Let me describe four young families. They range in age from late twenties to mid thirties. Pretend for a moment that they are imaginary but I have a fairly clear mental picture of what each might be like.
Family one (with two boys) are involved in a large provincial church which is part of the New Wine Network. The church is more than 300 in membership and has a circle of influence considerably greater. They have a busy youth work and active prayer ministry. Their vision is To become a worshipping community where people are nurtured in faith, growing in holiness, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to share God’s love and make new disciples of Christ.
Family two (no kids yet) have recently moved from South London where they were part of church.co.uk (Steve Chalke’s project near Waterloo). They now live in a Cambridge commuter village with, they think, only one, not very active church. Another couple have moved to join them recently. As far as I know they have no plans to plant church. They continue to be involved in Spring Harvest and Greenbelt. Just recently the husband spent a weekend away with a group of guys with London church connections and the wife regularly meets up with the friends she used to work with at Oasis.
Family three (with one boy, one girl and another on the way) are part of a church in the Ground Level network—in the East Midlands and closely connected with people like Stuart Bell and Godfrey Birtill. They are involved in the 18+ ministry at Grapevine. Their church has a regular throughput of apostolic and prophetic ministry and is enjoying an upsurge in healing. They see themselves as a prophetic, breakthrough church.
Family four (two girls) live on Pinehurst–a Swindon housing estate with multiple problems. Over the past few years almost all of those who had joined them to serve and build church in the area have left, having seen few signs of success in the last ten years. They have joined the nearest Anglican church and are involved (without success so far) in searching for a Priest Missioner for the area. The husband is a chair of the Pinehurst Initiative Forum and the wife secretary of the PTA as well as being involved in evangelism among young people. Their home is on the Circle and it is not at all unusual for them to be woken by racing joy riders or fights outside their windows—sometimes with baseball bats and knives. They have been burgled several times and their car vandalised.
Here’s the question:
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Where would you rather be?
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Which situation is more desert like?
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How could you prepare a highway for our God in deserts not far from you?
I guess the desert conditions mustn’t be too harsh in case we aren’t able to sustain ourselves. However, in a desert it is easier to see any growth that may be happening. Eventually it could be more rewarding to be in a desert and see the first signs of life appear.
Comment by wearfromwhere — Wednesday, 9 July, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
Thanks for bringing up this one. I did do a bit of thinking about it but have not blogged on the topic so far. I had go this far. Does it make sense?
1. There can’t be no-go areas so we must be able to be sustained. I think that this is the key point.
2. Being on minimal rations–don’t the army call them ‘rat-packs’–is part of desert warfare. See the desert psalms
3. God does make special provision for desert conditions. Best example is probably Elijah. Israel’s experience is close, too.
It’s leading me to think that it would be worth looking at spiritual rations for desert mission.
What do you think?
Comment by davehalls — Wednesday, 9 July, 2008 @ 3:00 pm
In answer to the questions -
Not sure where I would want to be.
I guess 2 or 4 are the most desert like although for very different reasons. Although there are pockets (or oasis taking the desert theme too far) of spiritual life with churches across UK isn’t most of the UK a desert? Maybe we like to spend time at the oasis too much?
I am thinking how John the Baptist ‘prepared a way’. It seems he met them where they were at and as they were Jews called them back to God by repenting and being baptisted. Something that would not have been strange to them. He also spoke the truth and spoke against things that were wrong. He pointed them to Jesus. If we started where a lot of people in the UK are we would have to do things very differently I guess. Asking them to turn to a God who they do not believe in and repent for things they do not see as wrong, probably will not work.
Comment by David — Wednesday, 9 July, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
[...] we not be willing to invest without constantly looking for immediate results or having to run for relief to well watered spiritual [...]
Pingback by Missional Outpouring « Cloud chasing — Thursday, 10 July, 2008 @ 8:38 am
2 and 4 also jump out as being the more desert like but possibly all may be a desert depending on where you are at in your spiritual walk and your level of faith. For one family scenario 2 may be the desert they are used to and flourish as God equips them for the challenge ahead as they have dealt with tougher situations. Family 0ne however may be finding scenario 1 too much to cope with as it is so far removed from what they are used to. Bottom line is everyones Desert is different.
Comment by Rolf — Thursday, 10 July, 2008 @ 12:05 pm