Transcript Church on The Edge

Church on The Edge
Exploring the connections between, Whale
Rider, Ambiguous Evangelism, Christianity
Rediscovered, and Meet Them Where
They’re at and missiological implications for
engaging with young people on the edge
Church on the Edge
• Ambiguous Evangelism Bob Mayo with
Sara Savage and Sylvie Collins SPCK
London 2004
• Christianity Rediscovered Vincent
Donovan SCM Press London 1982 (2nd
Edition)
• Meet Them Where They’re At Richard
Passmore SU Milton Keynes 2003
Ambiguous Evangelism
• Research into worldview of Gen Y via the
popular arts
• Lack of knowledge and Generally happy
and positive (p33)
• Did not connect spirituality with images
(religious or otherwise)
Ambiguous Evangelism
• “The assumption here, however is that the content of the message
will be understood if it can be got across in an appealing way. Our
conclusions from the research findings, however were that this is not
the case; the lack of underpinning religious narrative means that
people are not going to recognise the Christian message for what it
is – however well it is presented.” p 7
• Early stage unconscious ignorance to conscious ignorance
• How is it possible to share the Christian message in the cultural
context in a way that will get over the barrier of ignorance and
enable people to interpret what they are hearing?
• “The son is the only way to the father, but there are many ways to
Jesus Christ.” (Fung,2002:3) p9
Ambiguous Evangelism
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Current Context
People are broadly sympathetic to Christian beliefs and church.
Majority of population Unchurched (never been in contact) or Dechurched
(been but not longer)
Christian Faith does not have a conscious impact.
Generally people give little thought to the matters of the ultimate or
transcendent on a day to day basis but live their lives more in terms of the
immediate realities.
YP framework more from friends and family and pursuit of self fulfilment
“when matters of ultimate concern, such as birth and death, occasionally
penetrated normal life and more immediate loci of meaning were insufficient
to explain events, the young people generally turned to Christianity as their
back up system; but there was little sense of the faith tradition which lay
behind the beliefs and practices to which they turned – there were just
echoes of a memory” p28
Ambiguous Evangelism
The Claims of Christ can be presented:
• Playfully appealing to imagination rather
than intellect
• Through story so people can appropriate
the concepts into their own context
• In an understated manner
• Through dialogue
Christianity Rediscovered
• Best summed up by the quote (THAT WAS
NOT DONOVAN)
“In working with young people do not try
to call back to where they were and do
not call them to where you are as
beautiful a place as that may seem to
you. You must have the courage to go
with them to a place that neither you
nor they have ever been before.”
Christianity Rediscovered
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To approach each culture with the respect due to it as the very place wherein
resides the possibility of salvation and holiness and grace.
To approach people of any culture or nation, not as individuals, but as
community.
To plan to stay not one day longer than is necessary in any one place.
To give the people nothing, literally nothing, but the unchanging, supracultural,
uninterpreted gospel before baptism.
To help them expand that gospel into a creed and a way of life after baptism.
To enable them to pray as Christians.
To leave them the bible towards the day when they can read it and use it as a
living letter in their lives.
To insist that they themselves be their own future missionaries.
To link them with the outside church in unity, and the outside world in charity
and justice.
To agree with them that baptism is indeed everything; that the reception of
baptism is the acceptance of the total responsibility and the full, active
sacramental power of the church, the eucharistic community with a mission.
To encourage them to trust in the Spirit given at baptism, and to use the
powers and gifts and charisms given to the community by the Spirit.
The final missionary step as regards the people of any nation or culture, and
the most important lesson we will ever teach them – is to leave them (page
162-163)
Meet They Where They’re at
• Drew from a number of years detached
practice in a range of contexts
• Author committed to relational,
incarnational Youth work
• Model translates to a variety of contexts
and value bases
Meet They Where They’re at
1. SURVELLENCE -Working out which geographical areas or groups of young people to
engage
2 COLD CONTACT. Visual stage where we acknowledge the groups
3 COLD CONTACT. Introductions where we introduce ourselves and the project
4. AREA BASED WORK This is when starting in an area or patch and a wide variety of
contacts are being made.
5. PEER GROUP WORK This happens as the work becomes more defined and consists
of natural groupings of young people. This stage is often where larger groups are
identified usually around a shared interest. e.g. football or hanging out and may be
too many work with or inconsistent attendance.
6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK As key young people are identified the work should be
forward to this stage. This group is made up from the groups that exist within the
larger peer group.
7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK This is about taking calculated risks to move the work
and relationships forward such as 1-1 work, a relaxing , perhaps having a meal with
the young people etc. However this is not about putting yourself or the young people
at risk.
8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUALITY Young people should be
introduced to aspects of Christianity in practical supportive ways. It can range from
events to raise their consciousness of Bigger things, e.g. watching the sunrise,
exploring creation, to going to an event. The worker should explain some of the things
that may happen at events and translate what is happening at the event and use the
opportunity to explore spiritual issues in a supportive way.
9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION OF CHURCH This refers to supporting the
young people in local churches or relevant groups, and developing new groups based
around the young people developing their own expression of a discipleship group with
the worker.
Church on The Edge
• Aims
• Building on the partners strengths and knowledge of working with
young people on the edge of society to develop a fresh approach to
challenging young people’s behaviour through good youth work
processes with the critical intention to grow a relevant expression of
church with marginalized young people.
• To identify the key issues in establishing church with marginalized
young people through the process and disseminate this through the
Christian community in the UK to facilitate locally grounded and
resource light expressions of church.
• The project will to seek to work within a professional framework and
believe good youth work is participatory, empowering, educative and
promotes equality of opportunity. We seek to enhance the personal,
social, emotional and spiritual development of young people that
they may realise their full potential.
Church on the Edge
A Contacting
Community
regular contact,
mutual support
activities and trips
residential experiences ,
g
owin
A Gr unity
m
Com
An E
c
Com clesial
mun
ity
Detached and
Mobile work
Rite of Passage
Wilderness
experience
Action
Research
A
d
te
ec ty
nn uni
Co m
m
Co
A
n
Co Exp
m
m lorin
un g
ity
Connecting
Stories
Church On the Edge
1. Contacting
Community
2. Growing
Community
3. Connected
Community
4. Exploring
Community
5. Ecclesial
community
1-3 SURVELLENCE and COLD
CONTACT.
4. AREA BASED WORK
5. PEER GROUP WORK
6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK
7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK
8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF
SPIRITUALITY
9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION
OF CHURCH
Church on the Edge
• How does Donovan sit alongside this
process?
• What are the key questions Donovan
would raise about the project?
• What are the implications of the findings
from Ambiguous Evangelism for the
project?
• What resources could Ambiguous
evangelism provide for the project?
Church on the Edge
• Drawing from the previous answers
develop a detached work plan in line with
the four stages identifying key tension
points and solutions?