We had a discussion in our housegroup a few weeks back about social justice and serving the community, cos that's what we're talking about at the moment (actually it's what we've been talking about and been involved in for quite a while now).
We started talking about the metaphor of bridging between the church and the community and someone in the group (the maladjusted one!) said she didn't really like the bridging thing any more or see it as that helpful as it implied that people have to come across to the church (although it might also imply that we have to do something about crossing over out of own own comfort zones to where others are). But I think it's a really valid thing to say - she said she believed instead that we needed to just journey alongside people. It reminded me of an article I read on 'small ritual' talking about that very thing, which is really what this blog is about.
"The campfires of Christian communities on the move light the unmapped expanse; beacons for travellers, places of refreshment and shelter, places to share wisdom and warnings about the road. A campfire works by attraction not compulsion; it doesn't have a boundary fence. It's open to approach, and there's a sacred duty of hospitality."
But I particularly liked the second bit of what was said because I think it is very true -
"The trouble is, we're tempted to take our visitors hostage. As soon as they drop their guard we tie them up to prevent them leaving. "It's for your own good," we say, "Don't you know it's *dark* out there!" The assumption is that those who leave our campfire are choosing the darkness, rather than heading for the next campfire on a continuing journey with God. As if campfires were in competition. As if they were final destinations."
We need to let people come and go on their terms, because it's about God reaching out to people. At points he brings people into our orbit so that we can journey with them for a while, care for them and share something of what we understand about God. Ultimately the outreaching and the calling are his, but it's a joy to co-create with God when he asks us to join him.
