In 2002 the MissionTheological Advisory Group(MTAG) was asked to considerwhether the way Christianshave traditionally shared theirfaith with others was stillrelevant for the 21st century.There were two questions: dowe really know enough, liveenough, feel enough about ourfaith to share with others whatit means to be alive in Christ?And also, do we really knowenough about the spiritualityof the people we meet tounderstand where they’recoming from, what God hasalready done in their lives?

Sense Making Faith is a resourceworkbook that gets to gripswith both these questions.

At the same time, each chapterspends time considering howpeople outside the church usetheir senses to search for andtry to find God. There aremany crossed paths betweenour journey and theirs andwhere such meeting pointsexist, there is the chance to

share what the Christian faithhas to offer. Sense MakingFaith speaks to the hunger andneed of others and we in turncan learn more about theriches of the Christian faith byresponding to them.

Each chapter has a similar‘journey’ format. First, thejourney begins by looking atthe biological sense and itsrelation to the human body

and to human experiencebefore examining how God‘senses’ us. Each chapter thenasks what people who lack theparticular sense have to tell usabout faith. For example, howdoes a blind person getbeyond all the ‘light’ and‘seeing’ vocabulary in the

Bible and find God in hisdeep and dazzling darkness?By exploring the experience ofthese Christians, we can cometo appreciate our senses moreand pay attention to them. Soeach chapter then goes on to

explore how we can abuse ourGod-given senses. Explorationof the sense by finding outhow others see/hear/touch/taste/smell/imagine God is

followed by a journey deepinto the heart of Christiantradition to discover ways ofprayer, meditation, use oficons, fabrics, image or otherChristian practice that we maynot know much about or mayhave forgotten. These thingsare riches for our faith-sharingand also for our ecumenicalrelationships as we discoverthe way Christians have usedthe physical senses in differentdenominations and traditions.

Each chapter is also intendedto be experience as well as text.Every page carries colouredimages which are chosen tohold the eye – perhaps to

C H U R C H E S T O G E T H E R I N B R I T A I N A N D I R E L A N D

Global Mission Network

Global Mission Network

It focuses on the five physical senses as wellas the human imagination and looks athow each of those senses has been used toknow, encounter, show forth and shareChristian faith.

The workbook is designed to be used byChristians who have experience ofchurchgoing, but it can also be used byanybody on a spiritual journey and by allkinds of groups.

Newsletter No 4 March 2008

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In December 2007 the latest publication from the MissionTheology Advisory Group was launched. Anne Richardsdescribes how it was created and how it can be used.

Sense Making Faith

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Shutterstock 498997 radial labyrinth – copyright Bruce Rolff

15 representatives fromMission Councils, similar toGMN, gathered from Finland,Germany, Sweden, Denmark,Holland and Estonia to share,worship and plan together.The growing importance of thismeeting was shown throughbeing joined by representativesfrom the World Council ofChurches and the Conferenceof European Churches for the2-day meeting.

Sharing situations in the homecountries occupied therepresentatives for the first day.Some key common themesemerged. First, the importanceof inter-faith relationships,particularly Islam, emerged ashigh in the priorities of allnations represented. All theMission Councils were workingmore closely with inter-faithcolleagues as inter-faithrelationships affect the wayChristian mission is expressed.The key issue of the ways inwhich dominant faithcommunities provide space forminority faith communitiesand the issue of appropriateevangelistic ministry amongthose of other faiths werediscussed. This was closelyrelated to the issue of funda -mentalism, in all its forms,and the need to understand itsorigins, various expressions,strengths and weaknesses.

Migration was another themecommon to the countriescontributing. All recognisedthat migration is about move -ments of peoples in varyingdirections – to and from ourcountries; that migrationwithin Europe is extensive aswell as to and from countriesbeyond the expanding bordersof Europe. The debateconcerning integration andidentity addressed how farmigrant peoples should inte -grate into host communitiesand maintain distinctidentities. In Denmark the

term ‘new Danes’ is used todenote people who havemigrated to the country. Allnations represented reportedthat migrant churches aregrowing and, indeed, areamong the only growingchurches in several nations. Itwas reported that in Holland,Rotterdam alone had 95migrant churches which had astrong missionary emphasis.

