A
missionary is a member of a
religious group sent into an area to do
evangelism or ministries of service, such as
education,
literacy,
social justice,
health care and
economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the
Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin
missionem (nom.
missio), meaning "act of sending" or
mittere, meaning "to send". The word was used in light of its biblical usage; in the Latin translation of the Bible, Christ uses the word when sending the disciples to preach in his name. The term is most commonly used for Christian missions, but can be used for any creed or ideology.