As a vicar in a super diverse area I’ve always found it hard to put my finger on any one or even a few things, when people ask me for an opinion about race, building a multi ethnic congregation, or reaching a multi religious area. I’m normally a clear and concise thinker but when it comes to describing my ministry I prefer to tell stories than summarise in bullet points. Your comments John help to explain why. Perhaps it is also a western cultural trait to try and create a linear structured response or plan. A circular and more narrative approach sits less easily with our way of thinking. But the gospel works precisely because God has chosen to express his love for his people through a story not a set of bullet points. It’s good to be reminded that the church is not an institution or organisation, in which managers pull levers of change, but rather an organic, living vessel of the Spirit.
As a vicar in a super diverse area I’ve always found it hard to put my finger on any one or even a few things, when people ask me for an opinion about race, building a multi ethnic congregation, or reaching a multi religious area. I’m normally a clear and concise thinker but when it comes to describing my ministry I prefer to tell stories than summarise in bullet points. Your comments John help to explain why. Perhaps it is also a western cultural trait to try and create a linear structured response or plan. A circular and more narrative approach sits less easily with our way of thinking. But the gospel works precisely because God has chosen to express his love for his people through a story not a set of bullet points. It’s good to be reminded that the church is not an institution or organisation, in which managers pull levers of change, but rather an organic, living vessel of the Spirit.