CHAPTER 2

Mission as a
Christian
Imperative
INTRODUCTION

An integral part of the definition

of Christianity is its being
missionary. This has to be seen
always as rooted in God’s love
for humanity and creation which,
at one point in history, became
very clear and nuanced in the
person and life of Jesus
LESSONS
LESSON 1
CONTEXT

Who we are determines what

we can do or what we ought to
do.

In Christianity, it is the nature

of the human person to live for
others and to serve.
INSPIRED WORD (1 Pt. 2:9-10)

But you are a chosen people, a royal

priesthood, a holy nation, God’s
special possession, that you may
declare the praises of him who called
you out of darkness into his wonderful
light. Once you were not a people, but
now you are the people of God; once
you had not received mercy, but now
you have received mercy.
INSPIRED WORD (1 Pt. 2:9-10)

Important Details:

• The Church as the People of God.

• Hence, they are ONE.
• Mission: to SERVE as ONE
CHURCH TEACHING

1. Mission is the fundamental

reality of the Christian life.

a. Life has purpose only to the

extent that it has a missionary
dimension
CHURCH TEACHING

b. By virtue of baptism, mission

is a Christian responsibility.

(Baptism = initiation)
CHURCH TEACHING

c. In Christian Anthropology, to
be human is to be other
directed.
• “Nobody lives for
him/herself” (Rom. 14)
• Relating with others with
society (Schillebeeckx)
• Kapwa (De Masa, J.; Enriquez
V.)
CHURCH TEACHING

2. The Church’s link to Jesus

obligates the Church to do
mission

a. The vine and the branches

(Jn. 15: 1-17)
CHURCH TEACHING

b. The Church as Body of Christ

(Rom. 12; 1 Cor.12; Eph 1:23;
5:30; Col. 1:18)

c. The Great Commission (Mt

28:19-20)
CHURCH TEACHING

d. Jesus sends his disciple (Jn

20:21)
e. Preaching Jesus from
Jerusalem to the ends of the
earth (Act 1:8)
MISSIONARY RESPONSE
1. Cultivate the following
attitudes and their
corresponding behaviors:
other-orientedness,
sensitivity to the needs of
others
2. Exert effort to act always in
accordance with our identity
as a missionary Church even
in seemingly insignificant
LESSON 2: The Church’s
relationship to the world is
missionary in character
CONTEXT

The Church from the beginning

had established multiple
services and is still developing
more of it now according to the
needs of specific places.
INSPIRED WORD (Lk 9: 46-48)

An argument started among the disciples as

to which of them would be the greatest.
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little
child and had him stand beside him. Then
he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this
little child in my name welcomes me; and
whoever welcomes me welcomes the one
who sent me. For it is the one who is least
among you all who is the greatest.”
INSPIRED WORD (Luke 9: 46-48)

Important Details:

• Greatness for them = first in rank

• Greatness for Jesus = serving the
least in the society (the child)
• Implication = Church is called not to
be the BEST, but to serve.
CHURCH TEACHING
1. Church as Servant

• The Church is to serve and

not to be served
• Christians must not shirk
from their earthly
responsibilities
• Doing the Father’s will is
“taking a strong grip of the
work at hand.”
CHURCH TEACHING

2. The Church as leaven for

society

• Church must read the “sign

of the times”
• The world is the arena of
God’s saving actions
CHURCH TEACHING

3. Church must learn from

society

• The Church can and ought to

be enriched by the
development of human
social life.
• The Church is not only a
teacher but also a learner
CHURCH TEACHING

4. Examples of societal
transformations where the
Church played an important
role

• Politics
• Economics
• Social Life
MISSIONARY RESPONSE

1. Initiating or joining
cleanliness drive or similar
activities in our barangays
2. Extending help to the social
action activities of the
Church
3. Joining advocacy groups that
work for social-economic,
and political transformation.