Understanding and practices of mission among the churches of eastern Nepal : an empirical study in new mission soil

Abstract

Nepal is a home of multi-linguistic, multi-cultural, multi-religious, and multi-ethnic groups. According to the National Population and Housing Census 2021 report, there are 142 castes/ethnic groups living in Nepal. There are 124 mother tongues, though some of the numbers are very few, but we cannot deny that Nepal is a home for the people of 142 castes/ethnicities and 124 spoken languages. Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in Nepal. Along with this growth, several Christian denominations are doing their mission work in Nepal. Nepal is divided into seven provinces geographically, each with different cultural, geographical, and economic settings. In this research, I will focus on the Baptist and Pentecostal churches of province number one (Also called the eastern region). Though several churches are in the east of Nepal, I have chosen only two church denominational pastors and lay leaders. Those were Baptist and Pentecostal because, in general, they have more churches in eastern Nepal than other denominations. I focus on specific geographical areas and groups of people, considering my limited time, resources, and requirements to complete this research work. The mission is a very familiar word among churches and Christians worldwide. However, it has been used and practiced differently in its time and context. Nepal is a new soil for the mission. Christianity in Nepal is still new. We have a short Christian history. Because the general understanding of the mission in Nepal is to establish churches through evangelism by taking financial support from the foreign mission, so far, a mission means people come from foreign countries and support financially to establish the Church. Though it might be challenging to understand the word mission in a single sentence, this research will focus on finding out the understanding and practices of mission, particularly in the churches of eastern Nepal. This research is mainly based on empirical study, and I followed the qualitative method to collect primary data. It has seven chapters. Apart from the theory and background chapters, an empirical study has been conducted to connect research questions and findings to see the outcomes. Requirements for the qualitative research method have been carefully followed in interviews, observation, and focus discussion groups. Data collection, presentation, and analysis have been done according to recent norms and values of qualitative research methods. By reading the abstract, content, and general introduction, readers can picture the overall content of the research.