Which one are you?

I'm preaching this morning and the passage (Luke 15) highlights three approaches to mission:

1. Active: Go and find.
2. Passive or Compassionate: Stay and wait.
3. Grumpy: "I should get the attention"

If you could describe your approach to Mission, which one would you be? It strikes me that Jesus did much more of the Active than the Passive, and that he taught his followers more of the Active than the Passive. I was talking with someone a few weeks ago who had been heavily involved in Churches for 30 years and they said something that really struck me:

"It seems to me that for the last 30 years the church has systematically dis-empowered me. I have been captivated by church activities and I'm not sure how to share my faith with the people around me." This is not a direct quote, you'll be please to know I don't record conversations or take notes!

If Jesus example was "Active" why have we become so "Passive" and dis-empowering? As Churches we have become specialists in the "Passive", "Come to us, we're waiting for your return" kind of Mission. I can understand why, it is far more comfortable to stay confined within your own environment than to go in mission. If we are to learn from Jesus and his stories then we will recognise that there is a place for that kind of mission, especially where there is an existing relationship that has broken down (as in the Father and the Son).

Progress Review, feeling a little disappointed

I have been registered on my research degree for a year now (though the college haven't sent me a bill yet!). I originally registered with a view and a desire to complete a Phd. The college registered me on an MPhil with the possibility of upgrading. I kept in mind that I would like to do a Phd and decided to keep working towards it as though it was a Phd. In my review today, we agreed that there wasn't a convincing potential to turn it into a Phd. The original idea (here) didn't work and I need to submit a revised proposal with an explanation as to why it didn't work. I have now two years to complete which fits in quite nicely with my upcoming sabbatical in 2010. I confess to being a bit disappointed, but not much. I would have liked to reach a Phd without having to have done a second degree, but I am quite happy to accept that you can't always take short cuts in life! The good news is that I should have completed by the end of 2010 instead of the end of 2013 and that it is the research that interests me more than the degree. I have come up with a fairly tight schedule running up until the end of the year: 6th November : the research Comittee will review my revised proposal. 6th December : to have completed a pilot of data gathering, concentrating on the North West of England. 6th January : need a 5000 word paper describing and beginning to analyse my initial pilot research gathering.

North West Baptist Association (NWBA) Forum

It was Morecambe's turn to host the North West Baptist Association of Churches forum. I confess I'm not big on these events, they are usually scheduled on my only day off in the week, I understand why they are, but it does make it particularly difficult for me to attend. Still as the regional team brought the Forum to my home, they made sure I arranged to go. The afternoon was split into different seminars, with the quickest business meeting ever thrown in for good measure. The evening was an old style celebration event with worship band (made up from young people in one of the Association churches), information, prayer, video clips and a sermon by Glen Marshall (of Northern College and Nah-Then). My reflections on the afternoon:

• I enjoyed the afternoon sessions. I was quite surprised by this, but the opportunity to hang round and chat with different people is right up my street.
• The first seminar I went to was led by some the leaders of creative approaches to mission. They are funded by the Home Mission and it was an opportunity for people from the more established churches to find out what they are up to, and ask them questions. Very interesting and inspiring reflections on:
  • The Community Ministry at Ellesmere Port.
  • Levenshulme Baptist Church.
  • The Synergy Project in Manchester.
  All good stuff.
• The second seminar was a little difficult to hear, but it was an interactive information and feed back session with one of the Regional Ministers. It was informative and useful.

My reflections on the evening:

• It is possible that I am Glen's biggest fan, but I must put aside my temptation to idolise him. He was thoughtful, reflective and funny. Reflections on Mission grounded in the scriptures can never be a bad thing! He made his points clearly, occasionally I lost his thread (did he explain what he meant by "Eucharistic"?) but then I was typing this at the same time!
• Glen used a set of 2 rotating images on the screen that were in keeping with his message. I have often thought about doing this, but have never really found the time to sort the images out. I like the idea, a few more images might have helped, but then, I get bored easily.
• I did notice that most of the congregation weren't fully engaged with the sung praise at the start, perhaps this isn't particularly surprising since all of the regional team appeared to be wandering around, and most of us were wondering what they were up to.
• I think the evening was billed as a joint youth and adult event. Several of our young people went. I'm not sure what they thought, perhaps they might take the opportunity to comment here, or tell me face to face. It seemed very adult focussed to me.

The day left me thinking through several questions, but since this was my first visit to the forum I am asking "Would I go again". I'll think some more before I answer that. Did you go? What did you think?