Prioritising Mission in Mozambique

Rural congregation in Gaza, Mozambique (Image Credit: Andrew Ashdown)

Where does Mission rank on your church’s list of priorities?

If we’re honest, many of us will admit that Mission can sometimes take a backseat to other issues. That’s understandable: it’s hard to remain outward-focused when we're struggling with challenges to our own lives and communities.

The same is true in Mozambique, a District of the Methodist Church in Southern Africa (MCSA). Methodists in Mozambique face a range of serious challenges, including Insurgent attacks and difficulty accessing clean water. The church is working to address these issues, with support from other members of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) and from the World Mission Fund.

But alongside this work, the Mozambique District remain committed to Mission. In April, they hosted training workshops facilitated by MCSA’s Mission Unit; their Education for Mission and Ministry Unit; and Rev Dr Andrew Ashdown (Partnership Coordinator for Africa, Methodist Church Britain).

The workshops included discussion and training on key topics, including:

• The role of women in the church, and how they can be equipped for evangelism

• Ministers as “Mission Enablers” in the local church, and the question “What is a Mission Shaped Circuit?”

• Inspirational examples of other African churches, who are doing great things with limited resources.

• The event concluded with the District committing itself to a plan of action, designed to move mission forward.

When we’re worried about basic needs, like keeping our families safe from violence and ensuring they have clean water to drink, it would be easy for evangelism to take a backseat. But as Methodists in Mozambique are demonstrating, working toward peace and clean water is only part of what “Mission” means. To be effective witnesses, we need to offer a combination of both practical and spiritual support.