Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth

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Mission, Evangelism and Church Growth

The Christian Church believes one of its primary tasks is to continue the work of the apostles.

Apostles

When Jesus was ascending to heaven, he gave his apostles the task of continuing his mission by preaching the Gospel (Acts 1: 8).
At the same time, he promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit to give them guidance and strength to do this work.
Many of Jesus’ apostles and other followers then went out to areas of the Mediterranean to preach the Gospel, areas such as Greece and Rome. Some of them died as martyrs.

Mission and evangelism

The act of going out to preach is often called the ‘mission’ from the Latin word for being sent.
The task of preaching the Gospel is called ‘evangelism’.

Evangelism

The task of preaching the Gospel is called ‘evangelism’ (from the Greek word for good news) because they are spreading the good news of Jesus' teaching and salvation.

Importance of the Gospel

The work of spreading the Gospel is seen as important because Christians believe that Jesus is God and that through faith in him people can find the truth about the meaning of their existence.
Sometimes, those who do not believe in Jesus are said to be in darkness because they do not know the truth, but knowledge of Jesus brings light and joy.
- ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light' [Isaiah 9:2 NIV]

Saving non-believers

Many Christians also believe that in order to be saved by Jesus, a person has to believe in Jesus. So evangelisation does not just bring joy, but also salvation and the possibility of eternal life in heaven.
- Just like the early apostles, therefore, Christians through the ages have tried to increase the number of believers and so the number of people who can be saved (Acts 2: 40 - 41).

Controversy

In modern times, Christian evangelisation has become more controversial.
- Some people say that it does not respect the beliefs of people from different parts of the world, which are often firmly held.
- Some Christians believe that a person of any faith, and even those of no faith, can be saved on account of their good deeds, not because they believe in Jesus as God.

Multifaith Britain

Modern Britain is a multi-faith society and many people celebrate the diversity, and believe attempts at evangelisation could lead to conflict.
This can be a dilemma for Christians who believe that faith in Jesus is a source of both truth and joy.

1Buddhism

2Christianity

2.1Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God

2.1.2The Problem of Evil

2.1.3Monotheism

2.1.4Creation

2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation

2.1.6The Trinity and Creation

2.1.7Afterlife

2.1.8Heaven and Hell

2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs

2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs

2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation

2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human

2.2.3The Crucifixion

2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal

2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension

2.2.6Sin

2.2.7Original Sin

2.2.8Punishment

2.2.9The Means of Salvation

2.2.10Achieving Salvation

2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation

2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation

2.2.13Theories of Salvation

2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.3Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship

2.3.2Prayer

2.3.3Sacrament

2.3.4Baptism

2.3.5Other Sacraments

2.3.6Eucharist

2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations

2.3.8Christmas & Easter

2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals

2.4Community

2.4.1Local Community

2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth

2.4.3Worldwide Church

2.4.4Reconciliation

2.4.5Persecution

2.4.6Caring for Those in Need

2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community

2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices

3Catholicism (Christianity)

4Islam

5Judaism

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