Four31: Our Dream
In a few previous posts I have been posting bits and pieces that begin to explain the thinking and the history behind why we have founded a new “simple church” network. You can read something about why we feel the need for something new here. Or something about the back-story here. If you want to understand the name Four31 you can find that here. You can read the values that we hold as particular communities and as a network as a whole here.
Here is our vision for what we hope God will do in and through our communities and our network:
- To take discipleship as our first priority. To have our humanness restored in God’s image as we learn to follow Jesus and as we invite others to learn with us
- To reach those not being reached by contemporary church models by re-imagining the shape and style of church organised around mission. Questioning our inherited strategies for the sake of reaching a lost and dying world with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
- To litter the nooks, crannies, forgotten and neglected places of our city with scattered communities of light. Authentic communities of light living distinctive, shared lives that both demonstrate and proclaim the goodness of living under the reign of King Jesus
- To see the diversity of our cities and towns being brought together through the gospel into one new body, the church. New communities, where the racial, cultural and economic barriers are being broken down as an expression of our unity in Christ. To be communities shaped by the cross and where the patterns of our life together are a taste of God’s new kingdom.
Idealistic Transformation Dialogue
It struck me once again this morning how idealistic much of our South African dialogue around transformation can be. On my way to a meeting I was listening to a radio debate (is that the sound of my street cred card being revoked?) around transformation of the judiciary.
The details of the debate were almost irrelevant; change the topic to another similar transformation issue, insert the appropriate terminology and you could have the same debate tomorrow.
Two particular responses stand out for me:
1. Force them to transform:
This is quite common among those who have been previously disadvantaged (to use the ridiculously convoluted politically correct term) who despite years of hard work and honest effort are still faced with the fact that white people control most of the wealth and economic opportunities in South Africa. If they will not change – then make them change! It is the government’s job to force them to share!
There are definitely days that I agree with this sentiment and there is much to commend it. But, besides the potential social fall-out of bitterness and division, this kind of transformation is shallow. It may transform the outward behaviour but it has not changed the heart. It may force a man to share but cannot make him want to share. It may, in fact, have the opposite effect resulting in deepened racial hatred and increased self-preservation. Compulsion may have the desired outward effect but even then rather than a spirit of giving and nation-building (to use another over-used phrase) it breeds as an unwanted side effect a focussing of energies, not on self-sacrifice and generosity, they rather on devising ways to “cheat the system” for “our” benefit.
2. It is the right thing to do:
This attitude goes something like this, people must change because it is the right thing to do. This might seem strange because I agree that it is the right thing to do. But why is it the right thing to do? Why in the world should a rich white man share his hard-earned (he did work hard for it albeit in a system that favoured him) material wealth or creative capital with a poor, ill-educated black woman who possibly does not even speak English? Why should he take from his children in order to give to another man’s children? Why would anyone disadvantage his own people in order to advantage another people?
Grass-Roots Transformation:
Transformation only makes sense to me in the light of the gospel. The gospel story of Jesus, who though he is profoundly not like us, gives up all his heavenly privilege for us. Jesus who does not hoard his treasure but instead gives up his own body to rescue undeserving sinners. Jesus who lays down all the riches of heaven in order to bring all the riches of heaven to us. Jesus who not only lays down his rights but who takes up his enemies and adopts them into his family.
It is only as I follow this Jesus; as I stake my life on this gospel that I not only want to see change but I rejoice to share my resources with those not like me. The gospel transforms not just the outward behaviour but the heart. The gospel is far deeper and richer than much of what passes for transformation today. When the gospel is at work we no longer have to settle for only a superficial transformation but now a deep and beautiful transformation is at work. The gospel redefines “those like me” – it is not race or economics but together we may all stand as sons and daughters of the Most High God.
Gospel transformation is not glamorous or high-profile. It is less concerned with what the president or constitutional court are doing. They can only control the superficial acts of transformation but thousands of ordinary Christians following Jesus everyday in the simple, loving acts of brotherhood can slowly and in weakness begin to transform a community.
