I was looking at an old post of mine from 2011 (Missions: A Self-Reflection – Missional Thoughts and Theology). I saw there some comments I had written on defining missions, and I really liked them. I am not sure I would use them to replace some other definitions I have come up with (such as one that I came up with 10 years later: Defining Missions and Missionary – Missional Thoughts and Theology). However, I think it has some value. I will write it a bit different here.

Missions is the activity of Christians characterized by faithful response to God’s mission, worshipful response to God’s love, and compassionate response to human suffering.

This definition does fail somewhat in the sense that it makes all Christians missionaries and all ministry missions. True enough. Still, I believe it does avoid the more insidious problem of a definition that so narrows missions that it ceases to be recognizably in line with the mission and calling of Christ.

Instead of going on and on about it. I think I will stop here. Maybe after some more thought, I will update this post.