Fast Car

A while back, me and a friend was talking about another friend getting a fast car.  My friend made a comment...

You can't serve the poor driving a fast car.

While I was brushing my teeth, that comment and the thought of being missional popped into my head. Inevitably, someone might confused a church with an attractive model (draw people to the church with services and programs) equate to a missional church (for my definition, a missional church is one where the church and all its aspects: worship, fellowship, discipleship, are shaped with mission as the center).

So how would a missional church looks different?  Well, in regards of serving the poor, an attractive church model might provide services to the poor community. Sandwich run, soup kitchen, helping them with resume and finding a job.  It is serving focus and the association with those needy are within the program realm.

From a missional point of view, one would become the poor.  One's whole live will be immerse in the culture of the needy.  If the person had a fast car it is a no brainer that to associate with the poor, he will sell it.  When God's Mission takes precedent in one's life, anything (may literally) goes.

I still remembered what Jackie Pullinger shared in Chasing the Dragon.  She spent years in the poorest and broken area in Hong Kong, Kowloon Walled City.  She became one of them.  She didn't had fancy program or support.  No high tech or any resource focus.  She was accepted because she was part of them.  Through this, the locals accepted the message of the Gospel.

"Fine, " said Ah Ping to me savagely one day. "Fine for them, fine for us too, we wouldn't mind believing in Jesus too if we could get into a plane and fly away around the world like them. They can sing about love very nicely, but what do they know about us? They don't touch us - they know nothing."

An excerpt from Chasing the Dragon

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

- 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

...You can't serve the poor driving a fast car.