Church Mission Society today revealed a list of four key myths that keep Christians from getting involved in mission. They include the misconception that “mission means we have to save the world”, the belief that “mission is mainly about doing things for people in need” and the view that “mission is only for extraordinary people”.
The list of Top Mission Myths is partly based on conclusions drawn from Church Mission Society’s recent survey of more than 2,000 Christians, which examined their perceptions of mission in the 21st century. CMS also conducted dozens of individual interviews with people on the subject. The list of myths also reflects initial objections to mission involvement that CMS staff frequently encounter.
Naomi Steinberg, Head of Communications at CMS, said, “There are many myths about mission out there; we know that today, mission is a little word with a lot of baggage. Having taken time to listen to people’s impressions of mission, our task now is to clarify what mission is – and isn’t. The goal is to make mission easier for people to understand, and ultimately, be part of.”
In an effort to dispel the myths about mission and combat fears many people have about getting involved in mission, CMS has produced a Bible study series called What is Mission? A Myth-busting Bible Study for Small Groups. This four-part series for small groups uses videos, biblical reflections, activities and suggested prayers to untangle fact from fiction. The short videos feature interviews with a variety of people who are living out their mission call either in the UK or overseas. Says Steinberg: “The people in mission in the videos are all highly relatable and we think they show that everyone can be in mission.”
The list of Top Four Mission Myths is:
- Mission means we have to save the world
- Mission is mainly about doing things for people in need.
- Mission is primarily a Western thing.
- Mission is only for extraordinary people
The What is Mission? Myth-busting Bible study is free to download from the new CMS Resource Hub: churchmissionsociety.org/resources