Sometimes compassion is reckless
Last week when it was raining so heavily there was a knock at my door…
It was a friend of mine (J) and her daughter. It was dark already and very wet… they were looking for shelter fee. They had almost nothing and it was getting late. Could we help?
Crisis time! My boys ran to the door shouting and laughing to see their little friend, as she spun her wet umbrella around with a shriek of joy.
Let me give you a bit of back-story.
We have a standing commitment to them that we pay their shelter fee once a week, every week. They have a hot shower and join us for supper at least once a week, sometimes more. We have included them in the community life that is growing around The Story. We are actively trying to help J find employment.
We have tried to put some structure to our helping J, not because we are trying to keep ourselves safe or free from discomfort. But honestly we have examined our financial ability as a family and have decided that we can make this commitment to J. It is meant to provide her with some security of a once a week solid commitment from us for money. And some dignity of being a part of a community… a family.
But this was not the night we have pledged to help… this is extra… what now?
Honestly we only had enough money to last us maybe until we got paid on Friday. Our resources are finite! We don’t have the money.
“No,” I said, “Sorry we just don’t have the money today.”
And I watched them walk away into the rain and the darkness.
Honestly we just did not have the money. Well, strictly that is not true… we had the money in the house to help our friend today. But that would have meant that we did not have enough for the rest of the week? But what exactly was all that stuff that Jesus said about feeding the birds of the air and clothing the birds of the field! And what about that thing about not worrying about tomorrow? Would God really take care of me tomorrow if I recklessly followed Him today?
As that picture of those two small figures walking away in the dark and the rain played itself over and over in my mind, I asked myself what would Jesus have done?
The next day there was another knock at the door and amidst the rain and the cold there stood my friend again. We invited her in, drank some coffee together, repented for our lack of faith and gave her money for the shelter.
I still don’t have all the answers but sometimes I simply choose to have faith.
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Walking with eyes open
I loved this post by Dai Hankey on the the Reaching the Unreached website (also found in Tim Chester’s new book: Unreached):
A good place to start is to walk the streets with your eyes open. Jesus did not walk this world with his head in a hold shekinah cloud, but with his eyes peeled for opportunities to demonstrate and proclaim the gospel.
Jesus saw disciples in sinners: “After this he [Jesus] went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.” Luke 5:27
Jesus looked with compassion on the masses: “When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41)
Jesus looked with compassion on individuals: “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.” John 11:33
Jesus saw faith and responded to it: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2)
Jesus saw need and met it: “When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.”
Allow me to share a few stories that illustrate what walking the streets with open eyes meant for us in the early days of planting Hill City Church:
1. Playground
For over a year before we had even moved to the estate, my wife and I committed to prayer-walking the streets every Monday evening, whatever the weather. We did this with our spiritual eyes open. One evening we stumbled across a derelict playground that lay right at the centre of the estate. It had clearly been abandoned for years and served no purpose, apart from giving residents somewhere to dump rubbish. All that remained of the playground were two rusty metal benches that had been shoved so far into the ground that, to sit on them, meant sitting at ground level. However, we did just that, and as we gazed at shards of glass, the unwanted junk and the general desolation that surrounded us, we were led (by the Spirit) to pray that God would establish a place of worship here at the heart of the estate. After we’d prayed, we looked over our shoulders and saw a house of sale. To cut a long story short, several months later we bought that house, moved in and did exactly what we’d prayed about- we started a church in that house and established a place of worship there! The opportunities we’ve had to share the gospel purely by living in this part of the community are way too numerous (and sensitive) to write about here, but, suffice to say it was a God thing!
