A Living Alternative

As I consider the journey towards our church plant and our pastoral role in it, in interesting question keeps cropping up: How will we deal with church discipline? This has already been a difficult issue for me, even within my role as a leader within YWAM (both locally and regionally). Inevitably, whenever the word “discipline” comes up, it brings with it negative connotations, framed primarily within punative terms.

So much of this stems from the strong emphasis on moral policing that has characterized much of evangelical discipleship. While I am not diminishing the gravity of sin or the need for genuine correction, by making our focus primarily on punishing wrong behaviour, we not only miss the heart of God’s character, but consequently create church community dynamics that are driven by fear and intimidation. God hates sin, but He IS love. That should reflect in how we represent Him our lives and relationships.

As we look to church discipline, we must recognize that it’s ultimate goal is not punishment, but resolution and restoration. And this not only for the wrong-doer, but for the wronged and the whole community. To avoid a shame-based influence, it follows the Biblical rule of keeping the process out of public eyes until the situation demand further outside involvement. As idealistic as this may sound, it is an incredibly demanding and costly process for all involved.

The mutuality of the process means that, unlike the systems of justice we see in the world, we do not isolate the wrong doer from either the process of correction or as a means of punishment (except as last resort). Rather, it requires the involvement of everyone affected- the wrong doer, the wronged and the community or communities impacted by the wrong (i.e. church, family, peers, etc.). While we rightfully seek to protect victims, the pattern of reconciliation manifested in Christ’s death and resurrection calls for the radical participation of everyone in the healing process.

The refusal of the wronged to work through the painful process of reconciliation is understandable given what they have suffered. However, if we truly want to embody the radical reconciliation of Christ to a watching world, we must embrace this further suffering as a means of hope and healing for all. Refusal to do so may protect some from the immediate risk, but leaves everyone else in that community limited in their ability to affect the needed change.

Conflict is the inevitable reality of our fallen humanity- perhaps even more so as we collectively seek to be follow Christ in community, as it will naturally surface our failures and weaknesses. When this redemptive dialogue is practiced within trusting communities, discipline ceases to be an exercise in damage control, but a living witness to the hope and power of Christ to impact lives.

(NOTE: While restorative justice has long been a passion of mine, I have more recently been challenged by the first chapter in John Howard Yoder’s powerful book “Body Politics: Five Practices of the Christian Community Before a Watching World”. It is well worth reading.)

Missional, Missional Community, Church Discipline, Ecclesiology, John Howard Yoder

A week ago when I posted “Open Missional Question: To Commute Or Not To Commute?”, little did I expect the great, though often heated discussion that grew around the topic. At one point, recognizing that my post didn’t accurately reflect my position on the issue or articulate the question clearly, I had to write an update to clarify. I really appreciated everyones honesty and contribution. Having given it more thought, I felt it would be appropriate to follow up in more detail where I was coming from and the heart behind the question.

First, I think it is important to clarify that I was not attempting to find some kind of univerisally applicable answer to this question. I was inquiring specifically out of the context in which we live and plan to plant out missional church community. The reality for us is that living and serving in a very poor inner city neighbourhood requires a significant dedication to careful missiology and contextualization. While every community requires such commitment, ours is a less common context in our culture, therefore fewer models exist from which we can learn.

In his excellent book “The Suburban Christian”, Alber Y. Hsu explores the history and the impact of commuter culture, specifically on the suburban population. Hsu is very gracious and balanced, affirm the strengths and challenging the weakness of such a culture. However, he clearly demonstrates that commuters generally reflect a very unique set of cultural dynamics.

In the same way, our inner city community has formed around other dynamics that often run contrary to those in the suburbs, often creating tension and conflict when they cross paths. Let me be clear: I am not saying one context is better or worse than another, just different. Neither am I saying the potential for conflict is reason to avoid contact, but rather than such contact should be done intentionally and with care.

To that end, we are planting this missional church community with the primary purpose of connecting, serving and ministering to/with the people of Winnipeg’s West End. Like any good missionary, we have spent several years learning, studying, participating and listening to our community. We have also looked at the nature and history of Christian involvement in the community, which has included disappearing churches moving to the suburbs and well intentioned, but often paternalistic “altruism” from the outside. All of these things have played a part in our preparations to plant this new church.

