Mennonites and mission
In Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective the following statement is made about the Mennonite approach to mission:
We believe that the church is called to proclaim and to be a sign of the kingdom of God. Christ has commissioned the church to be his witnesses, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all things he has commanded.
In his mission of preaching, teaching, and healing, Jesus announced, “The kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” After his death and resurrection, Jesus commissioned his disciples, saying, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit.” Empowered by that Spirit, we continue Jesus’ ministry of gathering the new people of God, who acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior.
The church is called to witness to the reign of Christ by embodying Jesus’ way in its own life and patterning itself after the reign of God. Thus it shows the world a sample of life under the lordship of Christ. By its life, the church is to be a city on a hill, a light to the nations, testifying to the power of the resurrection by a way of life different from the societies around it.
The Mennonite Church places great emphasis on the whole church being missional, which means that all of its programs and functions need to be oriented to reaching out to those around so that more people will come to know and serve God.
Mennonite Mission Network is the mission agency of the Mennonite Church USA, its 22 area conferences and nearly 1,700 congregations. Mennonite Mission Network is one of four program agencies that specialize in mission, education, stewardship and publishing. It exists to lead, mobilize and equip the church for holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world.
Currently, Mennonite Mission Network focuses on these areas:
- Engaging people and cultures with the gospel of Jesus Christ
- Starting missional congregations
- Cultivating missional congregations
- Fostering a missional identity in the church.
It networks with many partners for sharing the Good News of Christ, engaging in service, teaching and a variety of caring ministries around the world and in the United States.
Christian Witness is the mission program of Mennonite Church Canada. Within the vision and priorities of Mennonite Church Canada, Christian Witness provides direct ministry, engages in partnerships, facilitates new initiatives and promotes the vision for calling, equipping, and sending the church to engage Canada and the world with the reconciling gospel of Jesus Christ. One of its partners is Mennonite Mission Network.