Z.K.Pahrü
In my village, there are around 130 families belonging to Animist (non-Christian) fold. I belong to a Baptist Church which has around 1300 congregations. Numerically, Roman Catholics formed the largest group. Baptist Church had celebrated 50th Year (Golden Jubilee) Anniversary in 1997 which indicates it has grown mature. In terms of money my Pastor’s salary is only Rs. 3000/- per month. This reflects two things: first, it reflects the poor economic condition of the villagers and second, the unenthusiastic attitude of the well-to-do church members in giving tithes, offerings and thanksgiving. The Church building which was constructed with timber way back in the ‘70s is almost collapsing. It is a village where hundreds of children are not getting the privilege to attend school. It is a village where there are the aged, the lame, blind, deaf, mentally unstable persons who are completely at the mercy of the concerned family members. It is a village where strong resentment among the denominational groups exists. It is a village where various government funds meant for the poor and developmental projects are pocketed by the so called ‘social workers.’ It is a village where around 85% of its populations are cultivators. Can we take ‘Mission’ away from this kind of situation to faraway places?
Some of my Church members are convinced that ‘Mission’ means ‘sending out missionaries’ to faraway places and preaching the Good News. After all, for a Church that has celebrated Golden Jubilee, it’s a shame of not sending out missionaries. “When other such churches are sending out, why not our church?” is the often argument put forth. Competition of sending out missionaries through imitation of others seems to be very strong among the Naga churches in doing mission work today. For face saving, this poor but more than 50 years old Church is sponsoring a missionary family in Sikkim by paying Rs. 4000/- per month through individual’s donation. This donation, they called it ‘Faith Venture.’ I was not happy and objected to this ‘sending out mission’ programme. I feel it is more beneficial for a Church like mine to sponsor local church members for theological study and build a strong church leader as we do not have theologically trained local church leaders including Pastor. I feel it is unfair for a poor Church (like mine) to pay higher salary to outside mission workers than local Church Pastor and other Church workers. It is not only my Church, but the malaise of sending out missionaries to faraway places, has affected the lives of hundreds of local Church workers and thousands of its members financially. Apart from sponsoring Church owned mission, we also pay for our Association (PNBA), Convention (MBC) Mission Dept. as well as for CBCNEI. Varied attractive methods are employed by Mission Department to poke out fund for ‘outside mission’ from the individuals and churches such as given Grade, Plus Point, etc, etc. I feel it is unfair to spend lots of human and financial resources for the betterment of faraway people when our people are struggling for survival - physically and spiritually.
By the way, who are we to ‘convert’ others? The mission of conversion belongs to God. It’s not ours. I am afraid whether our churches are trying to hijack this ‘conversion mission’ from God and make it as our own because our churches are competing each other in sending out missionaries. We can be partner of God in mission but not the owner of it. When we become the owner of it, we try to bring people into our fold by hook or by crook, sometime even through various enticements such as giving material things, money, jobs, etc. We make attractive strategies to attract people. When people do not get convert, the church gets angry and missionaries were fired. Many churches are proud of sending out a large number of missionaries. It appears that the church wants to increase the number of heads not heart. Mission is in fact exhibiting Jesus’ teachings in our daily lives so that people are attracted towards Him. Our mission today is somewhat like taking care of leaves and flowers of a tree but not its roots. We need to re-route mission and re-root deep into our own situation.
I think it is clear now by what I mean ‘Re-rooting Mission through Re-routing Mission.’ The ‘Go beyond mission’ is rooted in Matt 28:18-20 (a parallel teaching is found in Mark 16:9-20 but which is believed to be an addition by someone and not an original work of the author). If we look at the passage here, Jesus never said like “this is the greatest commission I am giving to you”. It’s someone else who attributed this as the “Greatest Commission”, surpassing all other mission activities of Jesus. This is not the only text that talks about mission. In fact, there is nothing new in this teaching as well. Even before resurrection, Jesus has been working with power and authority - healing the sick, feeding the starves, casting out demons, raising the dead, calming the tempestuous storm and so on. The command in Matt. 28:18-20 is not a new commandment either. It is simply a reminder telling his disciples to put into practice of what they had been taught. Therefore, pointing out this passage (Matt 28:12-20) singularly and interpreting mission work as simply ‘going out to preach’ could limit the all-embracing activities of Jesus’ mission and consequently Christian Mission. What should the disciples of Jesus be teaching to others as they go out? What are the commands Jesus gave them? The disciples were basically commanded to imitate and live out what Jesus taught them in deed and in words.
