Decolonisation,Globalisation,and the Reconfiguration of Contemporary Christian Mission Movements

Abstract

This essay reconceptualises contemporary Christian mission as a dynamic, relational encounter shaped by the convergence of decolonisation and globalisation. Drawing on the postcolonial concept of ‘worlding’, it argues that mission is not merely a theological or institutional activity but a world-making practice that generates and reconfigures theological imaginaries, ecclesial relationships, and structures of authority across diverse contexts. Tracing key historical and theological developments since the mid-twentieth century, the essay highlights how mission movements have been transformed within an increasingly interconnected and pluriversal Christian landscape. At the same time, it critically examines the persistence of contested power dynamics within mission relationships, engaging the ‘mission from the margins’ paradigm as a corrective lens. From this perspective, mission is reimagined as a participatory, justice-oriented practice that challenges inherited paternalistic models. Such a reframing calls for a fundamental rethinking of power, authority, and knowledge in mission.