Christian Mission in the Modern World

by John R.W. Stott

In recent years, the mission of the church has been defined in two almost exclusive ways. On the one hand are those who say the church must focus on evangelism and discipleship alone. On the other hand are those who advocate concentrating almost solely on societal reform. In this classic book, John Stott shows that Christian mission must encompass both evangelism and social action. He begins with careful definitions of five key terms--mission, evangelism, dialogue, salvation and conversion. Then, through a thorough biblical exploration of these concepts, Stott provides a model for ministry to people's spiritual and physical needs alike. Ultimately, Stott points to the example of Jesus, who modeled both the Great Commission of proclamation and the Great Commandment of love and service. This balanced, holistic approach to mission points the way forward for the work of the church in the world.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Evangelism, Christianity, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Religion

128 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1974

About the author

John R. W. Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist, and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why I Am a Christian and The Cross of Christ, have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. Whether in the West or in the Two-Thirds World, a hallmark of Stott's ministry has been expository preaching that addresses the hearts and minds of contemporary men and women. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

Reviews

[Peter Bringe · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Evangelism, then, is sharing the good news with others. The good news is Jesus. And the good news about Jesus which we announce is that he died for our sins and was raised from death, and that in consequence he reigns as Lord and Saviour at God's right hand, and has authority both to command repentance and faith, and to bestow forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit on all those who repent, believe and are baptized. And all this is according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments." (p. 54-55)

In this book, John Stott seeks to define and discuss five key terms: "mission," "evangelism," "dialogue," "salvation," and "conversion." His treatment of all but "salvation" are very good and helpful, especially the first two. I thought his discussion of "salvation," and the corresponding interaction with liberation theology and the like, is somewhat lacking due to the total absence of the law in that chapter. Stott still encourages social reformation, but he separates it from the salvation that Christ accomplished. From my perspective, a more robust covenantal theology (that includes Deuteronomy 28) and the connection of the dominion mandate with redemption would have helped in the discussion of salvation.

Criticism aside, this is a great book. It is clear, thoughtful, balanced, and has some very helpful definitions and applications.

"If we truly love our neighbor we shall without doubt share with him the good news of Jesus…Equally, however, if we truly love our neighbor we shall not stop with evangelism…God created man, who is my neighbor, a body-soul-in-community. Therefore, if we love our neighbor as God made him, we must inevitably be concerned for his total welfare, the good of his soul, his body, and his community….To sum up, we are sent into the world, like Jesus, to serve." (p. 29-30)

"…the reason for our acceptance of social responsibility is not primarily in order to give the gospel either a visibility or a credibility it would otherwise lack, but rather a simple uncomplicated compassion." (p. 30)

"When any community deteriorates, the blame should be attached where it belongs; not to the community which is going bad but to the church which is failing in its responsibility as salt to stop it going bad. And the salt will be effective only if it permeates society, only if Christians learn again the wide diversity of divine callings, and is many penetrate deeply into secular society in order to serve Christ there.

"To this end I would personally like to see the appointment of Christian vocation officers who would visit schools, colleges, and churches not to recruit for the pastorate only but to set before young people the exciting variety of opportunities available today for serving Christ and their fellow human beings. I would also like to see regular vocation conferences, not missionary conferences only with accord the top priority to becoming a cross-cultural missionary, nor ministry conferences which concentrate on the ordain pastorate, but mission conferences which portray the biblical breadth of the mission of God, apply it to today's world, and challenge young people to give their lives unreservedly to service in some aspect of the Christian mission." (p. 32)

"…convertedness as a condition matters more than conversion as an experience." (quoting J.I. Packer on p. 114)

[Brian Pate · Rating 2 out of 5]

A reprint of Stott’s classic 1975 work with comments by his protégé, Chris Wright. Stott’s material is good. He explores a definition of the mission of the church, emphasizes the priority of evangelism, counters the rise of liberation theology, and articulates the beauty of the gospel.

I had a few disagreements with Stott:

1. Mission of the church. Stott states that the Great Commission “must be understood to include social as well as evangelistic responsibility.” I would articulate a narrower definition of the mission of the church, in Stott’s own words (but not his view), “The Commission includes a duty to teach baptized disciples everything Jesus had previously commanded [and] social responsibility is among the things that Jesus commanded” (22-23). It seems to me that the mission of the church is to glorify God by making disciples, and part of making disciples is to equip Christians to go be lights in the world in countless areas of work and ministry.

2. Dialogue. Stott works at great length to define a manner of dialogue that is not also compromising the gospel. But at the end, it seemed like he was just talking about good manners. Listen. Understand. Don’t be a jerk. It just seemed like common sense, and a far cry from what others mean by “dialogue.”

I had stronger disagreements with Wright. While his chapters provided interesting background material, I could have done without his “reflections.”

In particular, the wheels came off at the end of his reflections on “Salvation.” He believes that, while Jesus is the only way of salvation, one might be saved by turning to God in trust and repentance without ever hearing the name of Jesus (177-181). Wright laughably appeals to the fact that OT believers would not have heard about “the historical Jesus of Nazareth” (179), completely ignoring the fact that they were saved by their faith in the future sacrifice of the Messiah. Wright does not believe that “only those who have been evangelized can be saved” (181) in spite of the clear teaching of Romans 10:14. It was a disheartening conclusion to a generally helpful book.

