복음주의 선교신학의 관점에서 바라본 사회봉사

Mission and Social Service in Light of Evangelical Theology of Missions

There has been tension between evangelical theology and ecumenical theology in Protestant Christianity. Evangelical theology stresses proclamation while ecumenical theology stresses social participation. This study focuses on the relationship between missions and social service in the evangelical tradition. Further, it reviews some characteristics of the evangelical theology of missions. Social concerns reflected in the Lausanne Covenant in 1974, Grand Rapids Consultation in 1982, Wheaton '83 Statement, and Manila Manifesto in 1989 are discussed. The documents declared as a result of these four events deal with the relationship between missions and social service. The last three agree with the Lausanne Covenant. They demonstrate the close relationship between mission and social service. The Lausanne Covenant affirms that Christians have neglected their social responsibility. It affirms that evangelism and social-political involvement are both part of Christian duty. Christianity addresses holistic mission which integrates both evangelism and social service. Both evangelical and ecumenical theologians tend to discuss Christian social responsibility together. They try to find common ground to enhance social service. Today Christians need to follow the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20) and the New Command (Jn. 13:34). These two imperatives call for more Christian social involvement to improve the quality of human life. Proclamation and social service must be based on Christ's love. They should go together to extend the Kingdom of God. God's Kingdom is extended through the church's kerygma (proclamation), koinonia (fellowship), and diakonia (service). The three ministries need to be integrated in the church's involvement in Missio Dei. A missional church can practice holistic mission by witnessing through serving as the light and salt for the world. The church will be missional when it participates in Christ's crucifixion and His resurrection as a sacramental community. In doing so, Christianity cannot neglect evangelism or social service, because they are like the two sides of a coin. The church is called to transform the society through proclamation, fellowship, and service. The church needs to be a change agent in this vein. The Gospel can turn society into the Kingdom of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Scripture functions as the yardstick and the Holy Spirit as the Counselor to change the society. The church needs to serve the poor, the sick, and the isolated as Jesus Christ did. He is our best model in terms of Christian social responsibility.