Several key issues weresignalled out for in-depthdiscussion. Wout Van Laarfrom Holland led a discussionon the ‘mission movementfrom South to North’. Heoutlined the position of themodern missionary move -ments and the changingparadigm with the energy andpeople for mission in thenorthern global regions comingfrom the south. The evangelisedare now evangelising thecultures of their evangelisers.He described the rapid growthof Pentecostalism in ProtestantChristianity where newchurches and movements donot fit into the pattern ofWestern ecumenical life. Thechurches of the South focus onnarrative rather than doctrineand celebration rather thanstructure. The Pentecostalchurches now represent 80%of all Protestants in LatinAmerica. Mission is being

carried out beyond theboundaries of organisedreligion and he suggested thatthe ecumenical movement is aproject of modernity – of thebelief in progress andrationality – which finds itdifficult to embrace the newexpressions of Christianity.See item on mission andmigration on page 5 for more.

He called the churches of theglobal North to re-evaluateour ways of life based on thepresuppositions of theEnlightenment.

In discussion this model of thenew paradigm was challengedas being too simplistic. Thereis a need to see Christianity asa world of ‘differingChristianities’ rather thansimply the south to northmovement. How it is possibleto identify the very broadcategories of global south andnorth? The vital task for theecumenical movement is tocreate space that embraces allstyles and approaches toChristianity.

Bob Fyffe, General Secretary ofCTBI, gave a presentation onCTBI and its place in theecumenical space in the FourNations. Much interest wasexpressed in the ‘ChurchesTogether’ model of ecumenismbecause of its breadth in in -cluding the Roman Catholics,

the Orthodox and the Newand Migrant churches.

Caroline Fielder and LaurenceBraschi of the China Desk atGMN gave an introduction toChristianity in China. This wasparticularly welcomed byrepresentatives as several areconsidering developing linkswith China. Caroline gave apaper on Christianity in therural China.

Dr Daryl Balia Co-ordinator ofEdinburgh 2010 spoke aboutprogress towards the 2010Conference entitled‘Witnessing to Christ Today’.Representatives then reportedon the preparation process intheir own nations. Most areengaged in study processeswhich will be brought to the2010 Conference.

Representatives commentedon the WCC document‘Nature and Mission of theChurch’. There was somecriticism of the lack of anintegrated mission theology inthe document but it waswelcomed as an attempt to seethe purpose of the church inits mission identity.

Apart from the workingsessions representatives weretaken to an English pub andshown the sights of London.

Speaking after the meeting ofthe GMN Executive Secretary,Janice Price commented,

‘GMN was delighted to beinvited to host the MissionCouncil Leaders from otherEuropean countries. Whilerespecting our different ident -ities we share an enormousnumber of common concernsand we can only be strength -ened by meeting together. Welook forward to the 2009meeting in Hamburg’.

GMN hosts European MissionCouncil Leaders meetingAt the end of January GMN hosted the annual meeting of theEuropean Mission Council Leaders.

Janice Price reports

Global Mission Network • Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Pictures of hundreds ofthousands of people strandedat Guangzhou (Canton) trainstation caught the attention ofthe world last month. Chineseworkers were unable to returnhome to celebrate the arrivalof the Chinese New Yearowing to the worst snowstorms seen in southern Chinain more than fifty years.Migrant workers were forcedto wait and sleep outside infreezing temperatures, unableto afford inflated prices inhotels and hostels. Otherswere put up in universityaccommodation and schools,and regularly bussed to thestation in the vain hope thattrains would begin runningagain. Half of all roads inHubei province were closed,and thousands of motoristsabandoned their vehiclesamid snow drifts. The city ofChenzhou, with 4.6 millioninhabitants, endured twofreezing weeks without elec -tricity and water. In total sixtypeople are thought to havelost their lives to cold, acci -dents and houses collapsing.

Hard work by millions ofsoldiers, volunteers, trans port -ation workers and electricianshave largely restored China’sinfra structure. Governmentand Party leaders have beentouring the south, overseeingthe recovery effort andattempting to assuage angerover claims of inadequatepreparation.

