Yet more Foreigners - Richard Tiplady
How ought we to respond to the challenge of migration in our praying and ministry direction?
Obviously with love and grace towards the 'alien' ... But what struck me is the next step ... When the 'alien' comes to faith here in the UK then they can very often be 'alienated' from the 'alien' ... And what do we, the Church, offer in return?
How we grapple with the issue of migration is complex ... And perhaps difficult to do in a cultural box.
Firstly, our response is probably determined by how we view ourselves. Do we consider our primary identity to be British? (Or whatever nation state you were born in?) If we do then there will inevitably be conflicts as allegiances will be divided on some issues. Even today there is a report being published that states clearly that immigration from outside of the EU has indeed affected jobs for British Citizens ... if you are looking for work then this could be a very challenging fact. But, what is of primary importance to us? Our citizenship in Britain or our citizenship of the heavenly Kingdom? - surely we are aliens wherever we go?
Secondly, it is determined by how we view migration? Is it a consequence of human decision and choice or of Sovereign decision. Acts 17:26 encourages me to believe that "He determined the exact times and places where they should live." Thus migration, for whatever reason is an opportunity.
But, what a challenge migration is for the Church in the UK. Are we genuinely prepared to change the way we do things to make them more accessible to those from other nations? Having services translated into other languages is only really scratching the surface.
I am not addressing those who have come from Christian Countries and who are here augmenting and blessing the work of the UK Church ... Koreans, Nigerians etc. I am talking about those who come here from other nations and who encounter Christ for the first time ... and who come to faith with no Christian experience or background to draw on ... do we simply expect them to 'do it like us?'
How do we disciple people from traditionally oral cultures?
How do we engage with people who come from social cultures - who explore new things communally not individually?
How do we encourage them to discover ways of worshipping that are truly liberating for them?
How do we overcome our fear of other cultures?
Being 'nice' is not enough, being 'equipped' is crucial. This is an area where I do believe that Mission organisations can really support Churches dealing with these, and many other, issues. After all we have spent years, decades even, trying to figure out ways of communicating and discipling that are relevant and effective - we have also made many mistakes which need not be repeated.
What an opportunity we have before us!
Press on ...!
Who are you? I have never been a great fan of labels when it comes to describing members of the body of Christ. eg. he is anglican, she is Baptist, they are Charismatic, etc. etc. I remember once causing a man to become increasingly hot under the collar when he asked me who I was? To which I replied I was a disciple (follower) of Jesus. He was meaning which Church did I attend (presumably so he could classify me and decide whether I was bona fide or not) and my answer did not bring him peace, but I refused to go any further. Why? Because, as I said, I am not a great fan of labels, but also because for me there is a very important distinction between primarily identifying myself with Jesus and identifying myself with Church. Of course, I recognise that by becoming a follower of Jesus I become part of the body of Christ, but that can be very distinct from being a member of a Church. To me this is the crucial difference between vibrant faith and dusty religion. I want t
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