The Emerging Church Movement is concerned to blur – even dismantle – the distinctions between “us” and “them” in an honest endeavor to present a Christ for today. This is no mere intellectual exercise. It is not enough to think as ‘they’ do

Did Jesus entirely blur the distinction between himself and those to whom he was talking to? Did he think as they did? I’m not convinced. There is a big danger in being incarnational. If we walk the road that Jesus walked, then great; but if we deliberately set out to be incarnational and “blur the distinction”, we may well “blur the distinction” so much that non-Christians cannot see a difference between us and them, while we complain to other Christians about how “costly” our discipleship is - when all it entails is merely living in the real world and enjoying it.

I think that’s what I see real incarnational ministry as being; living in the real world, and enjoying it. Avoiding both puritan austerity, holier-than-thou self-righteousness and Christian ghettoization. It’s about getting out there and serving others, yes, ultimately; but at the same time it is also about confronting others, as Jesus did, with the coming of the Kingdom, in words and deeds from within their midst. I think that’s the big distinctive. Through our participation in the world, we gain a right to be heard by that world, rather than standing aloof in our churches and calling “come and see what we have.”

As you quite rightly say, it has to come out of love. We can’t sit down and say “right, let’s do mission incarnationally. What do we need to do to fit in with that lot out there?” It’s got to come from a character that wants to suffer with the suffering and serve them. That’s not an intentional style of mission; that is a gift from God.

Yes, serve. Yes, suffer. But while you’re there, don’t forget to speak. That’s why I really dislike the Francis of Assisi quote. I think it is wrong, and an excuse for many a lazy evangelist. We want to be like Jesus. He most certainly found it necessary to use words. We should too.