Millions of rural farmers inChina live in very marginalcircumstances and thedamage to crops and ruralproduction will push manyvulnerable families to theedge of subsistence.

A recent newspaper articlehighlighted the case of elevenyear old Tan Yuke, a primaryschool student who normallyhelps supplement the familyincome during schoolholidays by working illegallyin a makeshift fireworksfactory near her home. Themoney she has earned everyweekend and school holidayssince the age of seven paystoward her school fees, butthe factory closure due to thebad weather put her return toschool in jeopardy.*

Her story is notunusual. Caughtup in the recentsnow stormsCaroline Fieldermet three childrenalso trying to earnmoney for theirschool fees bycollecting and thenrecycling emptywater bottles at anairport. “Ourparents have cometo the city for workbut they don’t earnenough to pay forour school fees.Collecting bottlesmeans that all of us

can go to school. We comehere because it is warm andusually there is a lot ofrubbish for us to take. Theproblem is that recently it isjust too cold for anyone todrink water” said Xiao Xu,aged 10, “We only have a fewbottles today and we hadnothing yesterday. We won’tearn anything this week”.

In addition to long-termprogrammes, the Catholicbased Jinde Charities and theProtestant initiated AmityFoundation have bothlaunched emergency appealsfor temporary housing andfor clothing, bedding andcooking oil for those hit bythe recent snow storms.

Contributions are coming infrom Chinese Christians andoverseas supporters. Localpriests and ministers whomaintain large networks ofcontacts in rural areas arebeginning to establish whichcommunities have beenworst affected. Together theagencies are attempting tocollaborate more and to drawlessons from past disaster-relief efforts, and apply themto China’s increasinglyperilous environmentalposition. Bishop Xiao Zejiangof Guizhou province, alsodeeply affected by snow andice reflected amidst thedistress, ‘This tragedy isproving to be a time ofintense communion, faith,hope and charity.’ ■

[* South China Morning Post,Feb. 18, 2008]

China’s Bleak Winter

The devastating affect on rural livelihoodsis only beginning to be assessed.

Chinese church-based charities are emerging as a means of focussing assistance to thosemost in need.

Newsletter No 4 March 2008

It is not just anotherconference! The 1200delegates will come from allpoints of the globe andemphasis on the inclusion ofwomen, young adults, indige -nous peoples, disabled peopleand other minorities will beimportant. The style of …

A large Fringe will worktogether with the mainconference to share energyand insights beyond theofficial delegates.

An important aspect of the2010 Conference is theinclusion of the Catholic,Orthodox and Pentecostaltraditions bringing theirdistinctive understandings ofmission and evangelism. Thisis in contrast to the profile ofthe Edinburgh 1910Conference, which was aProtestant conference with nodelegates from the RomanCatholic or OrthodoxChurches.

At the 1910 conference therewere 1216 delegates and ofthese 510 were British, 490North American, 171 wereEuropean and only 17 werefrom the Non-Western world.207 women and only two

delegates from Africa tookpart. Those actively engaged inmission and those culturesbeing evangelised were viewedas case studies rather thanhaving a full part in theconference process. The 1910Conference was a ‘how to’event in order to release new

creative energy for evangelis-ation in this generation. Itdid provide such energy. Themission and ecumenicalmovements we know todayfind their roots in Edinburgh1910. However, its limitationsare now clear.

The 1910 Conference workedwithin a philosophicalcontext where a belief inprogress and the superiorityof Western civilisation weretaken for granted. Knowledgewas factual, value free andneutral. Belief is true if itequated to facts. There wasan optimism at 1910 wherethe problem of unbeliefcould be solved and, it wasanticipated, would be in the20th century. All of thisconceptual structure began tofall apart four years after theConference with the onset ofthe First World War.

The 21st century context isvastly different. A belief inprogress and the superiority ofWestern culture is unsustain -able today. We understand allcultures as both agents andreceivers of God’s mission.We see mission as the activityof God the Holy Trinity – notthe church.

