Church on The Edge

1. Church on The Edge Exploring the connections between, Whale Rider, Ambiguous Evangelism, Christianity Rediscovered, and Meet Them Where They’re at and missiological implications for engaging with young people on the edge

2. Church on the Edge • Ambiguous Evangelism Bob Mayo with Sara Savage and Sylvie Collins SPCK London 2004 • Christianity Rediscovered Vincent Donovan SCM Press London 1982 (2nd Edition) • Meet Them Where They’re At Richard Passmore SU Milton Keynes 2003

3. Ambiguous Evangelism • Research into worldview of Gen Y via the popular arts • Lack of knowledge and Generally happy and positive (p33) • Did not connect spirituality with images (religious or otherwise)

4. Ambiguous Evangelism • “The assumption here, however is that the content of the message will be understood if it can be got across in an appealing way. Our conclusions from the research findings, however were that this is not the case; the lack of underpinning religious narrative means that people are not going to recognise the Christian message for what it is – however well it is presented.” p 7 • Early stage unconscious ignorance to conscious ignorance • How is it possible to share the Christian message in the cultural context in a way that will get over the barrier of ignorance and enable people to interpret what they are hearing? • “The son is the only way to the father, but there are many ways to Jesus Christ.” (Fung,2002:3) p9

5. Ambiguous Evangelism • Current Context • People are broadly sympathetic to Christian beliefs and church. • Majority of population Unchurched (never been in contact) or Dechurched (been but not longer) • Christian Faith does not have a conscious impact. • Generally people give little thought to the matters of the ultimate or transcendent on a day to day basis but live their lives more in terms of the immediate realities. • YP framework more from friends and family and pursuit of self fulfilment • “when matters of ultimate concern, such as birth and death, occasionally penetrated normal life and more immediate loci of meaning were insufficient to explain events, the young people generally turned to Christianity as their back up system; but there was little sense of the faith tradition which lay behind the beliefs and practices to which they turned – there were just echoes of a memory” p28

6. Ambiguous Evangelism The Claims of Christ can be presented: • Playfully appealing to imagination rather than intellect • Through story so people can appropriate the concepts into their own context • In an understated manner • Through dialogue

7. Christianity Rediscovered • Best summed up by the quote (THAT WAS NOT DONOVAN) “In working with young people do not try to call back to where they were and do not call them to where you are as beautiful a place as that may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.”

8. Christianity Rediscovered • To approach each culture with the respect due to it as the very place wherein resides the possibility of salvation and holiness and grace. • To approach people of any culture or nation, not as individuals, but as community. • To plan to stay not one day longer than is necessary in any one place. • To give the people nothing, literally nothing, but the unchanging, supracultural, uninterpreted gospel before baptism. • To help them expand that gospel into a creed and a way of life after baptism. • To enable them to pray as Christians. • To leave them the bible towards the day when they can read it and use it as a living letter in their lives. • To insist that they themselves be their own future missionaries. • To link them with the outside church in unity, and the outside world in charity and justice. • To agree with them that baptism is indeed everything; that the reception of baptism is the acceptance of the total responsibility and the full, active sacramental power of the church, the eucharistic community with a mission. • To encourage them to trust in the Spirit given at baptism, and to use the powers and gifts and charisms given to the community by the Spirit. • The final missionary step as regards the people of any nation or culture, and the most important lesson we will ever teach them – is to leave them (page 162-163)

9. Meet They Where They’re at • Drew from a number of years detached practice in a range of contexts • Author committed to relational, incarnational Youth work • Model translates to a variety of contexts and value bases

10. Meet They Where They’re at 1. SURVELLENCE -Working out which geographical areas or groups of young people to engage 2 COLD CONTACT. Visual stage where we acknowledge the groups 3 COLD CONTACT. Introductions where we introduce ourselves and the project 4. AREA BASED WORK This is when starting in an area or patch and a wide variety of contacts are being made. 5. PEER GROUP WORK This happens as the work becomes more defined and consists of natural groupings of young people. This stage is often where larger groups are identified usually around a shared interest. e.g. football or hanging out and may be too many work with or inconsistent attendance. 6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK As key young people are identified the work should be forward to this stage. This group is made up from the groups that exist within the larger peer group. 7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK This is about taking calculated risks to move the work and relationships forward such as 1-1 work, a relaxing , perhaps having a meal with the young people etc. However this is not about putting yourself or the young people at risk. 8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUALITY Young people should be introduced to aspects of Christianity in practical supportive ways. It can range from events to raise their consciousness of Bigger things, e.g. watching the sunrise, exploring creation, to going to an event. The worker should explain some of the things that may happen at events and translate what is happening at the event and use the opportunity to explore spiritual issues in a supportive way. 9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION OF CHURCH This refers to supporting the young people in local churches or relevant groups, and developing new groups based around the young people developing their own expression of a discipleship group with the worker.

11. Church on The Edge • Aims • Building on the partners strengths and knowledge of working with young people on the edge of society to develop a fresh approach to challenging young people’s behaviour through good youth work processes with the critical intention to grow a relevant expression of church with marginalized young people. • To identify the key issues in establishing church with marginalized young people through the process and disseminate this through the Christian community in the UK to facilitate locally grounded and resource light expressions of church. • The project will to seek to work within a professional framework and believe good youth work is participatory, empowering, educative and promotes equality of opportunity. We seek to enhance the personal, social, emotional and spiritual development of young people that they may realise their full potential.

12. Church on the Edge

13. Church On the Edge • Contacting Community • Growing Community • Connected Community • Exploring Community • Ecclesial community 1-3 SURVELLENCE and COLD CONTACT. 4. AREA BASED WORK 5. PEER GROUP WORK 6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK 7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK 8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUALITY 9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION OF CHURCH

14. Church on the Edge • How does Donovan sit alongside this process? • What are the key questions Donovan would raise about the project? • What are the implications of the findings from Ambiguous Evangelism for the project? • What resources could Ambiguous evangelism provide for the project?

15. Church on the Edge • Drawing from the previous answers develop a detached work plan in line with the four stages identifying key tension points and solutions?