Yes - Advent 2009 - CMS A global Community of Mission Service
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Transcript of Yes - Advent 2009 - CMS A global Community of Mission Service
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yes Advent edition. Published by CMS.
General Secretary: Canon Tim Dakin
Editor: John Martin
Designer: Seth Crewe
Printers: CPO
Printed on a sustainable paper that is elementary chlorine
free and can be traced to bona fide sources.
CMS is a community of mission service: inspiring a
mission lifestyle; equipping people in mission; sharing
resources for mission work.
Views expressed in yes are not necessarily those of CMS.
Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ
Registered Charity Number 220297
04/06 From our correspondents
07 Being missional in turbulent times by Tom Sine
10 The best surprise is no surprise by Joseph Steinberg
12 CMS and SMCs by Ian Adams
13 A year of living 2/44 by Emma Woo
15 Firm foundations: Houses of mission by Chris Neal
16 COMMUNITY: Good questions by Tim Dakin and Chris Neal
18 Crowther Centre news
19 Notebook by John Martin
John [email protected]
3 yes Community Edition 2009
missionary presenceOur theme for this issue of yes is community
and mission. The Church Mission Society has
been formally acknowledged as a mission
community by the Advisory Council on the
Relations of Bishops and Religious Communities
of the Church of England. What does this mean
in practice?
Samuel Escobar, one of the most influential majority world mission voices of our
times has written, “Before searching for methods and tools for communication of a
verbal message we must search for a new style of missionary presence relevant to
this moment of human history.”
Throughout the history of the church, various forms of community have played a
vital role. Community was part of the experience of the church in Jerusalem in the
early decades. We can speak of the desert fathers and mothers. Then there is the
mostly forgotten story of the Persian church, whose missionary enterprise was far
more substantial and far-reaching than our Western missionary movement of the
past three centuries.
Communities seem to come into their own when conditions are hostile and have
sustained the presence of the church in places where life has been tough and
external forces antagonistic to the gospel. It seems to me – and trends in the
West bear this out – that community as a vehicle for the maintenance and
expansion of the church will become more and more important as Christianity is
marginalized by cultural forces in Britain and Europe. What is certain is the parochial
model of Christian presence no longer works in many of our inner city areas and
rural contexts.
Not everyone is called to residential community living, but there are many ways
community can be lived out for the expansion of the gospel and renewal of the
church. This edition of yes looks at just a few.
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No man is an island...John Donne
4 yes Community Edition 2009
Allan and Anne Lacey write from Uganda
Unexpected blessingsIt was Sunday morning and Allan had been invited to preach at a small rural church near the Congo border. We set off at about 8am and picked up the archdeacon on the way, as we had little idea where the church was, and neither maps nor signposts are common sights here.
On arrival, however, we found a traditional palm branch of welcome at the church entrance. We were seated in a small pyott – a circular, open-sided building near the church. There was no sign of activity in the small, roughly constructed church, but after a half hour or so, we were joined by various church leaders and presented with breakfast: Tea, peanuts, boiled eggs, and sweet potatoes, which were to sustain us for the rigours of the two or three-hour service ahead.
During the meal we began to hear singing from the church, and then the insistent beating of a drum – the equivalent of church bells. Maybe an hour after the advertised time, the service began. We were delighted to find young people playing traditional udungus (stringed instruments in a variety of sizes) to accompany the music, and a choir of children singing and clapping enthusiastically. The building gradually filled up as the service progressed, and it soon became evident that some infant and child baptisms were to take place as well.
After the vows had been made by an assortment of parents and godparents (the archdeacon commented on the absence of some of the fathers) Allan was asked, with no notice, to baptise a seven year old lad dressed in a dapper suit. The only service book available being the Lugbara equivalent of 1662, he was a bit nonplussed – but managed to summon to mind the English words of baptism and signing with the cross.
The whole service proceeded with considerable enthusiasm and energy, if a little chaotic at times, and Allan’s sermon was ably interpreted by the archdeacon. At one point, during a particularly boisterous Lugbara song, spontaneous dancing broke out at the front of the church, and we joined the jumping worshippers.
Reconciliation reflectionsA month ago we held one of our continuing national reconciliation meetings for leaders of African Independent Churches (AICs). It wasn’t just men who were present, but women and young people as well. After a prophetic address by the General Secretary, and reports from the grassroots on the progress – or lack of it – in reconciliation, a journalist gave a summary of political events over the past 12 months. We went for lunch deeply depressed.
Afterwards we asked the leaders to reflect on what they had heard. Most of them are not very highly educated, so they did not propose legal or constitutional reforms. (That’s left for
..from our correspondents...
John Padwick writes from Kenya
the National Council of Churches of Kenya). Instead they returned to what they know best – reflecting on the state of the community in urban and rural villages. Eventually the talk turned to the problems of young people. Whether we had nudged the discussion in this direction, or whether it was simply the leading of the Holy Spirit is difficult to say. But now participants began to speak from their hearts.
Millions of male youth are unemployed and frustrated. This leaves them vulnerable to politicians with money. Over the past 10-15 years, during the election periods they have been recruited into political gangs. This being Kenya, and politics being essentially a struggle for ethnic supremacy, the gangs are also tools of tribalism. The violence of December 2007–February 2008 was carried out by these gangs. A few of them have graduated into permanent militia. The most prominent of these are the SLDF on Mt Elgon, and the Mungiki of Central Kenya. It is the Mungiki who are currently the main cause of concern.
Central Kenya has a history of guerrilla warfare (the Mau Mau) going back to colonial days. Like many such wars, Mau Mau was against both an external oppressor (the British) and against those who allied themselves with the foreign rulers, as well as those who refused to take the Mau Mau oath (e.g., the homeguards and some of the members of the mission churches). Mungiki dates back only about 20 years, but it looks back to Mau Mau for some of its methods and ideology. In the urban shantytowns, Mungiki and other militia are an unofficial layer of government, providing security, collecting waste, and providing (illegal) connections to water and electricity. But Mungiki also terrorize populations that refuse to pay their (illegal) taxes, usually cutting off people’s heads. Like the Mau Mau they are bound by an oath that sets them free from the warnings of their conscience and their ancestors. In consequence the security forces find them extremely difficult to control. In fact Mungiki have members in the police and in some churches.
