Mission theology is a branch of Christian theology that examines the necessity of evangelism. Evangelicals focus on converting people to Christianity, while liberals focus on social issues. Evangelicals believe salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, while others have a more open view. Despite differences, both groups often overlap in their missionary practices.
A mission theology is a subset of Christian theology that examines the motivation and necessity of evangelism or the conversion of others to the Christian religion. Mission theology is a very practical branch of theology, as the conclusions derived from it directly affect the goals of churches and individuals. In general, the goal of any Christian missionary work is to spread the Kingdom of God, but evangelical and liberal groups are likely to differ in their interpretation of what that means. Evangelicals typically see the primary focus of missions on converting people to the Christian faith, while liberals are more likely to focus on social issues in their mission work. Both groups will typically support some of the other’s goals, but their methodologies and goals will be different.
Central to most evangelical missionary practices is the belief that eternal salvation and entry into heaven come only through faith in Jesus Christ. Many evangelicals believe that those who have not accepted Jesus will be doomed and define the Kingdom of God as people who explicitly identify as Christians. This view is known as restrictivism or exclusivism and is based on scriptures such as John 14:6. As quoted in the translation of the New International Version, Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” As a result of this belief, evangelical mission theology usually places a tremendous emphasis on preaching and teaching among “unreached” groups of people—ethnic or social groups who have never been taught anything about Jesus—with the explicit goal of converting them to Christianity.
Other Christian groups take a more open view of salvation, believing that at least some non-Christians will be saved. People who subscribe to this view are less likely to focus on conversion and more likely to focus on practical relief, here and now, from poverty, disease, or oppression. Some of these groups believe in what is known as liberation theology. According to this view, the Kingdom of God can be defined as areas where Christ-like ideals are realized.
Practitioners of these two groups may find fault with the other’s missionary theology. Liberals may criticize evangelicals for being too otherworldly. They could point out that much of Jesus’ teachings dealt with practical social issues, rather than questions about what happens after death. Evangelicals, on the other hand, may feel that liberation theology stops addressing the current question of Christ’s salvation and uniqueness, perhaps out of fear of offending.
Despite the differences in the theology of missions in these two groups, there is often an overlap in the actual practice of missions. Evangelical missionaries may seek to address the physical needs of the people they work with, just as liberation missionaries would. This is typically the first step towards building relationships that could ultimately lead to conversion. Liberation missionaries often may not believe that conversion is essential to eternal salvation. They may, however, believe that conversion to the Christian faith will help bring about social change, and so they will teach Christ when they see fit.
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