There is no doubt that the church's first priority is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people, so that they can become free as Christians. This is the content of the old, traditional word "mission". The Gospel is directed towards a person's innermost being ("ducation for the heart"), where it develops its power to shape the person's entire life. Responsibility for mission is not secondary to other tasks of the church, such as administration of the sacraments, pastoral care, building up local congregations and service to those in need; instead, it is a basic process that cuts across all areas of church activity. To witness effectively to the Gospel also means to convert persons through missionary work. The word "mission" has become a heavily loaded one in our society. Many people connect the idea of missions with forcing one's own principles of faith down the throats of other people. It awakens historical associations with the frequent use of violence in converting entire peoples, the persecution of those of other faiths in the Middle Ages, and the colonial period when injustice was often done under the sign of the cross.