Most Mungiki members are young people, some only 16 years old, who have been attracted to the movement because they get a sense of purpose, affirmation and income that is otherwise denied them. Our church leaders spoke of these youth as people for whom they had a deep concern. A few leaders explained how they struggle spiritually and pastorally to rescue youth from the militia. This should be a critical issue for the churches, but whatever is being done isn’t much discussed. (Quite naturally, people fear.) The conclusion of our meeting was that we should hold another smaller and more confidential meeting just to hear people’s stories – from both sides, if possible. Then we can decide how we to support those who are working with gang members or with youth who are vulnerable to recruitment.
Pakistan: Fighting the powerful “In Jesus Christ there is freedom, and that’s for ever. We can’t go back to the old way, even if they kill us.” These are the words of a young man who had recently been baptised, having
5 yes Community Edition 2009
To find out more and keep in touch with all our mission partners, log on to www.cms-uk.org/linkletters for the latest reports
The soul that is alone…is like the burning coal that is alone. It will grow colder rather than hotter. St John of the Cross
6 yes Community Edition 2009
To find out more and keep in touch with all our mission partners, log on to www.cms-uk.org/linkletters for the latest reports
come from a non-Christian background. They express how much of society is bound by compulsion, fear and oppression of the weak by the powerful. We’ll call him Peter. His words were very soon put to the test.
A young woman from the same background had also recently been baptised. We’ll call her Alice. Alice’s father was a kind man who loved his three daughters, but was very poor and without any power in society. He was effectively dependent on his bully of an elder brother, who gave him work from time to time so that he could feed his family. He did, however, own a little scrap of land. He did not know that one of his daughters had been baptised, and it wouldn’t have done his health much good if he had found out.
Soon after Alice had been baptised, her father’s brother declared that he wanted his three sons to marry Alice and her sisters. (Marriages between cousins are, as you probably know, very common here.) Her father’s scrap of land would pass to his brother, but the family’s economic future would be secure.
Alice and her sisters begged their father not to force them to marry these objectionable young men. At first he agreed, but then the pressure which came on him was so intense that he eventually told them they would have to go through with the marriage. To Alice and her sisters, such a living death was not an option. They could see only two possibilities: flight or suicide. And if they were to flee, then without doubt they would quickly be recaptured.
At the moment of extreme tension, Peter had an idea. Drawing on every ounce of courage he could find, he went in trepidation to Alice’s father and asked that Alice might marry him instead. And for good measure, and in line with the culture, he asked for her two sisters to marry his two brothers. Peter was a very hard worker, but he hadn’t any wealth or prospects or social power. All he had was the joy and delight of Alice and her sisters at the prospect of rescue and marriage to loving husbands. The struggle was intense, but in the end Alice’s father accepted Peter’s offer. From somewhere Alice’s father found the strength to stand up against his bullying brother and tell him that his daughters were promised to someone else.
There is a high price for the father’s love; immediately he was disowned by his brother and can expect nothing but hatred from him for the rest of his life. It is to be expected that the brother’s family will seek revenge for this insult.
There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community. M Scott Peck
7 yes Community Edition 2009
Few people deny these are turbulent times. Most
agree all the portents signal even more change at an
even faster rate. Yet for some reason, when changes
hit, Christians on the whole seem to be taken by
surprise. Few churches seem to be geared to help their
congregations and neighbourhoods with the aftermath
of change. Even fewer seem ready to turn these
challenges into missional opportunity.
Long-time friend of CMS, Tom Sine is author of the
bestseller The New Conspirators (2007) and part of the
Seattle-based Mustard Seed community. He has been
on the road with a message that Christian attitudes to
lifestyle and living the life of faith need to change.
“Essentially what we’re about is not only challenging
churches and individuals to become more missional
but to shift that missional concern into the future
tense. We need to anticipate some of the new waves
like the business people do, then we have lead time
to do something before they blow up on our doorstep.
Apocalypse now?
“Since that huge economic tsunami broke on
countries all over the planet we have all become
painfully aware of people in our congregations and
communities who are still struggling with lost jobs,
homes and diminished resources,” he observes. “A
few churches have created new ways to be God’s
compassion to their neighbours. Regrettably, most
churches we have contacted still haven’t awakened
to this opportunity to create new ways to be God’s
compassion to those who are still struggling.”
Even so there seems to be a new mood. “I find a
growing number of church leaders don’t want to be
blind-sided by this kind of devastating change again.
These leaders want to learn to lead with foresight.
They are searching for practical resources to enable
them to both more effectively anticipate and more
creatively respond to other new challenges.”
Looking to the future, those potential challenges
are no less daunting than today’s economic crisis.
“There is a serious possibility of global inflation. The
stimulus packages in Europe and the US – not so
much Australia – mean a number of economies
are vulnerable to a serious inflationary spiral. Oil will
probably hit between $200–300 a barrel by 2020.
Another trend happening even before recession
hit was serious inflation in the price of grain. The
Millenium Goals are in real trouble now. Make Poverty
History is at risk because of the price of oil, food, or
the aftermath of trying to turn round the economy. So
the poor are going to be hit the hardest.”
Other worrying problems loom. Water availability will
become an issue that may even lead to wars. There is
the H1N1 challenge but it may not be the last. Another
future scenario could be an avian flu epidemic. Sine
wants to see churches building networks like Flu
Friends (an idea promoted by the Evangelical Alliance)
where local church networks visit, collect medication,
provide food help and child care.
Then there is the demise of denominational Christianity
– in Britain church attendance is down to as low as
eight per cent and with the boomer generation nearing
retirement there are questions about how church life
and charities will be funded in the future.
Green shoots
Nevertheless, in the midst of current mayhem and
panic about the future, Sine believes God is doing
something new. There are green shoots that are
the work of a generation of innovators, risk takers
and entrepreneurs. So where did all this begin?
“The ‘emergent’ movement didn’t begin with Brian
McLaren [in the USA]. It began in the UK in the late
80s. In my New Conspirators book I make a case
that many of the young leaders emerged after the
house church movement began to run out of gas –
people like Jonny and Jenny Baker, Phil and Wendy
Walls and Gerard Kelly.
