WCC NEWS: Rev. Dr Peter Cruchley: God’s mission is “overflowing love into our lives and world”

In a video interview, Rev. Dr Peter Cruchley, director of the World Council of Churches Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME), reflects on what mission and evangelism mean, the structure of the commission, and the vision for its work. Rev. Dr Peter Cruchley, director of the World Council of Churches Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) interviewed from Xanthi Morfi and Valter Hugo Muniz, WCC Communications, Photo: Gloria Koymans/WCC 2 October 2023 He opens the interview by offering definitions of mission and evangelism—and the difference between the terms. “God’s mission is this overflowing love into our lives and world,” he says. “It also speaks of transformation of our systems and our world.” Adding that “counter-creating” is one way to describe the work of the commission, Cruchley also speaks about the structure and mandate of the commission, and how its work connects with the contemporary missionary movement. "The CWME is a longstanding, historic part of Christianity’s attempt to witness together, and so the commission has come about as a space to gather the churches in their mission engagement,” he said. “The commission is given a particular mandate around provoking, engaging, sharing.” Cruchley, who describes himself as a “missionary child,” grew up in Zambia, and later in life served as an ordained pastor in Wales for many years. In the interview, he also offers an overview of the CWME structure, which includes areas on discipleship and evangelism, the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, concerns of Indigenous peoples, and other areas. Cruchley concludes the interview by offering reflections on the meaning of “mission from the margins,” as well as on mission trends in 2023.   WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism Learn more about the WCC work on Mission and Evangelism Mission from the Margins WCC will host consultation on evangelism and formation in Latin America (news release, 20 September 2023) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland