Too obvious? We were required to read this book for Pastoral Ministry 101 and, coupled with The Poisonwood Bible, write a short reaction to it. I found this book very refreshing. It speaks plain truths about mission work that we're either unaware of or purposely deaf to. The authors of this book argue for a ministry that is deeply personal. The book talks about common errors that western minded missionaries will make when they go to non western places to minister. Some go in there with a western mindset, because that is where they came from, and wind up mostly unintentionally offending the people they are trying to reach. Using the model of the Incarnate One, Lingenfelter and Mayers argue passionately for ministry to be done in a manner that makes the missionary a part of the very fabric of that society. Things like learning the language and customs of the people although seeming obvious are apparently distant in our minds with missionary work.
There is this overwhelming feeling among many, some, whatever that when it comes to ministry there is a one size fits all. What we learn at American seminaries will not always translate to what is going on in the field in America, let alone other countries (especially non western ones!). Now obviously the Gospel is universal and preaching it and administering the sacraments cuts through cultures, but unfortunately we are still sinful people and we do take with us our pre conceived notions and biases to other places. "This worked in Iowa, so this will work here, it is the Gospel." OR "This worked in NYC so this will work in Tennessee." Both attitudes are wrong. What it means to be incarnational in ministry is to embody the Gospel but bringing it directly to where the people are.
One of the biggest examples the book gave was the difference between "time-oriented people" and "event-oriented people." What I loved about this chapter was that it spoke directly at me in a lot of ways. I assume it speaks directly at a lot of people in the west. If things don't start on time we become unbelievably impatient and see it as a failed cause at the worst, or a complete annoyance at the least. In other countries, again specifically non western ones, this is simply the norm. Church cannot and does not start right at 9am. People will trickle in a different times and it will start at some point and the people will come away with it valuing the experience they had, and not that the service ran late and they didn't get home in time for kickoff. Many services will last for a few hours at the minimum in these contexts!
This summer when I was in Brooklyn I remember having a conversation with Pr. Priest about the structure of his 11am service. After the first one he asked me to point out things that seemed different to me. The first thing I noticed was that confession/absolution was placed right before Communion instead of at the beginning of the service. He said this was because many people would walk in late, sometimes right before or during the sermon and would miss confession/absolution so he simply met the people where they were at and placed it right before the Liturgy of The Eucharist.
Another thing I remember is sitting outside the church for our first youth night which we said would begin at six and by 6:10 I was already getting antsy that nobody was there. Pr. Priest sensed this and told me something to the akin of "This is how it is in the city, people don't show up on time, but they do show up and they enjoy the overall experience." We always said youth nights would begin at 6, most of them didn't start until 7 or later. But the youth came, and they had an experience.
Being incarnational is about doing just that, meeting the people where they are at. Sometimes people may not show up but you remain or you go anyway. Because what people need to see is that you're consistent. And in your consistency they will know you care. Especially for those in settings where they don't know who or what cares for them the simple act of being there goes a long way. It speaks volumes and they will begin to inquire about why you act the way you do. For many in other cultures I would imagine a new comer to the culture would be met with some sort of uncertainty and distrust. But once the relationship begins to develop and the incarnational ministry take hold the people will see that you are serious, and that you do care. That ministry isn't about you it's about something greater than you. They will ask just what that is, and then the excitement really begins to happen.
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