Journeying Out: A New Approach to Christian Mission

by Ann Morisy (Author), Ann Morisy (Author)

• New

  paperback
  

  $25.71

  This book provides a transformational theory of action which supports community ministry. It demonstrates just how much society needs the churches. Triggered by the collapse of the Welfare State and the movement towards 'New Ways of Being Church', local churches have embraced community involvement. Meeting community needs can dominate people's thinking. Ann Morisy makes the case that preoccupation with needs meeting can mask a host of other positive outcomes which favour the Church's wider mission. Providing opportunities for people to express commitment to wider struggles at local and even global levels brings the experience of being without power and the risk of being overwhelmed. Such situations usher in receptiveness to God and openness to the Christian faith. By taking seriously the scope for everyone to discover their distinctive vocation a powerful mission strategy is available that enables people to journey out from the security of suburbia. Furthermore, it builds on churches unique capacity to generate transformational experiences that are so prized in the emerging experience economy. Ann Morisy writes from her extensive experience of social action, neighbourhood renewal and mission. This book brings together insights from economics and biology as well as taking seriously the growing emphasis on social capital. These insights highlight the importance of an oblique approach to mission in today's complex and fragmenting society. And importantly these ideas are presented in a down-to-earth way which makes for practicality as well as originality.

• Used

  Paperback
  2004

  $3.28

  Triggered by the collapse of the Welfare State, local churches have swarmed into community involvement. As Rowan Williams argued forcefully in his Dimbleby Lecture, society needs the Church, and is at last begiining to realise this. By giving way to a needs-meeting-philosophy, churches increase the risk of entering a cul de sac. However, there is a different and new transformational theory of action which supports community ministry. The current understanding of our social context is dominated by the notion of social capital. This is a mixed blessing for the Churches, which are always in danger of becoming a pious Rotary Club. But, argues Ann Morisy, there is an aspect of social capital that may liberate churches and Christians. This she terms 'brave social capital'. Brave social capital is a source of generative stories. Generative stories have the power to do their work from below, influencing the decisions we go on to make in our lives. Marketing experts now coin the term 'the experience economy', in recognition that the market for goods and commodities is now saturated. People now want to partake of transformational experiences, and the dynamic market has recently opened up. Churches must be in the business of marketing and promoting transformational experience. So what should the Churches be doing in relation to the many invitations that they now receive to become involved in community matters (Neighbourhood renewal programmes). The Churches must have confidence in their distinct contribution to the renewal and transformation of society.