A Living Alternative

Steve Wiseman posted the other day on the real challenges of being missional in the suburban context. I posted this affirming comment (which he has since made a post unto itself- thanks, Steve!):

As someone who lives and serves in an inner city community, I couldn't agree with you more. I am a very strong advocate for increased Christian involvement in the inner city, but only because that it the context to which I am called and can see the need. However, I am not blind the broader needs.

I have said it many times before, but it is worth saying again: Suburbia is a far more challenging context in which to be truly missional than the inner city in so many ways. While the problems in the inner city are many, they are also largely out in the open for many to see. Further, because so few Christians genuinely engage the community missionally, there is a freedom to explore and experiment with creative ways of serving God and our neighbours.

In suburbia the culture of respectability and privacy means that the very real problems are often hidden behind a veneer of manicured lawns and smiling faces. Further, the culture is less forgiving about innovation in ministry. All this to say that, while many people pat me on the back for living and working in the inner city, my heroes are those who genuinely contend with the culture of suburbia for Christ without abandoning it or compromising within it.

As I considered this, along with my recent and heated dialogue about church planting and the commuting culture (here and here), I have increasingly been considering how these two contexts could/should relate to one another. The most common ways they interact is through short-term service and financial support. While these are not in and of themselves bad (in fact, they are important), it is primarily uni-directional and lacks a relational connections.

I am convinced that part of the journey towards genuinely missional Christianity will require intentional and mutual relationships built between these very different contexts. In order for this to truly happen, however, both groups will have to embrace a new perspective and divest themselves of their assumptions and judgments of the other. Both groups have much to offer the other and, ultimately, our understanding and relationship with God will be strengthened.

Like any engagement between cultures, this will take time, patience and grace. We cannot arrive at an ideal all at once, so we need to allow ourselves the freedom to move towards relationship through redemptively transforming our exsisting connections. Further, as we seek to resist extremes (such as paternalism in service to the poor), we must not take it to an opposite extreme (such as cutting off all financial support or volunteerism). Through dialogue and understanding, we will negotiate another path together.

What might this look like? In what ways could we build these bridges of mutuality? Where have you seen this done well before?

(It should also be noted that, while the dynamics are different, there is also a need for this kind of relationship with other contexts, including rural and international)

Missional Missional Community Christianity