How would Jesus have done mission in our patch?
He would have lived life at street level; pubs, school gates, cafes; spent time with people who wanted to change things; focussed on people in the background who don’t think they have anything to offer; shared meals; even watched Jeremy Kyle! ; made prayer a priority; healed broken relationships; relied on the Holy Spirit (‘What the Father is doing’); told stories; spent intensive time with future leaders, equipping and enabling; avoided publicity: he sought authenticity, not celebrity; questioned the use of buildings; not sought approval but challenged injustice in government/authorities; championed refugees; been alongside the homeless; used social media; shared good news and hope; welcomed the children; never wasted an
opportunity; had an eye for the individual, not focussing on numbers; maintained a sustainable ministry: not
wearing himself out; used churches to challenge; loved everyone and treated everyone the same.
What then are the principles of sensitive mission?
Asking God for direction; being willing to learn from God and each other; listening to the community and realising that what may be differences to us may not be relevant to ‘outsiders’; being amongst, with, for the whole community; being grassroots; up and incarnational; dump the car and walk to get to know the area; –
being honest and consistent; aiming for longevity of mission; allowing ‘doing’ to grow out of ‘being’; offering tough love & unwavering, unconditional love, always wanting the best for other people; developing strong and committed relational base; approachability, recognising that transformation is two; way and that everyone has something to offer; taking other’s experiences seriously; being willing to share resources, time, and our vulnerability; being a dealer in hope ‘without cost’ (cf Isaiah) ; and beware of a white, middle
class imposed world view.
How do we protect against the ‘middle class’ mission package?
Break down the book culture stereotype; use visual learning: media, images, film, Bible on DVD and
online Bible games (like Guardians of Ancora); use multi-sensory stuff so people can ‘taste & see’ that
God is good; be authentic by owning our own brokenness as wounded healers; value other’s experience of
God; ensure that the values & voices of all in the congregation are heard; talk about as pirations; be
proactive, challenging structures and ways of doing things; encourage everyone to attend local church; –
love your neighbour; essentially, value the local people.