Mission: Really Difficult
I think one of the problems with studying Theology is that mission becomes really glamourised at the same time as you find yourself with the least non-Christian contacts. You tend to forget the reality of being a Christian in the real world. Thankfully I’ve had a couple of wake-up calls recently…
Shadows
Shadows is the on-campus bar at Auckland Uni. It is, frankly speaking, a hole. A really large hole. A really large hole with several hundred students between the ages of 18 and 25 getting ratfaced.
But don’t think everyone there is the same. There’s your bitter 4th years, who just want to forget the assignment due tomorrow and will those damn first-years please shut up!, and there’s your damn first-years who’ve just turned 18 and moved out of home and can now get drunk legally and are making the most of their new-found freedom. There’s people there to pick up guys, or to pick up girls, or to pick up whoever makes a move first, or to get drunk because no-one’s picking them up. There are people there to enjoy the music by listening, and people there to enjoy the music by singing along loudly and badly. In short, all sorts.
If that wasn’t tough enough, it seems there are some things the majority of these people do agree on. Like, for instance, when a girl gets up to win a ticket for some Pornstar Expo by getting topless onstage, everyone seems to enjoy it. Me, I just felt sick.
How do you connect with these people?
Neds
My other wake-up call was discovering a site about gangs of youths in Glasgow. That site, and the sites it links to, are in many ways quite entertaining. I mean, really, you can’t help but laugh at this gem (once you’ve decoded it):
cheers fur coming on the toi web-site
well done troops fur coming on the toi website. if yer fae toryglen yer are sound tae enter but if yer fae govanhill,ruggie,gorbals,brigton or fernhill a lockback will pop oot yer screen and slash yae.
(from YOUNG TORYGLEN TOI NO 1)
But actually, as you dig deeper, the truth is a little sobering. The photo galleries on the Young Posso Fleeto are particularly revealing. Every photo contains young people with booze bottles raised and middle fingers extended. Another page makes repeated reference to friends in jail—and these are people who all look about 17. One caption reads “Ryan Haldane! ( anotha wan the screws uv got bit they’ll al be bak soon(hopefully) not 2 worry! )!!â€? What sort of world is this where a 17-year-old finds it commonplace to have friends in jail?
How do you connect with these people?
Mission is Tough
To be honest, when I look at these sort of groups I’m quite relieved I’m going to Asia. But it made me think—who is called to these sort of people? And how on earth would you go about reaching them? The only answer I can come up with is that it’s not going to be easy or pleasant. How are these people going to hear the good news of Jesus?
Comment by S.A.M • Tue 3 Aug 04, 6:19 pm #
Yeh, i know what you’re saying! There are groups of people out there whose lifestyles are so different to ours that it seems almost impossible to reach them.
I think though, that the key to reaching anyone is to be someone that they respect. You are going to have more effect with someone you are close to, and have something in common with, than if you just go into a bar and start telling people about the Good News.
We just have to pray that someone is there for these kids, and for those people in the bar. and that God can prompt their hearts to be open and questioning.
Wow! now our University bar sounds really tame! :P ^_^
Comment by toi ya basssss • Tue 12 Oct 04, 3:55 am #
wahahah torylen toi numero fucken uno ya bas wit u sayin ya mad muppet toi#1 wit u sayin were fuckin underprivledged ya prick