A “people-orientation” that respects, loves and approaches the “Other” in humility is central to mission. I think that number oriented mission (whether budget, souls converted, or lives physically saved) should be replaced by an emphasis on a whole-life and relationship-centred service in the message and life of Christ. This whole-life orientation that serves to help others is certainly counter-cultural in today’s individualistic society.

Well said. This is a really important distinction that’s often difficult to communicate. But as you say it comes down to people orientation vs. numbers orientation.

One book that’s been really influential on my thinking in this area is Dissident Discipleship by David Augsburger. Augsburger describes other-oriented mission as tri-polar spirituality. Graham over at Leaving Muenster has a great introduction to Augsburger’s thinking (see part 2 as well).

In short, tri-polar spirituality is “discovering and knowing the self by knowing and loving God through the experience of loving the neighbour who images God”. It is recognizing that in loving the other fully we come to fully love God. Loving our enemy is a logical conclusion of this understanding of Jesus’ call.

For me the issue is that these structures largely do not meet the needs of people today, hence it is easy to get discouraged.

Conversely, our society makes it extremely difficult to live a life anywhere close to that demanded by the gospels.

So we are stuck between being ‘hobby’ Christians or being forced to stand against the culture in which we live. I’m not convinced we can have mortgages, pensions and corporate careers etc and claim we are followers of the Christ.