선교에 대한 이해의 재고(再考) = Reconsideration of Understanding about Mission

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The term “revival” was one of the famous terms in the past time of the Korean church’s history. But now it has changed into the term “mission”. It is a natural situation in which the Korean church has passed through the process of revival. What then is mission? There are various understandings of it. There are even different understandings of it among missiologists. The writer is going to present a new understanding of mission in a basis of reformed theology.
Some missiologists think that “evangelism” is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in domestic conditions; but “mission” is to do it in a foreign country. Others understand that evangelism is to proclaim the Gospel to the people in an area where the Gospel has already been heard; but mission is to do it to people in an area where the Gospel has not yet been heard. It is also expressed as follows: evangelism is for “no more Christians”，but mission is for “not yet Christians.” Others explain that evangelism is to proclaim the Gospel in their same cultural area, but mission is to do it in a different cultural area. According to these understandings, evangelism and mission are not different from one another in the aspect of character of works. Namely, they are to the same work as proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, it is necessary for us to reconsider mission as a more comprehensive dimension rather than evangelism. This is a way of understanding mission and evangelism in the aspect of character in each of their works.
According to this understanding, mission is the comprehensive works of the church and Christians for the Kingdom of God, placing evangelism in the central rank of the works. This understanding of mission seems to be harmonized with a Biblical teaching and a reformed theology as in the following reasons. (1) The total works of Jesus, evangelism, teaching, and healing, are considered as mission. But it is not easy for us to think that His works in a foreign country or in a different cultural basis are mission, but His works in His own country or in a same cultural area are evangelism. (2) The works of the apostles are also not easy for us to divide in that way. If it is possible, Peter the apostle must be called an evangelist, but Paul as a missionary. In fact, this is meaningless. (3) Mission as more comprehensive works is harmonized with reformed theology’s aim of mission as the Kingdom of God, because the Kingdom of God is also a more comprehensive dimension rather than any dimension which can be achieved by evangelism.
In conclusion, it can be said that mission is the comprehensive works of the church for extending the Kingdom of God，placing evangelism as its central place. Accordingly, it is not necessary for us to understand that mission is cross-cultural work of missionaries. Rather it is better for us to understand that cross-cultural work of missionaries are one of the various kinds of mission.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I. 들어가기
• II. 선교란 용어의 개념
• III. 전도와 선교의 차이
• IV. 포괄적 사역으로서 선교와 중심적 사역으로서 전도에 대한 이해
• V. 포괄적 사역으로서 선교 이해에 어울리는 요소들에 대한 고찰
• 1. 그리스도의 사역
• 2. 사도들의 사역
• 3. 개혁주의 신학이 이해하는 선교의 목적
• 4. 그리스도의 지상명령이 담고 있는 내용
• 5. 선교란 용어의 현실적 사용
• V. 결론