The Church and the World

I'd like to address two questions that were left on the comment sheets at convention. The first one was, “What about reaching out to people who have recently been released from prison?” The second was, “How can the Church reach out to other ethnic groups- Russians, Ukrainians, Koreans and other Asians, Africans?”

The first question had contact information, so I was able to follow up. I scheduled a meeting with the person who wrote it. It was a very interesting discussion, on several levels. Obviously, such a ministry is likely to face severe prejudice from law-abiding citizens, people who have been victimized by crime, concerned parents, etc. Despite that, or perhaps because of that, Christians are explicitly challenged to minister to prisoners (cf, Matthew 25:31-46); it is simply not an option. As I thought about the tension between those two realities, I asked the person about how she had dealt with them in conversations with others. She clearly had lots of experience in that ministry, and knew far more about what the challenges and opportunities were than I did. Then it occurred to me that the more I asked, the more I realized that she was the expert in this area. I left her with the question: “What are you (the Church) going to do reach out to people who have recently been released from prison, and what can the rest of us (the Church) do to help you?” She said she would give that some thought. We've followed up and stayed in touch, and she is still mulling over the idea.

As to the second question-- about people of different ethnic and national groups-- there was no contact information, but I would answer that question in much the same way. It seems to me that someone who asks about a particular ministry tends to have a keen interest, perhaps even a calling, in that area. The questioner probably has a much richer insight into the needs of that ministry than the rest of us. How can the Church reach out to other ethnic and national groups? I am fascinated by the question, and would welcome the questioner's insights into the issue. I'll bet he or she has plenty of ideas.

As we move away from the notion of “the Church” and “the World” as being separate realms, I suggest we also try to move away from the notion that the Church hierarchy is somehow an expert on all things. It's not, and it can't be. Rather than asking the bureaucracy for guidance in areas in which it may have little knowledge or practical experience, perhaps individuals should take ownership of their ministries. Pray, think, plan, lead, and ask for help. How can the OCW team help you develop your ministry?


Happy Advent!
Brad