Movements that change the world

Following my post on Encounter—Transformation—Mission, here’s a case study on the emergence of the Moravian missionary movement in the first half of the eighteenth century.

1. Dissonance
From childhood, Count Nikolaus Zinzendorf had been devoted to Christ and committed to the spread of Christianity throughout the world. In 1722, in his early twenties, he opened up his estate in Saxony to provide sanctuary for religious refugees fleeing persecution. They came having suffered for their vision of the New Testament church reborn. They built a village, Herrnhut “the Lord’s watch”. Zinzendorf set up a number of institutions to help the poor and the refugees. There was a printing press for cheap editions of the Bible and other religious literature, a bookshop, dispensary and school. Here was a community of believers gathered together with a dream for the renewal of the Church.

2. Struggle
By 1727 an assortment of refugees and others from Moravia and Bohemia, of Lutheran, Reformed, Separatist, Anabaptist and even Roman Catholic backgrounds, arrived at Herrnhut, bringing a variety of ideas and expectations and inevitably disputes and discord. The dream for a renewed church was under threat. Zinzendorf stepped in personally to restore harmony. He moved out of his mansion into the village. He held endless meetings seeking to heal broken relationships. He introduced a degree of structure to build community. Zinzendorf devoted himself entirely to the service and welfare of the exiles. He drew upon his own financial resources to meet their needs.

3. Encounter
On August 13, 1727 the Moravians experienced what can only be described as a Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit during a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The Swede Arvid Gradin, who became a Moravian, later recounted how “Their hearts were set on fire with new faith and love towards the Saviour and likewise with burning love towards one another, which moved them so far that of their own accord they embraced one another in tears and grew together into an holy union among themselves, so raising again as it were out of the ashes, that ancient Unity of the Moravian Brethren.”

The various factions were no more. Manifestations of the Holy Spirit continued, including divine healing. The community was organised into small bands to confess their sins and pray for one another that they might be healed. Night watches and prayer vigils were established. Soon a continuous volume of prayer was being offered up around the clock, seven days a week, either in groups or in private prayer. This prayer vigil continued uninterrupted for over a century.

4. Commission
Herrnhut became the model for many similar Moravian communities throughout the world. Zinzendorf’s aim was not to set up an independent Moravian church but to promote the ideal of gathering all Christians as into one wide and open and equal “Community of Jesus.” Zinzendorf saw the Moravian movement as a missionary community and all Moravians as “soldiers of the lamb.”

5. Mission
Under Zinzendorf, the Moravians became an intense but highly mobile missionary order. The rapid deployment of many young missionaries around the world in the space of a few short years, is one of the most remarkable Moravian achievements.

The outreach was made possible by a relative lack of concern with training, finances, or structure. A Moravian missionary received from the church, enough money to get to the port. The missionary was then responsible to work for passage across the ocean. On the mission field, the missionary took up whatever occupation would provide the bare amount of food and clothing.

The Moravians had an impact on the existing church as they brought renewal to thousands of formerly nominal Christians throughout Europe. This was achieved through the work of itinerant Moravians sent out from Herrnhut in twos and threes. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1727 and the life and ministry of Zinzendorf, one of the most dynamic missionary movements came into existence. In the next 150 years the Moravians sent out over 2,000 of their members overseas. They tended to go to the most remote, unfavorable and neglected areas. Many of them were simple peasants and artisans.

The impact of the Moravians did not end with their own achievements. Their example profoundly influenced both John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement and William Carey the “father” of Protestant missions.

Colin A. Grant, “Europe’s Moravians: A Pioneer Missionary Church,” in “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement : A Reader” (William Carey Library Publishers)
“Signs of the Spirit: How God Reshapes the Church” (Howard A. Snyder)

“Zinzendorf, the ecumenical pioneer;: A study in the Moravian contribution to Christian mission and unity (Christian lives)” (Arthur James Lewis)

“History Of The Moravian Church” (J. E. Hutton)