To live holistically in the mission of God
For over 100 years, the SMC Faith in Development has operated based on a belief that we humans have a calling from God – to be God’s co-workers protecting the hurting creation, to make reconciliation possible and by spreading hope.
We understand mission in a holistic way, but it can be expressed in three different ways, where the three expressions are completely integrated into each other. That is why we sometimes speak of holistic or integrated mission:
Testimony – to bear witness to God’s love and share the Gospel, God’s good news.
Service – to work in practical efforts for the restoration of all people and the whole of creation.
Community – to work for reconciliation between people for reciprocity, togetherness and exchange.
SMC – Faith in Development was formed in 1912 after the world mission conference in Edinburgh in 1910. Our calling was and is still to this day to bring together churches and mission organisations in Sweden. The intention is to develop, coordinate and reflect on mission, both theologically and practically. Society has changed but we are still an ecumenical meeting place for mission and international development cooperation.
Today, we represent a wide range of Christian denominations, congregations, social actors and development organisations working together to realise God’s Mission: “…a message of joy to the poor… …liberation for the captives and sight for the blind, to give freedom to the oppressed …” Luke 4:18. This wide range illustrates our holistic mission theology.
Related documents
Together towards life
World Council of Churches mission document from 2013. Here you can read about their misson theology.
The Lausanne Covenant
The Lausanne Declaration is an evangelical Christian creed focused on mission and evangelism, adopted at an International Congress of World Evangelism in Lausanne, Switzerland, in July 1974.
Sharing and learning
A “pilgrimage” where different Christian traditions met and spoke of mission using receptive ecumenism as a method. The document describes both the method and what was shared. Published in collaboration with the World Council of Churches.
World Evangelical Alliance
The World Evangelical Alliance is an international network for the evangelical movement.
Micah network
Micah netwok is an international network that emphasises integral mission.
The World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is an ecumenical organisation with Protestant and Orthodox churches as members and with the other major Christian church families as observers. Among SMC’s members the Church of Sweden and Uniting Church are included.
Events
Meetingplaces for collaboration and reflection
Every year we arrange member days, seminars and trainings to be able to develop and learn from each other.
International development cooperation
How SMC Provides Funds
We provide funds to our member organisations through four different grants for development cooperation. They in turn have partnerships all over the world to support work for democracy, sustainability and human rights.
Religious literacy
Who cares about religion?
Everyone working with people in international development cooperation, in conflict situations, and in social or humanitarian work, needs knowledge about the role of religion in the particular context that they work in.
Advocacy with Faith in Development
Advocacy is an important tool in creating change and helping decision-makers better understand the world. We are knowledge based, working with freedom of religion or belief, religious literacy and development policy.
A Vibrant Network
Our network spans over 110 years, 50 countries and about 30 members in Sweden.