Akwaaba signs similar to this one with a woman pouring drink for a visitor are everywhere in Ghana
My friend Reinhard told me that in a recent survey in Germany, the majority of people said the word ‘mission’ is something negative. It implies a subject “doing something” to another person as object. It is contaminated by colonial connotations. Interestingly, the word ‘mission’ is still used by governments to describe the activities of their embassies. But still, in church circles, mission is treated not only as characteristic of the church, but sometimes as essential to the church. The word ‘mission’ is loaded leaving some people hot and some people cold. Some love it, some hate it. In church circles, we firmly believe in God’s redemptive mission to the world that He created and we believe we can participate in God’s mission through faith and by the help of the Spirit. The current ELCA slogan “God’s Work, Our Hands” is about our participation in God’s mission.
When we as individuals get involved in mission work, we need to be careful that our focus is not our “doing something” for or to other people. Global Mission of the ELCA introduced the concept of accompaniment to help nurture a model of mission based on mutuality and not the typical imbalance of power seen in donor- beneficiary relationships.
My friend Reinhard said the survey in Germany is causing the church to reconsider the emphasis on the “Missional Church” and instead they are talking more about the “Invitational Church. ” This idea has been subject of conversation in recent years, and even if it isn’t perfect, it has merit. We are challenged to ask what is our invitation as opposed to what is our mission? Or, really, what is our connection to God’s invitation rather than our connection to God’s mission?
What do you think of the change in emphasis? Is your church an inviting church? Are you an inviting Christian? Jesus certainly invited us when he says, “Come, follow me.”
Blessed second Sunday in Advent.
Viking in West Africa 