Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Suburban Missionaries

Brent Thomas:

The suburbs are simply where most Americans live. And yet, modern evangelicalism has done precious little to understand this phenomenon and raise correspondingly effect and affective ministry strategies. If the suburbs inherently lack community, regular, meaningful personal relationships and any sense of meaningful purpose for life, shouldn’t we be the first to speak up, saying: “uh, all of those things you’re looking for are right here, in Jesus.” And yet, far too many of our own churches also lack community or any regular, personal, meaningful relationships!

Instead of becoming outposts of eternity in the suburbs of the world, we have become content with become the “Christian” version of the shopping mall, offering “one-stop spirituality,” that is no more satisfying or healthy for you than the fastfood on which we live our fast lives.

Rather than cower from culture, Christians need to understand it (without embracing all of its characteristics), understanding that we are missionaries in a foreign land. The suburbs stand before us as a constant reminder that something is missing, something is not quite right with life. Our culture responds with suburban consumerism. How long will we be complicit before we strive to live as missionaries in the foreign land of suburbia?

Read the rest of this helpful article.

(HT: Doug)

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