What can Gandhi teach Christians about missions?

E. Stanley Jones was a Methodist missionary who also had the unique relationship of being close friends to Mahatma Gandhi. In his book, “The Christ of the Indian Road”, Jones relays a conversation he once had with Gandhi. In this conversation, Jones asked his friend Gandhi about how Christian missionaries might be more effective while serving in India.

Mahatma Gandhi I am very anxious to see Christianity naturalized in India so that it shall no longer be a foreign thing identified with a foreign people and a foreign government, but a part of the national life of India and contributing its power to India’s uplift and redemption. What would you suggest we do to make that possible?

Gandhi thought deeply and provided an answer that I think is instructive to Christians today who are trying to be a faithful follower of Christ no matter where we live, and who wish to faithfully obey the Great Commission. Consider his words.

I would suggest first of all that all of you Christians, missionaries and all begin to live more like Jesus Christ. If you will come to us in the spirit of your master we will not be able to resist you. Second, I would suggest that you must practice your religion without adulterating or toning it down. Third I would suggest that you must put your emphasis upon love, for love is the center and soul of Christianity. Fourth I would suggest that you study the non-Christian religions and culture more sympathetically in order to find the good that is in them, so that you might have a more sympathetic approach to the people.

It would seem to me that Gandhi, who was not a Christian, has provided an extremely important and helpful guide for how Christians ought to engage the world. 1. Be more like Jesus, 2. Embrace and practice all of the faith, 3. Emphasize love and 4. Sympathetically study other faiths. This pattern could be transformative as you think about how to love and engage with your neighbor who doesn’t share your Christian faith.