“They started creating new expressions. What
characterised these emerging churches was they
tried to contextualise – connect with, say, an artists’
community in Liverpool by starting a cafe. Many of
them were much more outwardly focused. Phil and
Wendy Wall write about a Salvation Army church
plant which not only had a significant impact on
working class estates but also started Hope HIV
which is still going. From there it began in Australia
and New Zealand in the early 90s and last of all it
came to the USA.”
It runs deeper than mere activism. “One of the
Being missional in turbulent timesyes magazine talks to tom Sine, author of the new Conspirators, about how facing up to the challenges of discipleship amid the ravages of recession can lead to a festive future
tom Sine with his wife Christine
8 yes Community Edition 2009
“i find a growing number of church leaders don’t want to be blind-sided by this kind of devastating change again. these leaders want to learn to lead with foresight”
to compose their own mission statement. Mustard
Seed is on the same track. “We encourage families
to work together to produce a calling statement.” It
sounds very like what CMS has in mind.
Then, he says, creatively in small groups begin to
re-imagine and free up time for daily scripture and
prayer, free up time for relationships but also a
couple of hours a week for witness and service as
the opportunity presents itself.
“I think this is a very teachable moment as we come
out of recession. In the US we have adult Sunday
school classes. These are not present in UK churches
but some have strong cell group networks. I think
there need to be places to help people re-evaluate
how they steward time and money.”
He has hosts of stories and suggestions for putting
this into practice.
“Here in Britain we found one family had written a
calling statement about being the hospitality of Christ
in their neighbourhood. So they regularly ask a different
child in their family to invite a different neighbouring
family in for a meal. And after a few months they’ve
seen the neighbourhood change through the gift of
hospitality. The kids have started to change and focus
outwardly on the needs of others, instead of on getting
the latest, the neatest, the coolest.”
People tell of offering one lunchtime a week to do
something for people who are clearly in trouble. A
woman in Seattle freed up Wednesday nights to
work with seniors who were bed-ridden, to help
them with their chores so they wouldn’t lose their
homes. She took her pre-school children with her.
“They didn’t watch Mom work – they were right
down scrubbing the floor alongside her.”
Back in the UK, a Vineyard church in Southampton
challenged members to live at the level of welfare
recipients for a period of time and then give the
money to the Jubilee 2009 Fund. This small
congregation were able to free up £24,000. There
are many examples of churches offering debt
counselling and job search support.
making mission a lifestyle
Even so there is still a huge lifestyle challenge
too many Christians seem oblivious to. “On the
evangelical and charismatic side many still have
discipleship wrong. In the US a lot of middle class
people, including a lot of committed Christians, have
been bingeing on borrowed money which of course
is not sustainable. One wonders where the teaching
of the church was to help these good people really
question to what extent they have to have the mega
mansion houses, vehicles and expensive holidays.
“I think part of the problem here in Britain, Down
characteristics of this new movement was that many
of the young leaders really raised the bar about how
to be disciples and how to be church. One of the
words I’ve learned from them is ‘authentic’. They
really want to see more authentic whole-life faith and
they want to see churches, whether traditional or
experimental, more outwardly focused and focused
on mission.” It’s had an influence on Anglican
churches through Fresh Expressions, a network now
led by Graham Cray, the Bishop of Maidstone. CMS
has been part of this from its earliest days.
“One of the things I always find striking when I come
to the UK is how churches in Britain are much more
outwardly focused and interested in mission than here
in the states. When I work with churches in the USA,
whether they’re evangelical or liberal, most of them
do not have a single ministry that they sponsor into
their communities or neighbourhoods. But it would be
unusual, in Britain, with churches I am working with,
to find they are not sponsoring four to five ministries.
So there must be something in the water. I don’t know
what it is.
“We’ve seen in Australia that the Uniting Church
has something of this on a smaller scale. And
in the last two years or so, in the United States,
virtually every major denomination is trying to help
local congregations give birth to more missional
expressions in churches.”
Sine tells the story of a Baptist church in Bangor,
Maine. “It’s a downtown church. They realised they
didn’t know their neighbours. So they did a bonfire
picnic on their grounds and they invited everybody.
The starting point for really engaging with the
community was establishing a community garden on
the land. That kind of thing is beginning to catch on.
“In the UK before the recession hit the Evangelical
Alliance was doing similarly with One Square Mile
projects. Churches were encouraged to create
mission initiatives within one square mile of where
they were located.”
Sine talks about the work of Andrew and Debbie
Jones, who have close links with CMS. “Tall Skinny
Kiwi (that’s Andrew’s blog persona) has done a
remarkable job of creating some small economic
enterprises in the Orkneys. I think we are going to
need more ventures in the future that are oriented to
working with resources in the community rather than
relying on charity funds.”
it’s all about your call
So, where to make a start helping people raise the
bar in discipleship to become more missional?
“The first small step is to help people discern their
calling.” CMS will encourage its community members
There are two things we cannot do alone. One is to be married and the other is to be a Christian.Paul Tournier
9 yes Community Edition 2009
“i think the very good news
is that we can create a new
way of life that is less stressed,
that is more festive, more celebrative”
Under and in the States is the teaching on tithe
stewardship. It would be wonderful if everyone gave
a tithe, which of course very few do these days. The
problem I see is frankly that as soon as people give
10 per cent or some portion thereof, then they are
kind of off the hook. They tend to think what they do
with the rest of their time and their money is pretty
much up to them, their taste, preferences, class,
where they like to party, where they like to holiday. I
think that’s a serious mistake.”
A festive future
What else is needed to get the churches really facing
up to the future? “Our Christian communities in
Britain, Australia, New Zealand and North America
tend to do their long range and strategic planning as
though they were frozen in a time warp. Business
people always do contextual and environmental
forecasting before they plan.
“In The New Conspirators in 2007 I said there was a
real possibility of a major global recession and it would
behove Christian organisations and leaders to develop
some contingency plans now. I urged them to develop
contingencies in case they can’t pay the bills, lose jobs,
can’t pay loans. Frankly they weren’t responsive.”
