Another book about
how to enhance the missionary character of the Church.
Despite agreeing
with the fundamental point of Prentiss & Lowe's argument – that
Church is a place from which you go out, not a place in which you
huddle for warm and comfort I struggled to engage with the book.
They use the
metaphor of a church as a “base camp” - it is not a bad image,
but they work it thread bare... They are best when they are quoting
others...
For example the
Lutheran pastor and educator Dwight DuBois who reflects that “This
[the equipping of church members] doesn't need to be another program,
something “more” that people can, should, or ought to do. As one
theologian in the missional church movement said, our task is to
'guide people to identify God's calling, to recognize the gifts and
opportunities they have, to provide them with the biblical and
theological training to incarnate the gospel in their particular
fields, and then to commission them to that ministry.”
That is to say, you
equip people to be witnesses in their existing “secular”
contexts, rather than framing “vocation” in terms of full- or
part-time “ministry”. In the Winchester Diocese this might be a
Bishop's Commission in secular employment?
Because, quoting
DuBois again, “Pastors are not called to get people to assist them
with their ministry; rather, the pastor is called to assist the
people, the laity, with their
ministry both in the church and in the world.”
Key to the idea of
“radical sending” includes an emphasis of the liturgical
dismissal – the words “go to love and serve the Lord” are for
Prentiss and Lowe perhaps the most important of the whole liturgy,
and if pressed to select just one word, they would undoubtedly choose
“go”...
This is all to the
good, but we have to ask if our practice actually affirms this
dynamic? In the Church of England, at least, these powerful words
sending us out into the world are generally preceded by an
exhortation to “stay” for tea/coffee and fellowship. This might
entirely undermine the intention to the liturgical sending out of the
people – but even without the coffee how many people would go from
Church to radical mission in the world, when it is Sunday lunchtime
and there is a roast waiting for them at home?
They
also quote Teresa of Avila, words that really spoke to me, and
I will reproduce, but allow them to speak for themselves...
May
today there be peace within.
May
you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May
you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May
you use thoase
gifts that you have received,
and
pass on the love that has been given to you.
May
you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let
this presence settle into your bones,
and
allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It
is there for each and every one of us.
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