When you’re 60 years old and ‘been there done that’ in church-world it isn’t often that you come across a book that reshapes your thinking and provokes your imagination. I’m not even sure how I stumbled upon The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Krieder, but for the 10 days we were surfing our way up and down the NSW coast, this was my daily read. It’s got a bit of an academic feel about it, being heavily footnoted and referencing significant moments in church history, but I was captivated by the thesis – that the single most potent aspect of the early church’s mission was their ‘patience‘ – a patience that fermented and resulted in around 40% of the empire being Christian by the time of Constantine’s ‘conversion’.
Krieder makes no bones about telling us that the early church had no specific missional strategy, and actually didn’t teach people any of the evangelism skills we have deemed so vital. So why the enormous growth? He suggests that initially it was incremental, but in time it became exponential as people ‘wanted in’. The key to this growth was not the missional savvy, or evangelistic eloquence of these Christians. Rather it was the beauty of their lives formed in Christ, that raised questions and curiosity among their friends and neighbours. Krieder describes the intense catechesis process that new enquirers would need to go thru before baptism and then (finally) church attendance. Cyprian had 120 precepts that needed learning – but not one referenced mission or evangelism.
The key was forming what Krieder calls a ‘habitus’ or a reflexive way of being that is so utterly Christlike that it can’t help but evoke curiosity among people. This was where the early church put their energy – living Jesus-like lives – forming people in these practices – while the task of mission simply flowed from this, rather than being a separate agenda.
It certainly got me thinking. I’d been pondering for the last year what I might write again, by way of a book and my focus keeps getting drawn back to the phrase ‘stop trying so hard‘ – in relation to mission. Could it be that we have been so poor at mission for so long that we have gone a bit over the top with training and teaching so people will feel equipped?
I was teaching on Sunday in our Yanchep church and reflecting on the difference between my experience of mission during our pioneer / experimental church days in Butler, where I tried everything I could to win people over to a Jesus way of life – and our now 14 years in Yanchep, where I intentionally haven’t tried hard at all. The Butler years felt largely ineffective and as I reflect on them I know was operating in a way that didn’t come naturally to me. I was ‘pushing thru’ the pain (of children’s birthday parties etc) to try and connect with local men – but it was a lot of effort. Sure enough some valuable, genuine friendships did form, but I wasn’t ever being myself fully – I was most often ‘working’ in one way or another.
I don’t remember making a conscious decision to drop the intensity in Yanchep, but I know that is what I have done – dropped it to zero… I know I have been more intent on living true to who I am rather than fitting a role. I don’t tend to stay up late, I’m not a big partier, I’m happiest when I’m in the ocean and when I’m genuinely connected with the people in my neighbourhood. And Yanchep has been everything I hoped for Butler and more. With no push or shove from us we have seen people open to discussions around spirituality and faith and these have been great conversations. I have taken the pressure off myself to be a covert converter and have allowed our discussions to free range around a number of topics – some ‘Christian’ and some not.
I feel like I am living in a much more authentic space than I was 20 years ago – I’m just being myself and trusting that I will hear God and follow the lead of his spirit when i need to.
A few weeks back a guy who I have surfed with for the last 10 years called and told me he wanted to get baptised. For about 12 months now he has been exploring faith by attending church, participating in our street group as well as doing his own thinking. One night when he expressed interest in knowing more and learning more I asked him if he wanted to sit down one day and delve deeper. He said ‘no thanks – not really my way…’ Fair enough I thought.
Then he came down and watched while we baptised another friend. I could see his brain ticking but I wasn’t sure of all that was going on. When he rang and requested baptism, I responded by saying ‘I guess that means you want to become a Christian and a follower of Jesus?’
‘Yes’ – he said. ‘I’ve been watching and I want in.’
I went thru the significance of baptism, of the symbolism and the radical life change he was signing up for. ‘Yep – that’s what I want,’ he responded.
So on Sunday we baptised him and it brought me enormous joy. His long time surfing buddy (also a Christian) was a key part of his journey, faithfully living the life of faith without ever getting pushy or weird and now he had been around other Christians for long enough to say ‘I like what I see and i want to sign up.’
He called me before I discovered Krieder’s book, so knowing his story and then reading on Krieder’s focus on ‘habitus’ rather than evangelistic tactics made his baptism all the more significant.
I seriously wonder what would happen if we just told people to ‘stop trying so hard’ to evangelise their friends, and rather put their energies into living generous, kind, hospitable lives. I wonder if we would feel a lot more relaxed and if we may just see people enquiring because their curiosity has been piqued.
There is that one verse in 1 Peter 3:25:
‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.‘
I have often used this verse in speaking of mission, but what I overlooked is the content of the previous 8 or 9 verses. From verse 8 onwards there is a description of the life of faith that would surely be beautiful and compelling to any onlooker. I’ve just inserted two of those verses below, but the full list is a challenging, counter-culture way to live:
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
So next time I speak from 1 Peter 3 I will be inserting those words in their broader context and shifting the focus from getting the words out right, to living a life that evokes those kinds of questions.
It’s not to say all we have learnt or taught about mission is redundant. Presence is important, proximity matters, availability is essential. But I wonder if it’s meant to be ‘easier’ and more natural than it feels some days?
I was on a podcast last when the host finished with 3 or 4 quick questions on ministry and mission – the final one being ‘what’s the best piece of ministry advice you have had?’
‘That’s easy’ I said. Back in 2003 I asked my mother in law what she would do if she were moving into a new community as a missionary. She had been a pastor’s wife for many years so I assumed she would have some helpful advice. She paused for about half a second and then said, ‘That’s easy. I’d just live my ordinary life…’
Back in 2003 I remember feeling utterly underwhelmed by this idea. Surely there must be something innovative, edgy or new that we can do I pondered. But this was her advice – and as one of the best evangelists I have ever met I know it worked for her. So if you feel a bit beaten up and useless when it comes to mission and evangelism maybe you need to hear Val’s words – just live your ordinary life… Val passed away a couple of years back, but her advice has finally struck a chord with me.
And be patient. God is not in a rush (mission started with Abraham) and he is at work in this world. Saving the world is not our business – but living daily from what we know of Jesus is what we are called to.