However, far from doom and gloom, Sine is full of
hope for the times ahead. “Looking to the future I
think the very good news is that we can create a new
way of life that is less stressed, that is more festive,
more celebrative. We have got to reduce our footprint
in terms of our use of energy and money. The only
way we can do that is re-examining the single-family
detached or semi-detached model – people treat it
like it came with the Ark of the Covenant.
“It’s the most land-intensive, energy-intensive way to
live and for people under 40 it’s becoming such an
expensive model. If people can significantly reduce their
living costs and increase their community, then there’s a
much better chance they’re going to be missional.”
Most of all we need to hear God speaking to us
through the needs of others. As Mother Teresa said
‘Jesus Christ is thinly disguised in the poor and the
suffering of the world.’”
Explore Tom’s Mustard Seed world on the Web:
Mustard Seed Associates: www.msainfo.org
Mustard Seed House (where Tom lives):
mustardseedhouse.wordpress.com
When i was growing up in the mid 1970s there
was an advert on the telly by a popular hotel chain
named Holiday Inn whose slogan stated, “The best
surprise is no surprise.” This was to let its customers
know that no matter which Holiday Inn you stayed
at, no matter where it was located on the map,
you could be sure you would get the same quality
accommodation that you had come to expect.
I know there is some trepidation about CMS as
a new mission community post the CMS-South
American Mission Society integration. Everyone
struggles with change and when we think about
community we often think of men with shaved
patches on their heads wearing camel-hair habits,
devoted to suffering in order to help make a better
world.
When I first joined CMS nearly five years ago and
was asked to join the Society, I had to ask myself the
same question you may be asking now: “Why?”
Why did I need to join CMS? I already gave to
mission, prayed for mission, stayed informed
about mission and had a passion for mission. What
difference would it make for me or for CMS if I
joined?
So for the first four years I resisted membership
in the Society. I worked hard in my job to ensure
as best as I could that CMS was not only making
a difference in the world, but telling others about
it so they could be inspired to action, too. I cared
passionately about our work and our people and
our impact. I sought to help find ways to resource
the prayers of our members and supporters, for
instance by helping to create Misson Update and
Prayerlines. I wanted to find new and fresh ways to
get our mission stories out so that people would
be encouraged in their faith and their own personal
witness for Jesus. And I also worked hard with others
to make sure people knew that the support they
gave was making a difference.
But still, I wouldn’t join the Society. Until one day I
realised…
Why not?
When I re-read the five promises of the society
(here condensed): to commend the Gospel, keep
myself informed of mission, pray for mission, use the
resources God gave me responsibly and encourage
others to do the same – wasn’t that what I was doing
already? What was there to disagree with? So I joined.
In CMS, we directors meet every week for prayer
and fellowship and to encourage each other as we
seek to live for Jesus. I have always appreciated that
time we spend together as we share our personal
lives and stories, and encourage each other to keep
seeking to make a difference in all we do.
As followers of Jesus with a special passion for
mission we all need that kind of accountability. A
time to reflect, a person to pray with about the
personal challenges I face, with someone I know has
“I know there is some trepidation about CMS as a new mission community post the CMS-South American Mission Society integration”
the best surprise is no surpriseJoseph Steinberg on why he joined CmS (finally)
10 yes Community Edition 2009
a similar passion. That is the kind of community I am
thankfully part of now in CMS. And one I want to be
a part of in the future.
Thankfully, that is the kind of community we are
becoming. One that not only seeks to live out the
same values that helped form us 210 years ago, but
also acknowledges the need to do it together, to help
each other, to be accountable to one another and to
seek to regularly review how we are doing, and then
ask how we can do it better.
When the CMS Community re-launches at Pentecost
next May I can safely say “the best surprise is no
surprise” and there will be no surprises.
Sure, we had five promises and now we have seven –
but are they really much different? Are they promises I
am already living, or wanting to live anyway?
The seven promises of the CMS Community are
essentially: 1) to make my life about mission, 2) to help
be a part of God’s transforming work in the world, 3)
to acknowledge that mission is also my responsibility
to live out, 4) to live for Jesus every day, 5) to ensure
I keep myself fuelled up through Bible study and fuel
mission through my prayers and connection with
others, 6) to help keep mission as a priority in my
church and 7) to regularly review how I am doing with
the other six promises and renew my commitment to
them, preferably with another member.
I have to say, I love the seven promises. They help
keep my life intentionally focussed on mission in the
name of Jesus. They help me regularly renew my
commitment to Jesus and to seeing his love shared
with others – not only in those I seek to support
overseas, but also in my own life.
There is integrity in this. I can look my African, Asian,
South American, and other brothers and sisters
of the faith in the eyes and say, “Yes, I believe in
mission where you are and am seeking to make
a difference there through my praying giving and
sending. But I am also helping to make a difference
for the gospel here where I am too. I am living a
mission lifestyle. You can trust me on that.”
For me, living for Jesus, seeing him shared and lives
changed is what my life is about. Being a part of the
CMS Community helps make that happen and helps
me help others with the same passion to dolikewise.
Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that?
Joseph Steinberg is director of mission stewardship
at CMS in Oxford.
“...i love the seven promises.
they help me keep my life intentionally
focussed on mission in
the name of Jesus.”
the seven promises.the mission spirituality of the CmS Community.
Mission of God in Christ 1. To participate in the life and
mission of the community so as to engage more fully in God’s transforming mission amongst all peoples in all places.
Image of God restored2. To encourage the transformation
of individuals, communities and societies by sharing
Jesus and encouraging others to become his disciples.
Serving Christ in others3. To discern and live out my vocation,
my mission service – encouraging and learning from others in theirs.
Sharing the Good News4. To follow the Lord Jesus daily,
witnessing to his love in everything I am, say or do, and with all the resources that I have, encouraging others to do the same.
Inspiration for daily life5. To shape my life by regular prayer,
Bible reading, study, reflection and mutual encouragement (one possible pattern of prayer is the CMS Daily).
Outcomes in local-global mission6. To be part of a local Christian community,
working to see its life shaped by the global ministry of Jesus and by sharing in the mission of the worldwide
church.
New life in the Spirit7. To participate in the regular review
and renewal of discipleship and the life of the community, reviewing personal ‘rhythms of life’, and being open to sharing with others.