Today the majority of churchgrowth is with the Pentecostalmovement and takes place inthe global south. Ourelectronic age offers vastopportunities for mission aswell as constraints.

Preparation for 2010In the run-up to the 2010Conference, in various centresin the global regions groups inchurches, study centres anduniversity departments areconsidering the nine StudyThemes. The scope of thesestudy themes is compre -hensive. They include missionamong those of other faithtraditions, mission and power,theological education andformation, mission and unityamong others. The themeadopted by a threefoldalliance of Global MissionNetwork, Global Connectionsand the British and IrishAssociation of MissionStudies, representing differingapproaches to mission and co-ordinating the study processin the four nations, concernsFoundations for Mission. This

study theme covers ‘how aTrinitarian understanding ofGod relates to the theory andpractice of mission’. To explorethese questions the group havedesigned a research project todiscover the theologicalunder standing, motivationand practice of mission in thechurches and agencies of thefour nations. This research willcomprise three components.First will be a website searchto see how agencies andchurches express their theology,motivation and practice ofmission in the public space ofthe Internet. Second agenciesand churches will be invitedto complete a questionnaireon approaches to mission andthis will be followed up withinterviews. This will be asignificant contri bution togathering and building a snap -shot of mission practice andmotivation for the churchesand agencies at national level.It is hoped that this researchat national level will link into

similar research at local churchlevel. Churches and agencieswill be approached abouttaking part in the research inthe next few months.

It is hoped that the results ofthe research will be presentedin early 2009. All of this willbe brought to the 2010Conference when it can beassessed by the delegatesalong side the contributionsfrom the other study themesand global regions. JanicePrice, GMN Executive Secretary,said of the plans for theresearch, ‘We have taken timeto get top level advice on theshape of this project. It has tobe good research first andforemost. It will necessarily belimited in its scope to the fournations. We would have lovedto do a much extended projectinvolving the major globalregions but time and cost wereprohibitive. We are lookingforward to the 2010 Conferenceto find a global critique fromwhich we can learn in the fournations.’ ●

For further information about Edinburgh 2010 visitwww.edinburgh2010.org

Witnessing ToChrist Today

… the conference will focus on worshipand celebration as well as hearing newthinking from the global regions on theconference theme.

The aim of Edinburgh 2010 is to develop anew paradigm for doing God’s mission.

‘Witnessing to Christ Today’ is the theme for theEdinburgh 2010 Conference which is to take place from2-6 June 2010. Dr Daryl Balia, International Director ofthe Edinburgh 2010 Conference, addressed 40 membersof GMN, at the Network Meeting in November 2007.

Mission is now about partnership ratherthan conquest.

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Future Church ConferenceThe 2007 Future Church Conference explored the place of mission accompaniment inemerging and traditional church. Martyn Atkins, current President of the MethodistConference, considered the nature of emerging church and the motivation and driversfor the development of new models of church. He described Seven Core Values ofemerging church as:

● Mission-shaped community (Trinity)

● Creativity (God is creative)

● Culturally relevant (incarnation)

● Transformation (kingdom values of change)

● Discipleship (obedience to the Great Commandment)

● Sacrificial (following the example of Christ)

● Unity in diversity (differing patterns of church under one God)

Revd Martin Fair, Minister of St. Andrew’s Church Arbroath, shared his experience ofleading a traditional church in a changing context.

For more details of the presentation given by Martyn Atkins go to www.ctbi.org.uk andthe mission accompaniment pages.

Newsletter No 4 March 2008

Lawrence Braschi joined theGMN China Desk as anadministrator in October 2007.Having grown up in East Asia,Lawrence spent two yearsteaching in China. After workingat a publishing company, he hasnow nearly completed a Ph.D. inChinese history at the School ofOriental and African Studies,University of London. He will beworking with Caroline Fielder infacilitating the work of the ChinaDesk and the China Forum ofCTBI.

The China Desk and the Friends ofthe Church in China’s jointconference this year is entitledChina–Changing Environments.The keynote speaker will be ZhangLiwei, for several years head of theAmity Foundation’s ruraldevelopment programme, and nowat Nanjing University. Theconference will be held at UshawCollege, Durham from 20-22 June.For more details emaillawrence.braschi@ctbi.org.uk.

