Mission vision, strategy & practice

2010 is a year of remembering great events of the past and reflecting on how they have influenced us today. In Mexican history we are celebrating the bicentennial of Independence from Spain and the centennial of the Mexican revolution with Pancho Villa and Zapata. In missions history this month the modern Ecumenical movement remembered their beginnings in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1910. Later this year the Evangelical missions movement will celebrate their movement in South Africa. Each of these movements provided a vision, strategy and practice for missions during the XX century. If I could be so bold as to try to summarize these two movements it might go something like this:
Ecumenical movement: 1.) building the Kingdom of God on Earth 2.) supporting national liberation movements for political freedom 3.) nation building for the health, education and welfare of society
Evangelical movement: 1.) making the name of Jesus known among all peoples of the Earth 2.) supporting the growth of para-church mission agencies to accomplish this task 3.) amassing a huge global network of Christians, churches and agencies second only to the military-industrial complex of the US.
Then of course the Pentecostal movement started in 1906 in a small multi-cultural church on Azusa St. in Los Angeles with its impact being: 1.) preaching and doing works of the Kingdom of God 2.) planting churches as a result of evangelistic and healing campaigns 3.) a worldwide explosion of small grassroots churches and Christians who can testify to having been “touched” by the Holy Spirit with tangible results.
Each of these movements have had their dissidents from within aside from the often open hostility between them. As we begin the second decade of this new century each movement has begun to recognize the limited focus of each and how each could benefit from the others. Largely due to the dissidents within each movement conversation has happened between movements forming a new vision that could benefit from the work done last century. The summary of this new vision is also what is driving our ministry here in southern Mexico.
1.) Making the Kingdom of God visible on earth in imitation of Jesus
2.) Connecting Christians and Churches from across these three movements
3.) Doing mission in a holistic manner that includes the spiritual, physical and social
We invite your continued partnership and participation in the vision we have begun here with our holistic mission center in Puebla, Bible school in Chiapas and medical work in Oaxaca. It is a privilege to be living in such a time as this of movement and change but also a great responsibility to maintain close contact with those who are partnering with us. We pledge to you our commitment to being your faithful partners in southern Mexico accountable through our sending agency at:
Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Campo Sano Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33146-1165