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11 yes Community Edition 2009
It takes a whole village to raise a child.An African Proverb
Some 2,000 years ago a movement began,
which would go on to transform individuals and
reshape empires with a vision of a world renewed
through love of God and love of neighbour.
Initially comprised of Jewish followers of the healer-
teacher Jesus of Nazareth, later known as People of
the Way, then as Christians, this movement was, from
its beginnings, formed in community. Jesus grew a
community of disciples, and the early church sprang
to life in small communities around the empire.
Community life soon became a surging stream
through which the flowing resurrection life of Jesus
was shared – and the world changed.
Two millenia on, there seems to be a renewed
discovery of the possibilities for good that can
come from small groups of people getting together
to try to follow Jesus, to experience sharing his
resurrection life and to see their lives – and their
wider communities – transformed.
Why the emphasis on community? Since the time of Jesus his followers have perhaps
most effectively embodied his presence by living
out stories of community. The late Br Roger of Taize
memorably called for Christians to ‘”live a parable
of community.” And in this wonderful but suffering
world the need for new Christ-centred communities
serving their wider communities is as vital as it has
ever been.
Why missional? In the gospels Jesus called his followers to look
outwards to engage lovingly and creatively with
the world around them. [“Blessed are those who
mourn, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are
the peacemakers...”] The risen Jesus is for all peoples
and for all times, and cannot be contained, limited or
selfishly hoarded.
Why small? Small is not necessarily a virtue on its own. But in
Christian community smallness enables participation,
and participation is crucial if people are to shape
and be shaped by their following of Christ in their
own context and setting. Smallness enables genuine
transformations, authentic relationships and gritty
engagements with the world.
Small missional community experienceFor the past five years I’ve been part of a small
Christ-following community in my town. It’s been an
amazing experience, at times tough, often wonderful,
always shaping us for the better. The community is
made up of people in all kinds of jobs, and includes
both children and adults, not living under one roof
but trying to live a community rhythm of weekly
community meals, daily prayer, weekend worship,
and acts of service to neighbour and stranger.
As one member put it, “This community has given me
space to contribute whatever God has given me...has
reawakened creativity in me, and has started to help
me reconnect my faith and aspects of my life that had
somehow come to inhabit separate boxes.”
It’s just one model, it’s not spectacular, and it’s
definitely not the right or the only way, but the
community’s life has quietly rippled out and seems to
have made a difference to people in it and around it.
the small missional communities projectChrist-centred community life can change the world,
but experience shows that it is neither easy to start
nor simple to sustain. It’s pioneering, demanding
work that can feel fragile and hard. This is where the
CMS Small Missional Communities project comes
in. Our aim is to facilitate, encourage and enable
the growth of small missional communities, initially
in the UK, through offering a mix of conversation,
mentoring, guiding and resourcing.
There’s an online network where people interested
in starting and sustaining communities can share
learning. The network resources include a weekly
series of discussions called ‘Ways into Small
Missional Community’ offering insights and inviting
group members to share their experiences and
learning in these areas.
Why CmS? For 200 years CMS and our forebears, inspired by
the Jesus we find in the gospels and rediscover in
daily experience, have been seeking to transform
the world, beginning with the fight against slavery
and continuing in the 21st century. Currently CMS
mission partners are working in areas such as urban
CmS and SmCs
12 yes Community Edition 2009
that’s “small missional communities” to the rest of us. ian Adams explains how starting a small missional community can change the world.
The nature of this network of small missional
communities – largely lay-led, incorporating shared
learning styles, and shaped by the people in each
community – means that a new generation of small
missional communities will have the flexibility to
emerge from and adapt to their own cultures and
settings. This is an exciting prospect.
Ian Adams is the CMS missional community
developer.
For more information on small missional communities:
web: cms-uk.org/smc
online network: cmskindling.ning.com/group/smc
email: [email protected]
phone: 01548 550388
mobile: 07889906983
development, caring for underprivileged children,
hospitals and environmental action and protection.
CMS knows what it’s like to engage in mission, and
its global insights, experiences and partnerships
provide a rich store of resources and inspiration to
small missional communities.
CMS is also now an acknowledged mission
community in the Church of England. So, in a similar
way perhaps to the Franciscans, CMS is working
out another fluid model of mission and presence
alongside – and complimentary to – existing
parish or diocesan models. Some small missional
communities are exploring formal links to the CMS
community and may come to see CMS as their
primary place of belonging and accountability. Others
will be happily plugged into their own local networks.
“Smallness enables genuine transformations,
authentic relationships
and gritty engagements
with the world”
13 yes Community Edition 2009
We’re putting our wheels in mission on a 13-city cycle, rolling into Oxford just in
time for Day 50 celebrations (see back cover).To learn more about being part of the ride, or sponsoring a cyclist, contact Chris Woo: [email protected] tel: 01865 787517
Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead
CmS sponsored national cycle tour may 2010
For more information visit: www.cms-uk.org/challenges
14 yes Community Edition 2009
We moved from Watford to oxford last August
in order for my husband to be near the CMS office
where he works, and also to be part of the new
CMS-instigated residential community in East Oxford:
House 244. After a year of helping to get the house
in order, along with nine other residents ranging in
ages from age zero to fiftysomething, we’re starting
to settle into a new way of living. Recently, I have
found myself meditating on all that we have brought
to this community, and all that we have gained.
Whilst the Freecycle network in Watford benefited
greatly from my family’s move to Oxford I fear we
still brought too
much with us. As
I sifted through
our belongings
I was caught by
the urge to get
rid of as much
as possible,
motivated both
by the smaller
space we were moving into and the desire for a fresh
start with less clutter. Other community members
have said the move to Oxford gave them a “chance
to re-evaluate how much stuff we have.”
Acts 2:44 tells us that early believers “were together
and had everything in common.” I can’t claim that
we share everything but I have found unexpected
blessings in sharing some things. When there are so
many things you can share you realise how little you
actually need to own. More than one couple living
in the house has small children. One of the benefits
we have found is the sharing of toys between the
children in the house. We only “need” one television
(much to the confusion of the television licensing
agency) and find that we don’t watch it very often
as there are always other more interesting things to
do and people to talk to. After years of feeling guilty
about how much television I watch, it now seems
dull in comparison to conversation.