(I read this to prepare to teach on missions to our church in Brazil, January 2020.)

[Timothy Hoiland · Rating 4 out of 5]

After news of John Stott‘s death nearly two weeks ago, a range of tributes and obituaries came out in various quarters (like this, this, this, this and perhaps most notably, this). As some noted, though Stott was hardly a household name in the US or the UK, he had enormous influence on evangelicals in those countries and others. Some considered him a sort of Protestant pope. I remember being at the Urbana conference during college, excited to hear him speak, when we learned that he wasn’t able to make it due to poor health. That was eight years ago.

I’d read one of his books a few years ago, but when I heard he had passed away, I decided now was as good a time as any to read another one of his books I’d picked up at a used book sale a while back: Christian Mission in the Modern World. The book, published in 1975, has chapters focused on mission, evangelism, dialogue, salvation and conversion, and in each he describes some of the prevailing views at the time as well as what he considers a biblical understanding of each...

- See more at: http://tjhoiland.com/wordpress/2011/0...

[Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian mission is not about converting people, but it's a series of actions that naturally follow the transformation of a person by what Jesus Christ has done. It is to genuinely love others and therefore serve others because of our commitment to God's commands. Also it is to honestly convey all that we know (the rich historical, archaeological, logical, philosophical, psychological evidence) to people. And the rest of work is left with God and that person who is given the information. We are in no business to convert anyone. People can decide what to do with such vast amount of proofs. We are the messenger and we should also embody the message (good news) in ours actions. Modern Christianity has failed in many areas. Let us learn, repent, and keep climbing.

[Arpith Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible defence of the role of evangelism in the modern church. A reaffirmation of our obligation as the elect to spread God’s word to the world, both at our doorstep and across the world. It is useful exposition of the great commision, instilling evangelism as a core purpose of each and every church.

[Chris Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reissue of the classic book on missions by Stott has been expanded with updated thoughts on key themes by Wright. I’d highly recommend this to anyone interested in the mission of the church.

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic written during Stott's many years in ecumenical discussions defending an evangelical viewpoint of mission, evangelism, conversion, and salvation plus a discussion on what genuine dialogue consists of and doesn't.

[Mwansa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant little book! John Stott brings into focus five key words around the Christian's Mission in the world. It is an eye opener and a page turner too with loads to learn. Three things I have taken away from it are; The Mission and Dialogue.

The Mission is broken down not only as the great commission but also the golden rule or as Stott calls it, the great commandment. This is shown in that Jesus said he had sent us as he was sent by the father. The redemptive work was the culmination of his life's work but not the only thing he did, he also showed love in amazing ways to the people around him. Telling the world be well fed and to some extent only sharing the gospel is the easy way out but showing love and care for our neighbor goes beyond that and that dynamic must be found out.

Dialogue. This involves giving a reason for your faith but also addressing the needs of the people around us by hearing what they have to say. It is only by hearing them out and understanding them that we can have a better grasp of where the hurt is. The trouble is at times we are so keen to hit them with the gospel we forget this. We end up talking at people rather than talking to people. The gospel is more often than not communicated through words and so this is something we must actively look to grasp.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this wasn't the quickest read (bit of a slog at times, to be honest), I do think it's worthwhile whether or not you're heading into an international missions-type position. It is divided into sections on mission, evangelism, dialogue, salvation, and conversion. I especially enjoyed the latter three.
I also appreciated the book's emphasis building genuine relationships and engaging in true dialogue (where you listen and thoughtfully respond rather than simply attempting to bulldoze the other person with your views). At the same time, the writers were very clear on the things that, as a Christian, you should not do. For example, you should not completely isolate yourself from the world, but there are certain things that you should separate yourself from. You should engage in dialogue, but in doing so, you should not allow yourself to compromise your views to soften or alter biblical truths.
I'm not explaining it well, but I found this book to be helpful in understanding where to place limits in my life and conversations, how to respectfully discuss my faith with people who do not agree, and what exactly my role is in God's plan.

[Kathy Penrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Stott in this book takes a look at what Christian mission has been, what is it, and what it should be. This mission is usually described as either mainly evangelism or as mainly social welfare. Stott examines both these ideas and leads us back to the Scriptures to look at what they tell us. He shows us that both these groups are really two sides of the same coin and that the church's mission includes both. My favorite chapter is the final one in which he brings together the ideas of humility nd humanity and how they work together. "What Scripture lays upon us instead is the need for a proper combination of humility and humanity - the humility to let God be God...and the humanity to be ourselves as He has made us....exercising our God-given gifts and offering ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness in His hand." This is not a long book but it is filled with much wisdom and insight into the subject of the church's role in our society and culture. it is well worth the read.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This missiology classic is full of quotable and insightful content. His handling of evangelism and social action was not only essential in the ecumenical conversations of the 70s but also in the intra-evangelical dialogue of 2019. In many ways, his first chapter addresses many of the shortcomings of such recent innovations as the "Statement on Social Justice" from MacArthur, et. al. His explanation and definition of evangelism is useful and clearly defended from Scripture. I benefitted greatly from his explanation of how Christian dialogue can function in a post-Christian culture (79–81). There, Stott calls believers in the West to friendship, hospitality, and patience as we engage friends and neighbors with the gospel. Another stand-out segment is the section on "Conversion and Culture" (122–24). In this next-to-last segment of the book, Stott explains the danger in "deculturizing" new believers. I wish I had read this book earlier on in my life, but it's definitely worth reading or re-reading no matter which stage of life or ministry you find yourself in.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was caught off guard by how much I enjoyed this work on missions and evangelism. I was not expecting it to 'speak' to me as much as it did.

