I have sat in on discussions where the whole concept of missions has been questioned, motivations of missionaries scrutinized and the purpose of missions fragmented and twisted to where the so called “Great Commission” was itself analyzed word by word. That last by the way is not a bad exercise and we will undertake it soon. Right now it is important to see how some think that the missionary enterprise can be a contradiction or even an absurdity. Here is Paul Washer’s third example –
Thirdly, it has become popular opinion that Christians should lay aside their
theology and unite around the common cause of the Great Commission. However, the
Great Commission is primarily a theological endeavor. To lay aside theology in order
to advance a theological endeavor is logical suicide and destructive to both. It is
absurd to think that the Great Commission can be the thread that binds together
individuals who differ in major tenets of doctrine. Unity must be based upon a
common view of who Christ is and what He taught.
Amen to that!