We have been playing with the metaphor Here be dragons as a way to describe what we are up to and where we are with Church on the edge. On old maps there is that space simply described as Here be dragons. We are committed to going to a new place with young people and have been off the map for a while now.
We simply do not buy into the language of whos in and whos out, dualism, etc, We recognise the curtain has been torn, the kingdom is now and not yet, the earth and everything it is the lords, follow missio dei and refuse to see mission as a bridge into church but simply collapse the bridge.
We described our approach to being and growing church in this new land to a young person and here is what Sam (18yrs) came up with what do you think? (click it to enlarge)
StreetSpace going to a new place with young people
We build on the idea that we tack (like a ship sailing into the wind) with young people on a journey to become fully human and in the process we discover what it means to be fully human and what it is to be/grow church. In the process I think I have learnt that actually the dragons aren’t that scarey anyway.
nice one Richard – I admire your committment and seeking to work out Donovan’s approach…
Our next grace explores the idea of terra pericolosa – dangerous ground off the edge of maps. We’re looking at Acts in that regard. I really recommend Amos Young’s book Who Is the Holy Spirit which looks at how in Acts so much of the work of the Spirit is to get people to move beyond the spaces they are comfortable in or think God might be at work in. It made me think I might be charismatic after all!
So often churches and youth worker seem to be entrenched in the same patterns of doing things and the same ways of thinking, it gets me genuinely excited to read things like this.
Hi James it’s your fault for introducing me to Christianity rediscovered. Jonny I always had you down as a charismatic although I do think you should hop more in church. Neil it is so hard to break out of the old ways and mainly down to our own lack of courage. I still myself pulled back by the lure of old certainties which when you look more closely don’t work any way