Furthermore, upon moving in, we made it our aim as a fledgling church to see the ruins rebuilt and this derelict playground restored, so that the local kids could have somewhere to play again. We believe firmly that Christians in broken communities should have a reputation as “the restorer of streets to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12). So we prayed, got in touch with the council and started the ball rolling on a three year ₤250, 000 process that eventually led to the total restoration of the play area. Hill City Church was right at the heart of the project from the start, even sponsoring the mural on the wall. Our involvement has certainly opened doors for the gospel. However, none of this would have happened if we hadn’t walked the street with our eyes open all those years ago.
2. Rubbish
Another occasion when open eyes have led to opportunities to demonstrate the gospel came in the area of rubbish. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the fly-tipping and dumping of litter around where we live was one of the most dangerous and disgusting issues that we faced when we moved here. Coupled with the local youths’ habit of robbing wheelie-bins, surfing down the road on them, and then burning them out at the bottom, this had led to trash carnage. Sometimes my kids had to wade through used nappies just to get to the car. That really wound me up.
That was until I opened my eyes. Literally, one day God revealed to me that I should take responsibility for this rubbish. All of it! I was confronted with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate grace. So I started making phone calls and getting the council to sort things out. But I also went out myself with a litter picker and gloves, collecting it all up and putting it in my own bin. Why? Because, the more I thought about it, the more I saw this as a perfect platform to illustrate what Christ had done for us on the cross. He stepped into our mess, taking away our filth, for free, never to let it be seen again!
3. Assault
One of our most harrowing experiences took place on Christmas Day a few years ago. I was still awake at around 1am when I heard a noise outside. I looked out of my window to see a woman getting beaten senseless by a man, right outside my house. I ran out to intervene. By the time I got out there, he was kicking her in the face and stamping on her head. I shouted at him and he ran off. The women got up, swore at me and ran after him!
So was it a waste of my time to get involved? No. Firstly, because it was the right thing to do. Secondly, because over the days that followed, it became clear that there had been several other men who had witnessed the assault from their windows, yet had chosen to do nothing. The fact that I was the only neighbour to step in seemed to speak volumes about who I worship. I didn’t do it to be a hero. I did it because it wasn’t an option to turn a blind eye. But having open eyes can sometimes break your heart.
4. Graffiti
A gang of around twenty youths has decided to make the bus stop in front of my mate Jim’s house their new haunt. This involved drinking, noise, setting things on fire and relieving themselves in the street. I knew that Jim was praying about the situation, but it still bothered him.
As I left his house one morning, I saw a huge list of names sprawled all over his bus stop. And that’s when God opened my eyes. “Jim!” I shouted. “You’ve got a whole list of names to pray for here. You’ve got your own prayer-list.” It might sound stupid, but I’ve never walked past graffiti in the same way since. All around us in these estates are lists of names that represent real young people who are lost, broken and crying out for attention.”
Dai is the pastor of Hill City Church in South Wales, blogs at Sanctified Rant and involved with The Valley Commandos church planting project.
What is Transformational Advocacy?
In about an hour or so I will be heading out to this workshop. I feel a bit like a first year crashing a professors staff meeting, but hopefully I can keep quiet, nod knowingly and not display my ignorance too openly.
I am particularly interested in these questions posed: Why should local churches be interested in this? And how does it fit with the work of our organisations? These are some issues I have grappled with for a while now and will be hoping to get lots of food for thought today.
Does an Encounter with God’s Kingdom People Restore Humanity?
I was reading Mark 5 recently and most of the time, and it hard to argue with this, when I have read this chapter Jesus has dominated my focus.
But this time what struck me was the effect that an encounter with Jesus and his Kingdom has on the people in the chapter.
In v1-20, the multiple-demon possessed man, chased away from community, crying out in the tombs, cutting himself daily is restored to his family, and he goes home. Mark makes a point of recording those words of Jesus. A mother gets her son back, a sister her brother, perhaps even a little boy his dad and a wife her husband.
In v24-34 a women who has suffered 12 years with a menstrual bleeding, who has spent all her money on doctors and instead of getting better has got worse. She would have been classed as ritually unclean, unable to engage in normal sexual activity, unable to bear children and shunned socially since contact with her made others unclean.
