mission is best called "compassionate service"

Last term the sunday adults community spent a number of weeks exploring the idea of "mission". The tools used, and the conversation generated was excellent. Hopefully the sense of freedom AND call has expanded some people's lives as well.

The resources are easy to grab and so i am including them in this email. You might like to use them with a group you are part of or perhaps do some of your own private work, or with a friend/partner over a meal.

If you are interested read on......

Mission as compassionate service table of contents:

good questions to start a conversation on the topic
notes from a conversation Olivia and Paul had together
some great talks on compassion at one of solace's favourite websites
a broad view of mission using the 7 ways

GOOD QUESTIONS TO START A CONVERSATION ON THE TOPIC

lets start close to home with our real life flesh and blood neighbours

*What are the names of the people living around us? How long have we known them? Do we like them? do they know or like us?
*What are the names of the people we work with? What are they like as people?
*What are the names of the people we buy from? Do we know the names of any of their customers?
*How frequently do you see/connect with someone in order to regard them as a neighbour?
*How selective are we in our relationships? (Can you describe what happens?)
*What good things are our neighbours up to?
*What could/do our neighbours teach us?
*How could/do our neighbours participate on our "salvation"
*Who is the neighbour most different to us?
*Who is the neighbour most similar to us?

NOTES FROM A CONVERSATION BETWEEN OLIVIA AND PAUL

Mission is one of those terrible words that gets used by the Church and carries a big stick. the word "should" gets used with it a lot and we tend to feel guilt and duty at its mention. We are keen to divest ourselves of that baggage!! The words and ideas of mission and evangelism are often mentioned together and seem to be used more by fundamentalist or conservative groups. YEt their take on the idea is fairly narrow.

Mission is an outward focus -the wellbeing of others not yourself. (Life with God has a huge and primary place for every person's wellbeing and whilst we start at the place to be renewed we are inevitably urged by God to focus on "others" as well.)

Jesus' whole attitude was "missional" -focused on "other" - he was sent and sends his friends and followers in a likewise manner.

Compassion seems to be the motivator and the compass. If we can be soft hearted and full of love for the "other" then perhaps we may not go too far wrong. So practices and lifestyles that grow our hearts are vital - much more so than messages or techniques.

Loving God and loving our neighbour are the core of God's commands to us and make up the communal fabric of our life on earth. They are the same command with different faces and as all the letters of John in the NT make clear you can NOT love God and hate your brother.So service to God and the world is the same thing.

To really care for people and get involved in being changed and offering positive change is hard work, so the word "Service" seems apt.

Solace will use the term "compassionate service" to talk broadly and deeply about Jesus' command to be sent out into the world in his name. (The thing some parts of the Church call "mission")

Compassionate service makes sense of and is integral to Jesus' teaching. It is the fulfilment of our true nature.

We wish to include people in the things of God that we have found and enjoy NOT convert. We do not think it has much future focus (apart from hope on the renewing of the earth and heavens), we do not think that it is about getting energy from end times and judgement. It is about God and goodness and each individual and group having a unique and respectful place before God. IT is not about universal homogeneity (we are not all going to look the same, do the same, believe the same etc). It is a dialogue, we are learners in every way. We do not seek to make others like "us".

Can we expand peace and love in the midst of diversity and confusion? Can we truly serve with compassionate hearts?

GREAT TALKS FROM TED

Robin Wright: The evolution of compassion

Pasted from http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_wright_the_evolution_of_compassion.html


Natural History of compassion. Compassion as part of the gene pool. Atheistic take on the golden rule.



Rabbi Jackie Tabick: The balancing act of compassion

Pasted from http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jackie_tabick.html


Woman, UK, Rabbi. Love one's neighbor. The challenges of compassion.

15:46 min.


A TABLE OF THE 7 WAYS AND COMPASSIONATE SERVICE



see the next blog entry!