Learning from the Streets

Love is patient

Love is Kind

Love is not self serving

Love…

I have to thank both Cormac Russell and Jen Johnson for the stimulation to write this piece. In a twitter conversation this week

Cormac shared the phrase itself, or a variant of it here

How often , as Candice points out do organisations use the term ‘non engaging’, ‘resilient’ and ‘hard to reach’. Its something ive definitely written about before. Especially when the funders come knocking at the door.

But then my friend Jen Johnson wrote this:

Do Church based ‘Social Action Projects’ often run the risk of fitting this description?

Of being ‘Colonialism/Empire: wearing the mask of love

So I wonder.

What is the motivation of ‘church based social action projects’ – including the ones I have worked for, and do work for now?

Is it to ‘pure’ to do social action from as faith perspective – without expectation?

Is it considered a ‘waste of time’ to work with some communities ‘because they dont come to church’?

Does the ‘love’ that is shown – that often looks like ‘serving needs’ – a mask for ‘hopefully if we’re nice to people then they think the church is ok’ ?

As another comment suggested – whilst a default is to look at a community with needy eyes – looking at what is needed and the gaps in the community – then the a church or organisation can play ‘rescuer’ or ‘fixer’ or saviour. Sometimes thats the look the church wants. Sometimes that temptation runs very deep. Its an organisational codependency thats impossible to shift.

I have heard it said that im a dreamer, and that in the ‘real world’ the church is empty and this is what the priority should be

I have heard it said to clergy that they are not social workers – and that ‘their job is discipleship’ not social work.

A reality is that most people don’t believe you when you say you are doing something for nothing. The problem is that for too many people they’ve been on the receiving end of toxic gifts the church has offered, that have never been free. Friendship evangelism was never friendship or evangelism.

So let me ask you, to reflect on the question

Is your understanding of the mission of God – ‘colonialism; wearing the mask of love’?

Or should we abandon masking love at all and just do colonialism – full on street preaching that in its method has barely love.

Or just ‘love’ because – thats a gospel command, to love one another, love your neighbour, love yourself, love God.

Can we loosen the ties of empire and colonialism – for the sake of love?

If actions of ‘love’ ; have to be justified by impact or growth – is that love – or a clashing gong or symbol?

I am questions, because I ask myself the same questions. Have I been implicit in this? Have I as a Christian done similar things, fell into the trap, a trap I am now more aware of, yes id like to think not, but certainly in some organisations, love plays second fiddle to evangelism, in others I worked for love was a motivator, but ‘the churches were empty of young people’ was more explicit. What was my task in the midst, to navigate a path my pwn integrity struggled to cope with, and ultimately couldn’t. I would rather be accused of being a dreamer and unrealistic I suppose and fall into the cracks, still believing and hoping and loving. Maybe from a point of being frustrated that loving has been diluted with expectation has emerged my own criticisms of others, yet I know, an I am learning to be better. Ultimately in all things, change starts with me, starts from the inside and works out wards. But sometimes, like the conversation above, I need my own poke from a loving prompting stick.