Madman or martyr? The Mission is an unsettling documentary about a murdered evangelist

In 2018, the death of missionary John Allen Chau shocked the world. Now, a new documentary looks at what inspired a young American to reach a remote people group with the gospel. It asks some important questions, says Tim Bechervaise, but have they really understood the Christian call to share the good news?

When 26-year-old American missionary, John Allen Chau, was murdered by the unreached tribe he was trying to tell about Jesus, it made headlines around the world. 

Chau’s death on North Sentinel Island in 2018 prompted widespread debate over the theological, ethical and anthropological implications of his journey. Now, a new documentary, The Mission, which is produced by National Geographic, is reigniting these questions – and posing a few more.