Worldwide Missionary Movement
by the Rev. Ron McCrary, Executive Director, AIM Church Planting
When you hear the word Anglicanism, what are some characteristics that come to mind? For many of us, the words and phrases that often define Anglicanism are beautiful liturgy, ancient roots, word and sacraments, British flavor, catholic and Protestant, or international community.
Perhaps the least mentioned part of Anglican DNA is missionary. Did you know that St. Patrick is not only the patron saint of green beer, but was a brilliant English missionary taking the gospel of Christ to Ireland around the year AD 400? British missionaries evangelized many areas of the European continent during the Middle Ages. During the centuries of British colonization of the globe, colonists not only established settlements in far-flung places like Jamestown, Virginia, Calcutta, India and Kampala, Uganda, but they also planted new churches wherever they went. The Anglican priest John Wesley, remembered most for giving birth to Methodism, was also an Anglican missionary in the American colony of Georgia.
During this expansion, Church of England members were inspired to form voluntary missionary societies to take the good news of Christ to peoples around the earth who had never heard of Jesus. Not only did these Anglican missionary organizations help lead millions of people into a relationship with Christ, but they also changed the worldwide Anglican presence from a chaplaincy for British colonists into a full-blown Christian missionary movement.
Christ Church has sent and is supporting members as full-time missionaries to distant parts of the world. Parishioners are invested in missions to Peru, Guatemala and many other places. Now, Christ Church is providing office space and support to a brand new missionary organization. The Anglican Initiative for Mission is a missionary ministry that inspires and calls, trains and equips, and sends and supports Anglican leaders who plant churches that plant churches in the Americas, in the exciting mission to reach the 140 million Americans who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The worldwide missionary movement known as Anglicanism is living proof of the words of theologian Emil Bruner, "Oxygen is to fire as mission is to the church."