A major motivation for us as a community is the
good stewardship of the resources we have been
given and our impact on the planet. By living
together we hope to pool our resources and
ultimately use less. By buying the majority of our
groceries in bulk we can afford to buy higher quality,
more environmentally friendly products. I have also
found that it is a good lesson to have to wait to use
something like the washing machine or telephone as
it reminds you that having access to these things is a
privilege and not something to be taken for granted.
Although Acts 2:44 is often used to show the
Christian principle of sharing material goods, I doubt
very much that the early believers left it at that. The
“stuff” we all bring with us into community is not
just physical. One of the questions we were asked
upon applying to move into the house pertained to
the particular interests,
skills and abilities we
could bring to the
community. It has
been fascinating to see
how different people
can contribute to the
running of the house,
from organising events
to draw people in,
to growing vegetables in the garden, to using their
networking skills to meet others’ needs. When faced
with a new challenge, you discover just what skills
you have. Rather like Mary Poppins pulling just the
thing needed out of her carpet bag, I have seen
different community members (both residential and
from the wider community) draw upon different skills
and abilities just as the need arises.
It goes without saying that when you choose to live
closely with other people you also bring with you all
the rest of who you are, even the bits you wish you
could leave behind. When I imagined living in the
community I envisaged myself turning overnight into a
paragon of virtue, simply by sheer force of will. I would
leave behind my bad habits, my judgemental attitudes,
and any tendency towards gossip. I would never make
myself vulnerable by exposing my weaknesses because
I wouldn’t have any. I believed that in order to find my
place in the community I would need to be perfect. A
year in, I have found that it is precisely in times when
our weaknesses are exposed by close communion
with others, that we are transformed in more than a
cosmetic way. God uses others to knock the edges off
us and refine our characters.
A year of living 2/44
“the ‘stuff’ we all bring with us into community is not just physical”
All that you can’t leave behind, you bring with you, says Emma Woo, resident of the House 244 community in oxford
15 yes Community Edition 2009
As humans we have a deep desire to be known,
even in all our imperfection. The relief in living
closely with others and finding that they are not
perfect is magical. The acknowledgement that you
don’t have to be perfect to be loved and accepted
is an important step in healthy Christian growth and
transformation.
My reflection at the end of this year then is that when
you are trying to build community, be it a residential
community like ours, or simply a stronger relationship
with your neighbours or your fellow church members,
you should bring with you all that you can’t leave
behind. Everything that makes you “you” can be
used by God to build community and intimacy.
Your material resources could be more of a blessing
“As humans we have a
deep desire to be known,
even in all our imperfection”
to others than you realise and your openness and
willingness to use your skills and experiences could
change someone else’s life for the better.
in August 2008, seven adults and two babies
moved into House 244 in oxford and began a
new phase in the ongoing journey of CMS.
As we explore what community means and how
to express it in our world, it is important to recall
our roots. CMS was birthed from a group of people
passionate to live out their Christian discipleship in a
relationship not only with the Lord Jesus Christ, but
also with each other. Gathered in Clapham Common,
they met three times a day for prayer, and in so doing
rediscovered the power of God’s Spirit lifting them
from their immediate concerns to hear the cry of the
oppressed. Within a short time they had changed the
world by challenging and then abolishing the slave
trade, and discovered for themselves the call to share
in God’s mission for the whole world—and so birthed
what is now the Church Mission Society.
This call to a shared life has always been part of
the CMS experience, whether residentially, through
various training colleges, or retreat houses such as
St Julian’s or the Fellowship House of Foxbury, or in
gatherings for prayer and fellowship. Such a com-
mitment flows not simply from our history, nor the
human desire to meet together; it comes deep for
the heart of God, who revealed himself as commu-
nity – the community of the Trinity. Early followers of
Jesus discovered this call to relational living. This was
reflected in the early church, has echoed down the
generations, and now needs to be rediscovered.
There can be little doubt that our world teeters on
the edge of disaster, and that many of the ways in
which we have lived, especially in the West, will be
insufficient to deal with impending challenges. We
need to discover new ways of living, which build
deep relationships, enable people to give themselves
in service of others, and encourage the sharing of
ever-scarcer resources. Houses of mission are intend-
ed to be beacons of light, enabling God’s people to
explore and then express a different rhythm of living.
Their ministry is to call all of us to reflect on how we
publicly live out our discipleship.
The opening of a house of mission in Oxford is,
hopefully, just the beginning. The community there
has, at the end of its first year, developed a rhythm of
life, sought to shape that life by a generous hospitality
and is beginning to discover ways to reach out to the
wider community around them. The vision is that such
houses will be established around the country, build-
ing a network of mission communities, committed to
helping Christians grow in their discipleship, and follow
Jesus into his world to share in his mission.
Chris Neal is CMS director for contextual mission
and community.
Firm foundations: Houses of missionA few words from Chris neal
Their community life [of the early Christians], though far from perfect . . . was nevertheless sufficiently different and impressive to attract notice, to invite curiosity, and to inspire discipleship in an age that was as pleasure-conscious, as materialistic and as devoid of serious purpose as our own. Michael Green
We sat down with tim and dakin and Chris
neal and asked some pointed questions about
CmS and community. Here are their candid
responses, somewhat condensed.
First of all, why community?
Well, of course Christian community isn’t a new thing
– the Christian church has always expressed itself
as koinonia – fellowship. God reveals himself to us
in community: the Trinity. A key thing to remember
is that community isn’t, and never has been, an end
in itself — our purpose is to share in God’s mission,
participating in the transformation and renewal of all
creation.
Where did the idea of a CmS community come from?
Community has been part of the fundamental nature
of CMS from the very beginning. Our founders,
members of the Clapham Sect, were an informal
community, living in close proximity, visiting each
others’ houses and sharing hospitality, praying and
working together for the transformation of society
and the extension of the gospel beyond Britain.
This close-knit community became the basis for
a new more spread-out communal expression of
the faith as CMS became an association of those
committed to world mission.
John V Taylor (CMS General Secretary 1963-73)
advocated a vision of CMS as a community of
mission service. He didn’t mean people wearing
strange clothes or living in monastic houses. He had
in mind a spread-out community, people linked by
a shared commitment to sharing Jesus: living in a
Christ-like way with a regular rhythm of work, prayer,
reflection, study, hospitality and witness. Being a
community is a way to refresh our founders’ vision
and explore new ways of living it out.
