Inner missions

The Inner Mission (German: Innere Mission, also translated as Home Mission) was and is a movement of German evangelists, set up by Johann Hinrich Wichern in Wittenberg in 1848 based on a model of Theodor Fliedner. It quickly spread from Germany to other countries. Like other missions, the Inner Mission sought a "rebirth" of Christianity, by means of the doctrine of "brotherly love" and a social programme of charity (social service) and Christian education. An inner mission or rescue mission is a project set up by Christian groups to aid the poor and sick in the home country of the group. The word inner reflects that mission is within a single country's boundaries – generally a "mission" is presumed to be overseas.