The parable of the Good Samaritan highlights a good example of mission (Luke 10: 25-37). The parable came to an end with a command, ‘Go and do likewise,’ and not ‘Go and preach this Good News.’ Followers of Jesus Christ were demanded to show mission through action not just words. Jesus did not appreciate the work of the Levite and Priest who were so much concern about religious codes and teachings. The mission starts right here by attending to the needs of the immediate neighbors like the Samaritan. The disciples were empowered to exorcise demons, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and so on. These are the immediate concern of mission work.
Jesus, in Matthew 7: 21ff, said that ‘not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but anyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’ If all those who says, ‘Lord, Lord’ and prophesied and did mighty works were not to enter the kingdom of heaven, who will enter? Matt. 25: 31-46 throws light to this pertinent question. We have two groups of people here. People those who belong to the first group were, consciously or unconsciously, those who attended to the needs of the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the prisoners, the strangers and the sick. To this group, Jesus said, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you…” Jesus also said to the second groups of people who did not attend to the needs of others, ‘Depart from me…’ Taking into consideration the above passages, how do we define ‘Mission’ today?
I am not against sending out missionaries to faraway places and make people disciples of Jesus. But my concern here is how we are going to tell others about Jesus when we have enough problems back at home. When Jesus sends out the twelve (Matt.10:1ff) for mission work, they were charged not to reach out to any other people but concentrate only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Why? If the people of Israel, who were the custodian of Torah (God’s Laws) or for that matter salvation, do not repent and do good, who will believe them even if they preach about God? John 4: 7-37, which talks about the encounter of Jesus with Samaritan woman, has a very thought provoking mission orientation. After encountering with Jesus, the changed Samaritan woman was able to say, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” What exemplary life do we and our society have to show to others about Jesus?
Let’s take a look at our society today. There is increasing rate of rape cases, drugs abusers, alcoholics, domestic abuse, sexual immorality, prostitutions, educated unemployed youth and HIV/AIDS. There is violence of all forms from wife battering to murdering for ransom. The blind, the deaf, the otherwise-abled, the aged, the orphans and mentally unstable persons are completely at the mercy of concerned family or NGOs. Tribalism, denominationalism, nepotism, corruptions, bribery, and robbery of public funds appear to be normal way of life today. Forests are being destroyed and natural resources monetized and marketized. Social and economic security is fast deteriorating. There is ever growing gap between the rich and the poor because of the prevailing corruption and injustices. Are all these not a mission field? Will our Church take the other side of the road (like the Levite and Priest and go for preaching) but leaving behind our own people with all these problems? Should not the Church help the wounded, the dying, and the hopeless ones in our society? Should the Church neglect the role of ‘Salt’ and ‘Light’ (Matt.5:13-16) as assigned to his followers by Jesus?
Allow me to conclude by interpreting John 15: 16, where Jesus said: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” What fruit are we told to bear? I think we are told to bear Spiritual fruit which is possible only through abiding in Jesus. What are the fruits of the Spirit then? Galatians 5: 22, 23 says, “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.” We cannot do mission work unless we have these spiritual fruits. When Naga society, Naga churches, Naga Christians possess these Spiritual fruits, there will not be hatreds, jealousy, bribery, rape, poverty, violence, oppression of various forms, extortion, prostitution, etc… Then a transformed society/church/individual will emerge. When that happens, people of other faiths, from far and near, will come and enquire, “Who is your God? What type of God do you worship? We want to worship your God. We want to make your God our God. We want to experience peace, love, joy, etc. in our society too.” Then they will go out and tell their family members, relatives and community what is happening in us, in our church, in our society because of our God. Mission starts from there and will spread non-stop like wildfire. Shouldn’t we invest more both human and financial resources in transforming our people/society than on sending out missionaries? Shouldn’t we take out first log of specks of our own eyes before removing others’? Let’s transform ourselves, our church and our society by rooting in Jesus. If that happens, mission will take its own course. Are we willing to re-root mission by re-routing mission?
For suggestion and discussion: zkpahr@yahoo.co.in