Aren’t there already lots of Christian communities?
Yes, however, the world situation has changed and
mission is changing all the time. Since our particular
focus is on mission, CMS has some unique things
to share with the wider church, like experience and
skills in cross-cultural mission and ways for people to
respond to Christ’s call to life-long discipleship.
you just said mission has changed. Can you elaborate on that and tell us how CmS becoming a community is a response to the times?
Britain and Europe used to be the heartlands of
world Christianity, enabling the expansion of the
church all over the world; today they are in spiritual
recession. The mission field is no longer just “over
there”. It’s right at our doorstep. More importantly,
the task is too big and too important to be left to
professional missionaries alone. What we need is
every member mission. As a community, CMS can
help the church understand this and become globally
and locally connected in mission.
does that mean CmS will no longer work in Asia in Africa, but only in Europe?
Absolutely not. The community will continue to be
linked to CMS–sponsored work and partnerships.
It will continue to foster the exchange of mission
partners, short-term mission projects, and the
interchange of people from Africa, Asia and
Latin America. Also, as well as stimulating and
encouraging people to directly participate in mission,
our experience of cross-cultural mission training
is now seen as highly relevant to the Church of
England’s desire to train people for pioneer ministry.
How did CmS become recognised/acknowledged as a mission community by the Church of England?
As we’ve said, the idea has been around a long
time. It re-emerged as CMS undertook various
strategic reviews around its bi-centenary year
(1999). Last year, members were consulted in a
series of meetings held throughout the country.
Then in November 2008 the Advisory Council on
the Relations of Bishops and Religious Communities
of the Church of England formally recommended
that CMS should be acknowledged. CMS needed
to satisfy the Advisory Council that it was properly
constituted, ready to agree a rhythm of life, put in
place a process of review and appoint an Episcopal
Visitor. In the first instance the Bishop of Coventry,
the Right Rev Christopher Cocksworth will take on
this responsibility.
Community: good questions
16 yes Community Edition 2009
So what do individual members do? What are the obligations and responsibilities?
Members are encouraged to commit to seven
promises: (i) use the community to engage more
fully in mission (ii) work for the transformation of
individuals and communities through sharing Jesus
and helping others to become disciples (iii) serving
others (iv) sharing the good news (v) regular prayer,
Bible reading, study and reflection (vi) being part
of a local Christian community connecting to and
living out the global ministry of Jesus (vii) regularly
reviewing and renewing their discipleship with the
help of others. It’s important to understand that there
is plenty of space for each individual to express these
in their own way.
What values does the community stand for?
CMS has four key values that inform our common
life. We strive to be (i) pioneering (ii) evangelistic (iii)
relational and (iv) faithful. Community is not an end
in itself, but a way of sharing the special gifts of CMS
with the wider church.
does membership require living in a residential community?
No. CMS members have always been a spread out
movement, people committed to being salt and light
wherever they are. Even so, some members may
wish to form residential mission communities or be
linked to one.
if i’m already a CmS member, will i be required to start all over again?
CMS members have been the lifeblood of its
mission work from the earliest days. The integration
of CMS and the South American Mission Society
(SAMS) requires the creation of a new legal entity.
Consequently, existing members will need to renew
their membership. There’s an expectation that
mission partners will be members of the community.
In the buildup to that we will all be encouraged
to engage in a special six-session study of the
membership promises during Lent 2010. We’re
planning to give this Lent resource to all members,
so that we can all work through it during Lent. Then
during Pentecost, we will ask people to renew their
membership and we will celebrate this renewal with
some very special events.
What steps are involved for newcomers to become members?
People who wish to become members of the
community are invited to indicate their commitment
to its vision and values. They will be encouraged to
write their own membership commitment and then
share this with an existing member who will link
them with other Community members.
is the community primarily for the uK? Can people from elsewhere join?
It’s fair to say that the community is primarily UK-
Europe. It is understood, however, that there will
be many from elsewhere who share our mission
vision and values and will want to join CMS including
mission partners sent from the UK and Salt
Fellowship members.
What is the leadership structure?
Members of the CMS community will regularly elect
a body of Trustees from among their number. They
are responsible for governance and policy making.
They appoint a General Secretary who with a senior
management team and staff are responsible for day
to day operations of the CMS mission organisation.
The community will open up many new
opportunities for members to participate in mission
locally and globally.
does it have a constitution and rules? How can these be changed?
Yes. The purpose of these is to set out the vision and
values of the Community. As with all constitutions,
there are procedures to be followed in the event that
members propose constitutional change. The aim of
the community is to assist its members to live out their
discipleship, energise people for mission, and to offer
ways to help people to review how they’re getting on.
What’s happens if the community goes off the rails?
First of all, the community will have an Episcopal
Visitor whose task is to ensure that it is faithful to its
vision and values and that it’s rhythm of life is in good
shape. Elected trustees carry a special responsibility
for governance and oversight. And members are
encouraged to be accountable to each other. The
Ethos Statement of CMS is another important
safeguard of our vision, values and spiritual life.
If you have questions that haven’t been answered
here, please feel free to request an extended version
of this question-answer session.
15 yes Community Edition 2009
18 yes Community Edition 2009
Crow
ther
Cen
tre
new
s Forthcoming events:
you are invited to the following free,
public lectures:
7.30 pm, 23 november 2009: Nick Spencer
“Darwin: Evolutionist, agnostic... and honorary
missionary” at St Giles’ Church, Oxford.
Nick Spencer is Director of Studies at the public
theology think tank, Theos, having previously worked
for the Henley Centre, the London Institute for
Contemporary Christianity and the Jubilee Centre.
Annual Crowther Lecture at the Crowther
Centre for mission Education:
7.30 pm, 3 december 2009: Stephen Bevans SVD
“Constancy or Fidelity? Contextual Theology and
Christian Tradition”
missiologists in Residence
dr Stephen Bevans SVd – Sept to dec 2009
Dr Stephen Bevans is currently Professor of Mission
and Culture at the Catholic Theological Union in
Chicago, USA.