Mission andMigration

Mission andMigration

At the 2007 meeting of the Four Nations Evangelisation Forum in Dublin, the theme ofmission, evangelism and migration was considered. Representatives from Scotland,Ireland, Wales and England brought their experience of mission and evangelisation withthe migrant communities together and heard from two churches working in Ireland. Themulti-cultural Pentecostal church, Solid Rock, and the Methodist Central Dublin Missionshared their experience of working in different ways with migrant congregations. For a fullreport of the meeting and a summary of what was learnt go to www.ctbi.org.uk.

Welcome to Michael King – new GMN Moderator

At the beginning of February Michael King took overfrom Stephen Lyon as Moderator of GMN. Michael iscurrently Team Leader for the World ChurchRelationships Team of the Methodist Church. A formerteacher, he has worked in Sierra Leone as well as inschools in Hertfordshire and North London. He is aMethodist Local Preacher.

Future Church Conference 2008The 2008 Future Church Conference will take place from30-31 October at Woodbroke Quaker Study Centre, SellyOak, Birmingham.

The theme for the conference is Future Church andMissionary Diversity. Following on from the 2007

conference it will explore the effect of context on newexpressions of the gospel and explore tools for missionaccompaniment working in different contexts. To make

provisional booking contact Tessa Stawski ontessa.stawski@ctbi.org.uk

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Global Mission Network(part of Churches Together in Britain & Ireland)

Bastille Court, 2 Paris GardenLondon SE1 8ND

Tel: 0207 654 7230

For further information, contact:janice.price@ctbi.org.uk

Registered charity 259688

Global Mission Network • Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

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emarvel in their beauty butalso to challenge, provokeand disturb. Images ofmouth-watering food arejuxtaposed with creepy-crawlies; gorgeous lipsticksare followed by the painfulneedle of a collagen injection;smiling faces filled withpraise and wonder contrastwith a woman with a blackeye, another huddled intoherself in the depths ofdepression – and who are thepeople in the faded sepiaphotograph?

Each chapter’s text alsochallenges the reader, fromthe lyrical and thought-provoking poem which headseach – written especially forthe book by the Archbishop ofCanterbury – to the variouswaystations throughout thetext which suggest the readerstops and goes and doessomething – think, watch a bit

of a film, go for a walk,engage in a practical activity.Similarly, the group materials,gathered together with explicitguidance for group leaders atthe end of the book, carry arange of activities fromcreative bible study topractical changes to enhancethe mission potential of thecongregation. The groupmaterials can be used insequential sessions, or theactivities can be mixed andmatched as appropriate toindividual situation andpreference. There is fullpreparation and guidance forgroup leaders, and the pageslay flat for photocopy.

Sense Making Faith alsocomes with a websitewww.spiritualjourneys.org.uk. It is designed to offermore journeys to supplementthose in Sense Making Faithand to extend the book in

multiple ways. The Exploresection carries extra materialrelating to each chapter in thebook and web icons in thebook tell you where to lookfor extra stuff which is alwaysbeing added to and updated.The Look section on thewebsite carries news of booksand writings which may be ofinterest to spiritual seekers.The Do section carries moresuggested activities. There isspecific downloadablematerial for clergy as well asmaterial for those wishing toshare faith more effectivelyand for those searching andwondering about faith. TheDream section carries a wholerange of imaginativeresources from poems to filmcommentaries, reflectionsand images which can add toworship, to outreach or topersonal spiritual searching.New material is constantly

being added and there is afeedback form in the Asksection if you visit the sitewithout finding what youwant.

Sense Making Faith isbeautiful to look at and funto explore. It makes a greatpresent for anyone interestedin exploring Christiantradition and learning abouthow to share faith. We hadgreat fun putting the booktogether, researching,arguing, praying and playingtogether. We hope you willenjoy exploring it too.

Sense Making Faith, Body, Spirit, Journey, by Anne Richards with theMission Theological AdvisoryGroup, CTBI publishing 2007£15 pp168ISBN 978-085169-347-7