We all have our faults and sometimes those faults exacerbate our poor relationships. Unless the fault is pointed out we often believe that we are doing nothing wrong and yet our relationships continue to suffer. The repair may become something simple as it was for Naaman who was asked to wash in the Jordan but balked because it was not a river of his own country (2 Kings 5:10-11). We often find our faults within our own religious experience as we have a tendency to push our own views on others so that we look as if we are in the right or at least in a position of spiritual and faith authority (Gal. 6:13). I feel that this is often where we go wrong in terms our walking with God and proclaiming the Gospel in the world. Certainly when the missionaries went out into the world from London and conquered the world for Christ there was much harm done as a result of their thinking. In a manner of speaking we too have inherited the gifts of fault from our forefathers in how we look at spreading the Gospel.
We really need to look at the sending out the disciples in a new light (Luke 10:1-24). This is not so much as radical as practical and is as such radical in a manner of speaking. We always talk about doing mission but what is that in terms of the Gospel? There are reams written on missiology or the study of mission and how it is undertaken. There are a number of Theological degrees in Missiology or contain aspects of Missiology. I am no means a missiologist but it seems to me that Christ instructions are either lacking or simply superb for our modern day. There are no detailed how to paragraphs in the passage around the sending out of the disciples either in Luke or any other Gospel. There are really only about four things stay where you are, eat what is set before you, heal the sick and tell them that the Kingdom of God has come near. In other words become accepted into the community without disrupting and live as God intended you to live. There are no commandments around worship, around proselytising or anything other than to be ourselves and in doing so heal those around us. Yet, this is the hardest thing to do because we cannot allow our behaviours to disrupt relationship but rather create relationships in the presence of God.
Just think for a moment about the political life of the Anglican church here in Australia when we think of harm being caused as a result of our belief systems. In some sense there is a tendency by some to focus on the narrow aspects of the law and cling to this as if it is a lifeline while others seek God's presence in difference so they can out reach to those who are in need. Neither are wrong but the way that we as a group behave by creating the polar difference, we are enacting that which has gone before. We are not asked to place our burdens on others but rather to heal and relieve the burdens that others carry. We cannot heal if we ourselves are imposing restrictions and the means to bring healing into the world by our increasingly polarised views. No matter how we go out into the world Christ asked us to bring God's love not our own views on who or what God is or the restrictions we place on ourselves as a result of our own viewpoints.
If we are to think of ministry and mission in these terms what does that actually mean for a community such as ours or any other community that believes in God? Some would I am sure tell you that you should be gearing up for a group effort to go out and bring the Gospel to those around us. How? Well obviously going house to house and telling them about God and talking about the Church, which Church? Well the Anglican, one of course! The Catholics and others have all got it wrong. However, I do not think that is what Christ and God actually call us to. Christ gave himself to new life, not a re-hashing of what has gone before. We need to re-look at ourselves and say what is it that does not appeal to those around us to such an extent that they do not want to worship or come together? Perhaps, it is not that they do not want to participate but feel that our anchors in the past are too much to overcome. Perhaps they are just looking for a normal life but with love. Perhaps its wanting to explore new understandings without being tied to traditional ways and yet profoundly show God's love in what they do. Perhaps you are called by God into something new which others deem as not us. If so then perhaps you need to find God's Spirit and be encouraged because God calls us to new life not stagnant life.
