Napier Baptist

I've just come back from Baptist Assembly. Like any assembly, it had some ups and some downs but I really enjoyed this year's assembly. I loved hearing from Kerry and Annie who lead Freeset in North India, giving freedom to prostitutes - Kerry was profoundly challenging when he preached to us about the poor. The other person I loved hearing because he was so challenging was Mick Duncan. Mick summed up Jesus' ministry as loving the people no one else likes (lepers, women with a blood flow, Zaccheaus...). And he said so much talk about being outward focussed and missional is still focussed on the people we (and everyone else) like. Jesus' ministry was to the people no one else liked. Something else Mick said really struck me. Mick said Christians are way too predictable. He gave the example of the doctor in Northland who turned his practice into a brothel and Mick said how the Christians responded predictably - protesting. He said Jesus was completely unpredictable and something a little less predictable was needed in Northland. Why didn't any of the Christians invite this doctor over for a meal? What would it look like for Christians to be less predictable? I have wondered what an unpredictable response to the level of child abuse and family violence in our society. What if we sat in Clive Square with placards that read "How can we help?" and "We don't know the answers but want to be part of the solution..." instead of our predictable placards...? I think Mick is right, we are way too predictable - anyone who's read the gospels will see what a travesty it is to Jesus that his followers are so predictable. How can we be less predictable?