The biggest mistake I made in my original post was to use the word “discourage”. Rather, what I had hope to ask was this: In what ways can be encourage and nurture primarily local involvement? Though I thought I said it clearly in the original post, let me also reiterate that we have always expected and intended for some commuters to be a part of our community. In fact, it I think it is healthy to do so. However, our primary focus and energy will go to reaching, serving and including the local community.

In his recent post on contextualization, Andrew Jones said (or shouted, rather):

“WE WERE BLIND TO OUR COLONIAL ABUSE BECAUSE WE WERE BLIND TO THE IMPACT OF OUR OWN CULTURE ON THE GOSPEL WE CARRIED.”

I am very protective of my community, seeing the historic and current impact of (sometimes) well-intentioned, but colonialist-inspired paternalism and control. I am committed to seeing understanding and reconciliation between these often at-odds groups nurtured, but there comes a time where I will not allow abuse to continue in the name of inclusion. It is in this respect only that I would intentionally “discourage” participation, regardless of where they are coming from.

A few people suggested that it is disingenuous to discourage commuters while actively pleading for their financial support and volunteerism. While a very good point, one does not at all negate the other. There are many missionaries around the world that need (and deserve) the financial support of the established church community to further our shared mission of building God’s Kingdom. However, few of us would question the issue if those same missionaries protected their often delicate, contextualized missional work from casual, unprepared Christians from “back home”.

When we first planted our ministry here in the inner city, the single most foundational image God gave to us with respect to our role and identity in the community and the wider city was bridge builders. We are committed to seeing bridges built between inner city and suburban/rural communities, between the rich and poor, between the dominant (white) culture and non-white cultures, etc. To that end, we would never want to build walls around our community. We not only welcome those from outside our neighbourhood, but issue our own Macedonian call for you to join us.

However, let us do so with great care, dialogue and grace, for the stakes are high and the balance is often delicate. Anyone who lives and serves in the suburban world will know that it is an extremely difficult context to missionally engage- perhaps the hardest context to do so. In the same way, our inner city community faces real challenges that are impacted by the nature and means of the Christians who engage. All we ask is that you take the time to listen, learn and consider that impact before diving in.

Does that help clarify or I have I further complicated matters?

Missional Missional+Community Christianity Church+Planting Jesus Commuting

In my last post, David Fitch made the important point that any new church planting effort should begin with a core of committed people. As I said in response, this was a requirement that Kim & I immediately made when we were approached by the Mennonite Church Manitoba about partnering with them. I also mentioned that, at this point, we do not have that team.

While it is far too early to get concerned, I do have a deep uneasiness that this will be our single greatest challenge in getting the initiative moving forward. Perhaps it is rooted in the past 6 years of ministry in this neighbourhood, where interest and longevity of commitment have been hard to come by with our ministry. After all those years we are only now seeing that core team form for our YWAM ministry. However, I do not want to despair.

Ideally, we would like to see one or two couples join us as a co-pastoring team. As none of us will be paid for our role in the church, being bi-vocational will a very likely requirement. Further, though I fear setting off more controversy, we believe that these leaders should make the West End of Winnipeg their home, and not commute from the outside.

As this is a partnership between YWAM and the Mennonite Church Manitoba, it would be really good if those couples (or at least one of them) was part of the Mennonite/Anabaptist tradition. As we look towards the formation of our missional community, Missio Dei has already been an example we resonate with- not to mimick, but to learn about contextual Anabaptist church planting in an urban context.

And so we are officially put this out there: We are looking for those who might share in this vision and choose to enter into life with us and the West Enders of Winnipeg to help form a new missional community. If you or someone you know fits with this vision, please contact us. Even if it seems unlikely or impossible, if you feel that twinge of possibility in your spirit, take some time pray about it. You never know.

Pray for us in this. Thanks!