Before joining the faculty in 1986, Stephen Bevans
spent nine years in the Philippines teaching theology
at a diocesan seminary. That experience coloured the
way he does theology and influenced his theological
interests. His teaching and research probes issues in
faith and culture, of mission theology (particularly its
Trinitarian roots), and in ecclesiology and ministry. He
is author of Models of Contextual Theology and co-
author (with Roger Schroeder SVD) of Constants in
Context: a theology of mission for today.
dr Lalsangkima Pachuau – Feb to may 2010
Dr Lalsangkima Pachuau was born and grew up in India.
Currently, he is director of postgraduate studies and
associate professor of history and theology of mission
at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, USA. He
has authored and edited several books, including Ethnic
Identity and Christianity (Peter Lang, 2002).
His interests are world Christianity, missiology,
social and religious movements in South Asia and
contextual and intercultural theologies.
Dr Pachuau, an ordained minister of the Presbyterian
Church of India, is a parish associate for the
Nicholasville Presbyterian Church and is a member of
the church development and evangelism committee,
Transylvania Presbytery. He is married to Lalneih Kimi
Sailo. They have two sons.
The Crowther Centre for Mission Education is located at CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZwww.cms-uk.org
For more information please contact Berdine van den Toren Tel: 01865 787400 Email: [email protected]
Current titles:
1. In the Shadow of the Elephant: Bishop Crowther and the African missionary movement Jehu J Hanciles, March 2008
2. Trauma, Migration and Mission: biblical reflections from a traumatised Hebrew Ida Glaser, June 2008
3. Bula Matari and Life-Community for God’s Mission in Congo Titré Ande, July 2008
4. The Bible and Tomorrow’s World Tom Wright, September 2008
5. A Biblical Basis for Project Evaluation Johan P Velema, March 2009
6. Christian Mission in a Pluralist Context: on the margins and in competition? Tim Dakin, March 2009
7. A Church of England Approach to the Unique Significance of Jesus Christ Martin Davie, May 2009
8. Telling it Slant: the need for ec-centric mission John Pritchard, May 2009
9. Christianity in Europe: the way we are now Parush R Parushev, May 2009
10. The Demographics and Dynamics of Christian ExpansionTodd M Johnson, September 2009
11. Wrestling with Angels — Inspiration and WritingCatherine Fox, September 2009
12. Growing Hopeful Earthkeepers: Training Missionaries in the Care of CreationFay Farley, September 2009
13. Global Poverty and Integral MissionC René Padilla, September 2009
“Excuse me, may i have your monograph?”of course you can!Crowther Centre monographs are proof that good things come in small packages. These occasional publications from key mission thinkers and practitioners highlight current issues in mission. They’re already a bargain at £2.50 each, but purchase a subscription and get 6 printed monographs for only £12 or £10 for digital (pdf) versions. They’ll be sent to you as soon as they are published.
Orders can be placed through the CMS website: www.cms-uk.org/monographs Or go to the CMS online shop: www.cms-shop.org.uk
Crowther Centre for Mission EducationCMS, Watlington Road, OX4 6BZ 01865 787400 www.cms-uk.org
19 yes Community Edition 2009
Evangelism and conversion to Christianity
can be of public benefit, the Charity Commission
found in a public-benefit assessment report on
the Church Mission Society released in July. The
report gave CMS a full bill of health and made no
recommendations to the Society’s Trustees for
changes. The Charities Act now requires all registered
charities to show that their work contributes a public
benefit. CMS was one of 12 organisations selected
for in-depth assessment. The other Christian
organisation involved was Stoke-based United
Christian Broadcasters. The public benefit credentials
of independent fee-paying schools has been the
major issue under scrutiny in public debate.
it’s with great sadness that we note the death
of ian Smith 29 July 2009. For the last two years
he was mission director for CMS Ireland and before
that, he spent 23 years with CMS. In Ian’s own
words, mission was “in his DNA.” Our thoughts and
prayers are with his family – particularly his wife Carol
and his son and daughter Luke and Colletta.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are imprecise and
often misused to incite violence against religious
minorities, particularly Christians. Now the Network
for Interfaith Concerns of the Anglican Communion
is inviting people to sign a petition seeking their
abolition. Bishop Samuel Azariah of the Church
of Pakistan comments, “The time has come for
the government to seriously reflect that they have
not been able until now to control the misuse of
the blasphemy law and it keeps increasing and
increasing.” To add your voice to this initiative, go to
this website:
http://pakistansignnow.petitionhost.com
the Rt Rev michael nazir-Ali, a former CMS
General Secretary, ended his time as Bishop of
Rochester at the end of August with a ringing call
for the Church of England to speak out more to
preserve the country’s Christian heritage and offer
clearer moral guidance. “I think it will need to be
more visible and take more of a stand on moral and
spiritual issues,” the bishop said. Born in Pakistan, he
became the Church’s first Asian bishop when he was
appointed to Rochester in 1994.
A word of welcome to the Most Rev Nicholas
Orogodo Okoh who has been elected Archbishop
of Nigeria. He succeeds Archbishop Peter Akinola
who was interviewed in Yes magazine back in 1997.
He revealed himself as a very plainspoken leader,
deeply concerned about how Nigeria’s army had
been exhausted through being politicized, and highly
critical of the country’s culture of corruption.
We note with sadness the passing of Archbishop
Joseph Marona, fifth Archbishop of Sudan. Yes
magazine interviewed him with the man who
became his successor, Dr Daniel Deng Bul, in 1998.
Joseph Marona was a fearless wartime leader of
his people. His stories of endurance and God’s
providence in hard times were always an inspiration.
Speaking of Sudan, massacres in Jonglei State have
exposed deep fears for Sudan’s peace process and
prompted an international appeal by its archbishop.
The killings took place in Wernyol, a town in Twic East
County, Jonglei State, and were politically motivated,
according to the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church
of Sudan, the Most Rev Dr Daniel Deng Bul.
by John Martin
“there are over 55,000
Congolese people living
in exile in Britain”
there are over 55,000 Congolese people living in exile in
Britain and a growing number of diaspora churches; we
know of over 40. CmS is connecting with some of them
through a new Prayer for Peace in Congo network, which
held a prayer vigil in London on 21 September.
nEXt iSSuE oF yes duE February 2010
Ian Smith