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Education and formation for evangelism: evangelism and youth.

Article Excerpt
When I began preparations for this presentation, I was struck by the main theme of this seminar, viz. mission as proclamation of the gospel. It was a reminder of the need for a holistic approach to what we have generally come to understand as "proclamation".

For many Christians in India, both the theologically trained as well as the laity, proclamation has become, to a large extent, synonymous with the act of speaking out, or speaking about our faith and beliefs particularly to those who are not Christians.

This has led to a certain degree of uneasiness among a number of Christians, who are confused about what this kind of witnessing to the gospel would mean for them, and the implications of such an understanding. There is, then, either an appreciation of the church denomination or tradition he or she belongs to or confusion and uncertainty as one looks at methods of proclamation so different from one's own denomination or traditions.

The term "mission" perhaps puts things in perspective without condemning, judging or categorizing efforts and methods of proclamation. It is, I believe, a term that is inclusive, and takes into account and respects the efforts put in by different denominations, church organizations and Christian non-denominational or inter-denominational bodies, to let the world know Christ's message and make it relevant for us today.

Mission, then, must bring out the best in us, irrespective of whether we are individuals, a congregation or the decision-makers in a church. It is when mission brings out the best in us that we truly proclaim and reflect the gospel message and follow in Christ's footsteps because the best was brought out in him as he did his Father's will on earth.

Keeping this in mind, and in approaching this presentation, I have attempted to bring out what is understood by mission by five different people representing five different church bodies or organizations, and how their understanding of the term has affected and influenced their work. I have tried to examine if terms such as mission and proclamation hold any real meaning for Christian youth in India, or whether they view such terms as irrelevant, outdated or even embarrassing. Would their understanding of these terms be of any relevance in a gathering such as this, or are we in danger here of throwing up ideas and discussing concepts that are far removed from everyday life and so are only of academic interest?

India today is a country caught up in agitation, violence and protests. At the same time, it is a country coming to grips with globalization and the liberalization of its economy. While on one hand there are protests against certain economic policies followed by the government, on the other hand, there is a growing awareness and pride in being Indian, especially among the youth, and a hunger to grab the opportunities globalization offers to those fortunate to get a good education.

It is in such a dynamic yet fluid situation that I approached the five people already mentioned, and who are involved in five quite different kinds of mission work. I asked them a few questions related to their work to try and examine how they carried out their work in the social, economic and political conditions the country faces today.

As a Presbyterian from the northeast Indian state of Mizoram, (1) I have tried to examine the mission methods of missionaries belonging to the Presbyterian Church of India, Mizoram Synod. (2) As a lecturer in a theological college in Bangalore, I have discussed mission work with four youth leaders involved in proclamation among non-Christians in the city.

Thus, with regard to the work by the MPC missionaries, I interviewed the Rev. Sairengpuia, at present a theological student at The United Theological College, Bangalore and until recently the church's missionary to the northeast Indian state of Tripura.

In Bangalore, I interviewed a spokesperson of the Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI), (3) another from Campus Crusade for Christ, (4) and a 29-year-old woman, who is a member of Wilson Garden Methodist Church, and also a leader in the church's youth fellowship group. I also interviewed an engineer and lecturer in a Roman Catholic polytechnic college, as well as a spokesperson from the Youth Department, Bangalore City Area of...