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.
A second look at all these situations, however, shows that they were not about mission in the true sense of the word. For, if mission is directed towards a person's innermost self, faith convictions and way of life, there I cannot force anything on anyone. I am dependent on the other person's listening to me of his or her own free will, following my thoughts, and then being able to recognise the truth of this message and accept it.
Until the beginning of the 20th century Germany could be assumed to be a Christian state. Often the sovereign prince of an area was also the bishop of its church. All of Germany was shaped by Christianity. Since then, however, this form of government has been replaced by the Ð at best - neutrally-oriented, partially laicised political system of the pluralistic society. With regard to the relations among church, state and society we are in an epoch-making period of transition.