Missional Missional+Community Christianity Mennonite+Church+Manitoba Mennonite Church+Planting Jesus YWAM Youth+With+A+Mission

I recently started contacting church planters and pastors who I respect (and have a long list of others still to write to), asking for advice on church planting. One of the first to reply was David Fitch, a guy I am increasingly learning to respect and pay attention to.

When I asked him for a paragraph, he kindly provided me with several, all helpful. I wanted to share them with you here. After each bit of advice (in quotes), I will reflect on our context:

“DON’T DO IT ALONE. In today’s post-Christendom, I believe you must have at least two other couples or single people to be ministry partners in this, equally committed to the leadership and development of this little community over a span of five years.”

This is encouraging, as it was the first requirement Kim & I made when we started conversation about the plant. It does scare me that we won’t find those others, but I have to hold on to hope. In fact, if any of you feel a tug in this direction, drop me a line.

“HAVE A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES require several years to germinate, and so success will not be measured by numbers. That the real incedible stuff happens after fostering a life together of support, ecouragement and discenrment of where God is calling you to minister in the neighborhoods.”

Having spent the last 6 years nurturing our little missional community in our ministry, this is a lesson we understand very well. As a YWAMer, I obviously believe there is a place for short term dynamics, but there are some areas (like this) where it isn’t an option. I guess it was good I didn’t know any better, because I expected it to take that long!

“HAVE A SURVIVAL PLAN. Finances and visions of grandeur destroy church planters, their health, marriages and well being. Live simply, have a way to support yourself that is sustainable (bi-vocational maybe?). Plan so finances won’t be a huge drain on you all the time.”

Again, being YWAM missionaries has helped prepare us for this. Not only are we used to living and ministering for very little, simply living is a way of life in our mission. We have much to learn, though, especially as we move forward with those living outside the YWAM context.

“LEAD THROUGH HUMILITY, GRACE AND MODELING SERVANTHOOD. Always be ready to minister prayer and the forgiveness of Christ. Don’t be afraid to show anyone the way of dying to self that leads to life, even the poor.”

One of our core values here is rooted in this truth. We have a long way to go in walk it out well, but our neighbours have been patient, yet rightfully demanding teachers. I am forever grateful to be knocked off my pedestal on a regular basis!

“INVEST IN OTHER LEADERS walking with them, praying with them, guiding their imaginations towards God and His Mission. This multiplies ministry exponentially.”

This is the area that I feel particularly challenged in. It is a combination of my own need to do it better and a seriously lack of self-confidence. I also know that leaders have hurt me in the past, so I am often gun-shy about repeating those same mistakes myself.

“MAKE REGULAR TIMES OF PRAYER (that can last at least an hour - say on a long walk) out of which you struggle to give up your dreams and allow God to work in whatever small seeds you’re planting that day. You’ll look back in 5 -6 years and can’t believe what God did.”

Prayer is another area that I struggle. I am constantly talking to God through inner dialogue, but the discipline of prayer must extend far beyond that. I have tried many different ways to overcome this barrier, but it is something that will require more time, patience and discipline.

“I believe everyone should plant a church at least once in their lives. For it is here where Pentecost can be most purely experienced in this lifetime. We really have no idea the amazing things God will do (often subtley) with our feeble offerings when placed under the Reign of Christ.”

Well said. Thanks David!

Since we agreed to partner with the Mennonite Church Manitoba to plant and pastor a new church in our inner city neighbourhood, I have spent a great deal of time reading, studying, praying, etc. about the plan. I have also been seeking the input and advice from others who have been on (or are currently on) this journey. I have been learning a great deal, perhaps more than anything that I have a lot more to learn!

One topic that has drawn a varied response has to do with commuting members. One of the missional values we feel is important is that the church would be shaped by and move according to the culture and rhythmes of our community. As we have looked at how to do this, we have been advised to resist becoming a commuter church- that is a church that is primarily made up of members from different parts of the city. Others, however, have said that we should not discourage commuters, as they will essential parts of community.

Obviously we would not disallow commuters from attending. I do believe there is a benefit to a diversity of people in a missional community. However, we have seen the very real, measurable and negative impact of primarily commuter congregations in our community. We have also seen the beauty and impact of locally shaped missional expressions. So, we know there is a dynamic tension at play in this issue.

