“Integral mission” can sound like a slightly strange phrase. As others have noted, it can feel a bit like saying “wet rain.” Mission, by its very nature, is meant to be whole. So why the qualifier?
The term exists because, in practice, the Church has often struggled to hold together what belongs together. At times, mission has been divided into parts – proclamation and demonstration, word and deed, evangelism and social action – sometimes separated, outsourced, or even placed in tension with one another.
Integral mission names the conviction that this should not be so.
Seen in the life and ministry of Jesus, in the witness of the early Church, and throughout the centuries, the Spirit compels the whole Church to bring the whole gospel to the whole world. This gospel addresses the fullness of human life and the whole of creation, calling people into restored relationship with God, one another, and the world God loves.
In the late twentieth century, theologians and practitioners, particularly from Latin America, helped the global Church recover fresh language for this ancient reality. Voices such as René Padilla and Samuel Escobar drew attention to the inseparability of proclamation and demonstration, reminding the Church that this vision is not an innovation, but a rediscovery of what has always been at the heart of faithful Christian witness. Their contribution helped catalyse a wider global conversation, especially within movements like Lausanne.
Today, many parts of the global Church instinctively live out this integrated vision of mission, even where the language of “integral mission” is not used. The ongoing task is to listen, learn, and encourage one another across contexts, so that together we more fully embody the gospel we proclaim.
Within the Lausanne Movement, this vision is expressed as:
- the gospel for every person
- disciple-making churches for every people and place
- Christlike leaders for every church and sector
- kingdom impact in every sphere of society
The Integral Mission Issue Network exists as a home for those who feel particularly called to hold these dimensions together. We seek to serve as a kind of glue within the Lausanne Movement, encouraging, resourcing, and building up the global Church as we proclaim and demonstrate the gospel together, seek transformation and welcome in the Kingdom of Messiah Jesus. Together we desire to see the global church become the small working model of new creation (Tom Wright, Vision of Ephesians, SPCK, London 2025, 5).
Relaunched in mid-2026, the network is in a season of renewal and growth. We are gathering practitioners, theologians, and leaders from across contexts who share a desire to see a more integrated, faithful participation in God’s mission.
If you would like to join us on this journey, we would be glad to welcome you.
