorilos challenged us to do more in mission rather of being more in mission. Mission from the margin and not mission to the margin should be our missiological paradigm. Meaning, it should be the people from the margin to be the primary agent for change and missions. Thus the church should be a voice of the voiceless, and should let the voices of the voiceless being heard. Amen.