Unable to make love to her husband or perhaps unable, because of her condition to find a husband or perhaps even divorced because of her condition. That night perhaps, she could make love to her husband for the first in years. The next day she was free to engage fully in the social life and fabric of her community no longer shunned but clean.
In v35-42 a Father gets his daughter back from the dead. A father distraught, mourning, filled with sorrow at the death of his little girl is reunited with her because of Jesus. That night Jairus can tuck his little girl in, tell her a bedtime story and kiss her goodnight because he encountered the Kingdom of Jesus.
The Kingdom of Jesus is one that restores our humanity, brings life and healing. And even more so than these stories the cross of Jesus restores our relationship with the Father – connecting us with the source of life, hope, dignity, love and mercy. When people encounter the Kingdom of God, it results in a restoration of their humanity, expressed primarily through their relationships.
That got me thinking… What results from the presence of God’s Kingdom people in my city? How does the city experience the people of the Kingdom in our city? All too often the result of our presence is mere words, a disengagement and a condemnation – rather than a restoration of humanity, expressed through restored relationships.
“The church… a glorious outpost of the kingdom of God: an embassy of heaven. This is where the world can see what it means to be truly human.” (Timmis & Chester: Total Church)
Reconciliation: Breaking Down the Barriers of Suspicion
Mez has written a great post on gospel reconciliation. You can read the whole thing here.
“The aim of community reconciliation at this level is to break down these barriers of suspicion. I’ve lost count of the number of times a local has said about X in the church, ‘Actually, he/she is alright. I thought they’d be a stuck up ******* but they’re alright.’ Or, conversely, ‘I thought I wouldn’t know what to say to Y but he/she is actually really switched on and asks intelligent questions’. Why the change of mind? Because the individual(s) crossed the cultural divide and engaged in an activity outside of their norm. This kind of conciliatory behaviour, then, must be a two-way street if it is to have any lasting effect. There is huge power in the reconciliation brought to us through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The testimony of a life transformed by the ravages of sin is a powerful tool. That power is further intensified at the community level as they see reconciliation and barriers broken down through the community life of the church alongside other ministry outlets. Of course, this is a big topic with much to say.”
Is Following Jesus Really That Simple?
I was reminded last night why Jesus describes genuine faith as a “childlike faith.”
Praying with my sons before bed, we thanked God for the rain and then prayed for those who did not have any homes.
Domingo (4) looked up at me and said “Daddy those people who don’t have any houses will get very wet.”
Me: “Yes, my boy that is why we pray that God will look after them,” (and my guilty conscience & good theology added) “Hopefully God will show us how we can help them best.”
Domingo: “Daddy we must share our houses with those people who haven’t got no house.”
So simple.
But it’s just not that simple is it?
Or is it…
“Jesus said, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Predictably?
The following, almost incidental line, in a somewhat unrelated post struck me as particularly sad because what it said about us evangelicals rang true for me.
“Predictably, evangelicals often use Daniel for personal well-being and moral uplift, while mainliners go for the social justice angle”
The Problem with Friendship Evangelism
A significant problem with “friendship evangelism” is that we can end up only reaching “people like us” or even just people we like. And as Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:46, if you only love those who love you- everyone does that. Even the tax-collectors.
In addition to our existing relationships we need to cross social and cultural divides. We need to move out of the ghetto.
Almost by definition, friendship evangelism leaves the socially marginalised untouched. And yet these were precisely the people Jesus went out of his way to include.
In Luke 14 we observe God- the Master of the great eternal party- has thrown open his banquet to
“the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (v21). Jesus urges us out of our ghetto in imitation of his gracious Father.
Jesus, himself left the splendour and security of heaven to live and die – among and for us. Us who are so radically different from him and undeserving of his love. And just as the Father has sent him so he now sends us (John 20:21).
(Based on the Porterbrook Network “Evangelism” module; Unit 3: Building Relationships)
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