Henry Venn's Legacy

Abstract

The missionary movement is also looking forward, as it should, to new commencements and initiatives that reflect a learning and growing process, a coming of age. There is one question that has often been asked of me during these years, sometimes seriously, sometimes superficially, sometimes even sarcastically-If Is there really a future for the missionary enterprise? I have answered, and I will continue to answer, with both a Yes and an If. Yes, if the Church today is willing to recognize that the only place where we know beyond a shadow of doubt that our living God and Lord and Saviour is working and acting today is where he has always been working and acting, alongside the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited. Therefore, as the body of Christ, we are called into mission to work and act alongside these brothers and sisters. Yes, there is a future, a daily new commencement, if the Church is willing to stand and be an advocate in solidarity and community with all humanity and follow the always-emerging model for mission that Christ himself expressed clearly, in fact too clearly for the people in his hometown: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.