So the question is this: Should too many commuters be discouraged from attending? If so, how do you do that?

We would love to have your input, so have at it.

UPDATED: (April 1, 11am) Given the discussion below, I suspect I was not clear enough.  Let me try to bring some clarity.  First, I am not suggesting that we close doors to commuters.  As I did clearly state above, we would want and welcome a diversity of people to our community.

Finally, I ask that, should you disagree with the premise, please ask questions to understand (as Cindy has done very well below) and not call peoples motivations, theology or character into question.  We ask because we want to do this well.  We ask because we really don’t know.  Thanks.

Missional Missional+Community Christianity Mennonite+Church+Manitoba Mennonite Church+Planting Jesus YWAM Youth+With+A+Mission

Over the last few months, our ministry (YWAM Urban Ministries Winnipeg) has been in dialogue with a denomination to partner with them in the planting of a new church in our inner city neighbourhood. As we were still in conversation about possibilities, I kept many of the details under wraps. However, we are now at a place in this journey where both groups are confident that we are going ahead with this exciting partnership, therefore allowing me to share with you more details.

Last year, my good friend Norm Voth, Director of Evangelism and Service Ministries for Mennonite Church Manitoba, approach Kim & I about the possibility of partnering with us (YWAM) in forming a new missional church plant in the heart of our community. While we had always dreamed of the possibility of seeing a new church plant emerge from our life and ministry in the area, we were particularly encouraged at the potential to partner. Norm is a guy I have come to deeply respect for his passion, wisdom and vision. He is also someone I am happy to count as a friend. This dynamic played a big part in our openness to the possibilities.

As part of his role for the MC Manitoba, Norm is responsible to see new church plants happen. He plays an important part in identifying potential church plants, developing resources and working with the developing congregations. Through relationship with us and his excitement about our new missional thid place, The Dusty Cover, Norm felt the partnership would be a good one. While YWAM is not denominationally oriented, our local expression resonates deeply with many of the values and practices of the Mennonite Church and Anabaptist tradition.

Our vision is to see a locally rooted group of missional-minded Christians who will make the choice to orient the rhythmes of their lives, not only with each other, but with the neighbourhood we are called to love and serve. To this end, we hope to intentionally resist becoming a commuter congregation, looking rather to see it as a church by, for and with the local community. To that end, our desire would be that the most significant portion of our church community would be from the neighbourhood. Few things could make me happier than seeing those outside our area who wish to be a part our new community choose to relocate their lives to the neighbourhood to missionally align with our vision. However, it is the local residents where our primary commitment is focused.

Our hope is to meet for worship in The Dusty Cover as an intentional resistence to identifying with any place or building as “our church”. This will offer three promising dynamics- first, it will challenge us to live our lives in the open to the neighbourhood; second, it will encourage us to practice the discipline of hospitality in our homes; third, it will link us to a place (the bookstore) of missional engagement with the community. We vision would be that the bookstore as a missional third place might grow alongside our growth as a missional community.

We are under no illusions that this will be easy. I have already had several sleepless nights considering what we are getting ourselves into. While Kim & I have essentially been pastoring a small community for several years, it is more akin to leading a monastic/mendicant order than a more “traditional congregation”. We also know that partnering brings it’s own challenges.

However, we are excited and confident about the future. We will keep you all posted. If there are any in Winnipeg who are interested in being a part of this new vision, please drop me a line.

Missional Missional Community Christianity Mennonite Church Manitoba Mennonite Church Planting Jesus YWAM Youth With A Mission

Recently, Kim & I have been in dialogue with a local denomination about YWAM partnering with them in planting a new church in the inner city community where we live. In many ways, we have been pastoring a small missional community here for several years already. This would would expand that to embrace others into our sphere. It is an exciting, challenging and slightly terrifying process that is pushing us deeper into our values and vision.

As a result of this whole process, I have been spending a great deal of time thinking and praying about what such a missional community would look like. On a side note, I am encouraged that many of the values we intentionally articulated and embraced when we started the ministry here still play a significant role in shaping us. Here are a few of the ideas that I have been wrestling with:

We Must Be A Part Of The Neighbourhood: While this may seem like a no-brainer, it is not uncommon for the location of a church building to be either incidental or chosen for reasons such as cost. It is our deep conviction that in order to truly missionally engage people, you must enter into the pattern of their lives, which means proximity.

