Maintaining Christian Distinctiveness

The missional challenge for Christian social action

For the ‘person in the street’, who has been the best witness to Christianity?

How about….?

Or even…

Lord Shaftesbury (1801 – 1885)

Passionate faithPractical MissionPolitical Activism

The Great Reformer

John Grooms (1845 – 1919)

Passionate faithPractical MissionVisionary Action

A ‘hero of change’

160 years on…Keeping our Christian

distinctivenessThe missional challenge for Christian social action

Why do Christian community projects

‘lose’ their faith?

Faded The project started with a desire to connect with people, but now we just meet their needs as best we can

We’ve lost sight of why we started – the pressures of trying to keep going have been so great. We’ve had to follow funding so don’t do what we set out to do anymore

FearfulWe have to be very careful – it would not go down well with our funders if we thought we were too Christian

People would stop coming if we were too open about our faith

FossilisedThe vicar still chairs our committee but there is no real connection with the church

There is no involvement from the congregation – unless they don’t like any changes we make

Our context…• Decline of Christian influence

and the church’s role in society• Mixed statutory sector

messages about ‘faith’ and faith groups

• The ‘well worn path’ of Christian organisations / projects who have moved away from their faith roots

• A weak understanding of the nature of Christian mission

The ‘mixed ingredients’ for Christian social action

Christian social action

ChurchChurch growth

Buildings

People

‘Deep’ commitment

Mission theology

Voluntary sectorGovernment agendas

Funding & monitoring

Ideology

‘Good practice’

Faith Spirituality/

prayer/theology/ethos/leadershi

p/vision

Church

Growth

Buildings

People

Mission

‘Deep’ commitment

A Christian community project

Faith explicit

Spirituality/ prayer/theology/ethos/leadership/relationship with Church

Social impact

Faith implicit

Love & acceptance

Quality of care

Professionalism

Shared values

Commitment to clients/users

Social justice

Inclusive Service

Good practice

Local council

Other charities

Funders

Regulators

A Christian community project

Social impact

Faith implicit

Love & acceptance

Quality of care

Professionalism

Shared values

Commitment to clients/users

Social justice

Inclusive Service

Good practice

Local council

Regulators

FundersOther charities

Faith explicit

Spirituality…

Spirituality

Faith explicit

Faith implicit

Good practice

Shared values

Love & acceptance

Quality of care

Commitment to clients/users

professionalism

Social impact

Good practice

Regulation

Funding requireme

nts

A community project

??

Inclusive Service

Social justice

Faith Implicit Spirituality/

prayer/theology/ethos/leadershi

p/vision

Growth

BuildingsPeople

Mission

‘Deep’ commitment

Church

Faith explicit Spirituality

/prayer/ theology/ethos/ leadership/vision/ relationship with Church

Community project

Why faith is important• Acknowledging our roots –

where the project grew from• Growing healthy

congregations • Keeping strong church links• Maintaining our integrity and

authenticity• Being faithful to the Gospel• Being honest about what has

been transformative for us

Why faith is important

Do our social action projects reflect

what has been transformational for us?

Developing ‘Proper Confidence’1. Remember the power of personal

testimony2. Deepen your theology of social

action and mission3. Clarify what you are trying to do4. Articulate & advocate your Christian

ethos5. ‘It has to be more than words’:

integrating faith in your day to day work

6. Remember the importance of recruitment

1. Remember the power of personal testimonyWhat is the best thing the Church has given you?

2. Deepen your theology of social actionWhat activities or practices help deepen your and your team’s thinking about why you run the project?

3. Clarify what you are trying to doSet clear aims and goals and how you intend to achieve them

Developing ‘Proper Confidence’

Developing ‘Proper Confidence’4. Articulate & advocate your Christian

ethosBe clear about what you stand for and how to communicate that well

6.‘It has to be more than words’Integrate faith in your day to day work

5. Remember the importance of recruitment A minefield! But it is still possible to employ Christian staff, or staff who are sympathetic to and supportive of your ethos

‘Above all things, guard your heart, for it is the wellspringof life’ Proverbs 4:23

Developing ‘Proper Confidence’A Christian community

project

Faith explicit Spirituality

/prayer/ theology/ethos/ leadership/vision/ relationship with Church

Our Christian ConnectionThe missional challenge for Christian social action

“The commitment is not to a cause or to

a program: it is to a person. At the heart

of mission there must always be the call

to be committed to Jesus Christ

in his community’ Lesslie Newbigin