Missional in Suburbia - Part…uh..not sure

January 12, 2006

I have been a big fan of anyone who is asking the question, “what does it mean to be missional in suburbia.” With all the talk about being missional, I am personally think the suburbs get the least attention. The challage is great and the need for missional christians in the burbs is just great (if not greater) as those in urban settings.

I have been working out some thoughts as to what it would mean to create an ethos of missional living in our community. The thing I keep on coming back to is the question: “what are the practices / values that we commit to that teach us and help us live counter-culturally?”

I am convinced that unless we are able to say “This is the way we live and these are the things that we do that are counter to the suburban culture” we will get stuck in the values of a consumeristic soceity. For me, these practices arise out of the value of our culture that need deconstruction. This would include our culture’s (suburban culture specifically) view of Money, Isolation, our fast-paced life style, and our inabilty to adequately address issues of justice.

I have been collecting links for discussions on missionality in suburubia, here’s what i have found:

- Missional Christians should always read the local paper

- Tim Keller on Suburban missional churches

- The Gospel and Suburban Churches Part I, Part II

- Preaching Jesus Up Against the Jesus of Suburbia

- The way of Suburbia vs. the way of Christ

- Six Convictions and Practices for Leading Missional Innovation

- Kingdom Agenda - Thoughts on mission in suburbia here and here

- A Mind Awake - Further thoughts on being missional in suburbia

Here are some of my thoughts so far:
- My posts on suburbia and missional living

Recent Comments // only me talking would be just plain silly.

  • Missional in Suburbia » The Blind Beggar said...

    1

    01/12/06 12:00 PM | Comment Link |

    [...] An important subject and some good stuff on the issue posted at toddhiestand here. [...]

  • Kevin said...

    2

    01/13/06 12:57 PM | Comment Link |

    One of the links above contained a good quote.

    “It doesn’t mean that suburban churches are ‘inferior’ or that it is easier to be a pastor in the suburbs–I actually think it will take more ingenuity and creativity to demonstrate the power of the gospel in the suburbs than it will in the city.”
    http://www.stevekmccoy.com/reformissionary/2006/01/keller_on_subur.html

    Creativity is the key, and maybe challenging comfort zones. Not to mention that you don’t have to go to the city to see poverty or social injustice. We have a good share of that right here in Bucks Co.
    I think Saturday’s visit to the Red Cross will be a great opportunity.
    I’m sorry Todd if this is too long, but I don’t think we need to venture to the inner city, I would guess we can be helping missionaries right here in lower bucks county (even though I live in central bucks county).

  • Dan Cruver said...

    3

    01/14/06 9:40 AM | Comment Link |

    Thanks, Todd, for the additional links. Very helpful.

    I think one of the things that needs to be addressed is how to identify the particular form idolatry takes in suburbia versus the form it takes in an urban setting. The only way we can be effectively creative missionally in a suburban setting is if we identify suburbia’s underlying idols–both near and far idols. Keller has done a good job unmasking the idols of a city like NYC. It seems to me that we need someone to do the same for suburbia. Are you aware of anything that addressess this issue?

    Dan

  • Todd said...

    4

    01/14/06 11:45 AM | Comment Link |

    Kevin, i think you are right, we don’t need to venture into the city to practice a biblical view of justice. there are some great opportunities here in suburbia. i think if we look around, there are some pretty improvrished and hurting sections of our burbs (low income apartment complexes especially).

    though, i don’t want to forget the city. we do need to be partnering with our brothers and sisters who are already doing work down there.

    in my mind, we have to do a little deconstruction of our accepted “way of life” and check to see if it really does match up with the way Jesus taught and lived. i think we’d be suprised how much we have given into the culture’s ideals and values….

    dan, like i said in my e-mail, don’t know too many people who are having this discussion…which is why i am excited about it and I hope that it continues and grows.

  • David said...

    5

    01/17/06 8:46 PM | Comment Link |

    Great conversation! I blogged on the same subject here: http://swimminginthedeepend.blogspot.com/2005/12/medium-is-not-condusive-to-message.html

    It reflects my work at Fuller, but frankly, I think you have a better beed on the subject than myself and many here. Keep up the good work.

  • theopraxis said...

    6

    03/6/06 8:40 PM | Comment Link |

    An Exercise in Contextual Theology…

    I hit a place this week where I needed to let all this stuff sit for a bit - too many thoughts to come together into something coherent. I think this class has had the best texts so far of……

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