Our neighbourhood is wonderfully diverse, yet facing serious systemic challenges like extreme poverty, gang violence, racism, crippled educational system, etc. No matter approach you take, these issue are difficult. However, to see the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives, it is critical that there is a relational trust and understanding that comes through a commonality of experience. Few things can help create this more than intentionally rooting our lives in the community. Therefore, I would even go so far as to discourage people from commuting to our gathering.

We need to acknowledge that we are facing a long history (and remaining expressions) of paternalism in our missionary engagement, both locally and globally. Even the best intentions will not overcome the inevitable sense of a hierarchy of values when our ministry and service to people comes as outsiders coming with answers. As much as we seek to be missional IN and FOR the community, we must also commit to being missional WITH the community. This naturally leads to my next point.

We All Have Something To Give & Receive: While I do believe that some are called and gifted into roles of leadership, I genuinely believe that these are positions of service, not power. To create genuine missional community, we must be committed to the conviction (and resulting intentionality) that every person has both much to “teach” and much to learn. I put “teach” in quotations, because I don’t want us to get caught in the narrow approach to discipleship based on the teacher-student-classroom model (though it has a place), but rather see that there are many ways in which people can teach us.

Regardless of age, gender, race or any other number of factors, everybody brings something to the community. Henri Nouwen acknowledged that a young man named Adam taught him most of all. This brilliant scholar and thinker spent his last years caring for a physically and mentally handicapped man who could never acknowledge either the service or brilliance of Henri. Living in a community for the mentally and physically challenged, Henri could in no way “earn” the love he received. It was humbling and life changing, altering the nature and content of Nouwen’s writing until his death. In the same way, we must be intensely intentional about recognizing, affirming and embracing these lessons that everyone will teach us.

When Christ identified with the hungry, thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisioned, He was not referring to moments where He hid amongst us in disguise to test us. Nor was he referring to those people who were simply victims of these circumstances. He was identifying with people in their brokenness, even through their own sin and failure, because He knew that as we love and serve them selflessly, the intense difficulty of these tasks would draw us deeper into the heart and person of Jesus Christ. This demands that we lay down our (often subtle) superiority, approaching our neighbours with the humility we would extend to Christ Himself.

Finally, by acknowledging that we all have much to learn, we must be willing to examine those things we hold most dear, be they programs or assumptions or positions, even abandoning them if necessary. This inevitably means that we will need to learn to live with change as a companion on our journey. In this way, failure becomes our friend insofar as it refines our hearts and vision. It is in the celebration of our weakness and foolishness that we discover God’s strength.

We Must Incarnational In Our Presence: This statement always sounds impressive, but can sometimes be lost in the theoretical and theological. It means a lot of things, so I will focus on a few aspects where it is important to us. Being created in the image of God is significantly a reflection of His Trinitarian nature. Therefore, one of the central ways in which our missional community will reflect God’s nature is through living our lives together in the context of the wider community.

This flies in the face of “having it all together” on Sunday mornings, dressed in our Sunday best. I firmly believe that faith communities should look far more like Alcoholics Anonymous groups than they do. By this I mean that our relationships, both within the share times of worship and in the “mundane” activities of our lives, should demonstrate that we are all broken individuals, equally in need of God and each other. Authenticity, honesty and tangible love and support characterize us more than worship songs, powerful sermons or great youth programs.

Ultimately it means that the quality of our expression as the Body of Christ must be measured more by how we live our lives together day to day, beyond our Sunday gatherings. In addition to learn how to be Christ-like as individuals, we must put greater effort into learning what it means to be like Christ as a community, both in our relationship to one another and to our neighbours. More than canvasing or advertizing, when the community sees how we love each other and love them, they will be drawn to God through us- perhaps not in droves, but with genuine seeds planted.

In closing I would highly recommend taking 15 minutes to watch this excellent video at Allelon by David Fitch as he talks about similar focuses.