Adopt 'discipleship' as a strategy to 'do' and 'practice' mission in India, said Rev. Dr P. C. Singh, president of National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and the Moderator of the Church of North India (CNI), while inaugurating a pre-conference of the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism that was at the CNI Bhavan, New Delhi, from Jan. 24 to 26.
The conference was based on the theme 'Transforming Discipleship: Mission of the Missions'.
With 48 delegates, including 14 women and 10 youth from 13 various ecclesial traditions, seven theologians from various schools of thought, 13 social and developmental organizations, nine ecumenists and six mission workers, the conference was jointly organized by the CNI Synod and NCCI Unity and Mission along with the World Council of Churches' Commission on Council for World Mission and Evangelism.
Singh said that in the history of Christian mission (for about 2000 years), Christians have involved in inculcating the Gospel values of justice, peace and love through its education, health and diaconal interventions in and among all the communities and the societies at large.
These efforts and interventions have reached millions of people and brought a change in their lives and in the societies at large without intending to convert anyone to Christianity, he added.
"These interventions are not basically to convert anyone to Christianity; rather these are engaged in the process of molding good human / citizens," read a statement.
The mission is mainly focused on the 'transformation of lives' by living the Gospel along with 'preaching' of the good news, said Singh.
"The gospel of Christ has directly confronted injustices in society such as caste discrimination, gender injustice and other social divides, and has identified with the socially, religiously, economically neglected, excluded and discriminated communities who are pushed to the edges of society," the statement read.