The book is made up of 5 lectures that John Stott gave for the 1975 Chavasse Lectures in World Missions. The topics are: Mission, Evangelism, Dialogue, Salvation, and Conversion.

In some sense, I would say this book represents evangelicalism at its finest. Stott gives clear and winsome defense of classical orthodoxy, while engaging a number of contemporary approaches to mission. He engages these with charity, nuance, and some appreciation, and yet with a clear and ambiguous defense of classical Christianity.

There are too many things that I liked about it to itemize them now. It's just a very good read. I will be returning to it again soon.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can a book be a little too ecumenical? I think this book demonstrates that it is possible for this to be the case.

What is the mission of the church? Stott is readable and precise in his writing. I don't agree with all of Stott's conclusions but I think he demonstrates that you can not have and Christ-like Christianity without having Christ-like living. Mission without Christ's love is hypocritical and nonsensical. You can't have "make disciples" without "teaching them everything I commanded you." The church must imitate Christ's love if we are going to make disciples. I may be simplifying things too much. But this was my main takeaway. Conversion is just the beginning.

B. Grizenko

[Jake Cannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book had some extremely interesting insights. I could feel, and still feel, their tension in the positions they fight for. Specifically “mission” as the proclamation of the gospel foremost and social responsibility coming in behind it, and “salvation” as a nonrestrictivist exclusivist.

Stott brought out some good points, but it was Wright’s commentary that really weighed this book down. The interesting historical context could not overcome the unnecessary interplay between Wright and Stott’s work. Much of Stott’s momentum is lost, which is extremely unfortunate.

[Hagan Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book endlessly fascinates me. Stott does well at what he sets out to do, defining commonly used but often misunderstood words plainly and biblically. It’s very Protestant theology, in the best way possible.

What really fascinates me is the snapshot of Protestant thinking at the time. Stott talks about many different popular perspectives, conferences, and books in the process of constructing these definitions and it ends up creating a retrospective look at how Christianity is in the state it is today.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Stott continues to be a voice for Christ with works that seem to speak beyond their times and into present challenges the church faces. Change the examples and illustrations and this book could have been written for our day and our challenges. Stott has an ability to speak through the confusion and past the divides, and be a voice of unifying wisdom. In a petty world, Stott brings substance.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Wright has updated John Stott's 1974 classic, adding his own insights and developments in mission in the last forty-plus years. I loved Stott's original chapters, and found Wright's commentary most helpful as well. Mission is not somewhere over there or just for professionals but an integral part of our faith and actions.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this collection of lectures Stott provides his take on issues which plagued missions in the mid to late 20th century. I found his critiques and counsel relevant and helpful because many of these controversies remain today . There were so many references to international mission conferences and statements that I tended to gloss over them.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, short series of messages about Christian mission and what it looks like. Many times Stott nearly veers into saying that evangelism and social action have equal standing in the mission of the church, but while he does promote both, he is quick also to say that evangelism is the primary responsibility of the church in the world.

[Paul Herriott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stott synthesizes some of the finest 20th century thinking on missiology, drawing from the many ecumenical councils and thinkers such as Winters, Wagner, McGavran. He did a good job of answering the many issues being raised half a century ago.

[Matthew C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stott has an admirable ability to defend orthodoxy from a place of real erudition and familiarity with the views of his opponents (or demurring friends). He also shows himself open to evolution on certain topics. I'm continually impressed by his work.

[Alonso Perez-Lona · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculously biased book. I am not even referring to his Evangelical views about authority or the Church (e.g. "the church is not an institution but the people"). I am talking about the deeply problematic lack of focus on a prayer life, which at most comes up as an afterthought.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a lot of transferable principles

[Willian Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book should be read considering the time it was writing, for sure. But Stott is always looking for a balance and huge passion fo the Scriptures.

[Tim Littleford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stott is awesome. A great treatise on the necessity of holistic evangelism.

[Brice Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wright's commentary on Stott's classic work really helps this edition shine.

[Kenvin M · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking to be involved in church mission, this book offers some great insights to ponder before you get started

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book breaking down each word: mission, evangelism, dialogue, salvation, and conversion (audio version)

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book, good ideas. Sometimes a bit dry but overall very well thought through.

[Hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather formal, but very elegant defense of traditional evangelical beliefs based on scriptural references related to five key terms of the faith.