Reformers and mission II

Last month we begin to think about the argument that the Reformers had no missionary vision or passion.

This month we continue to ponder this important theme by looking at John Calvin’s thinking about the missionary advance of the church.

God, the architect of missions

First of all, Calvin is quite certain that the extension of Christ’s kingdom is first of all God’s work. Commenting on Matthew 24.30, he can assert that it is not ‘by human means but by heavenly power … that the Lord will gather his church’. Or consider his comments on the phrase ‘a door having also been opened to me’ in 2 Corinthians 2.12: