Urban Expressions

On Monday evening I went to an information evening for Urban Expressions Glasgow, an inner-city church planting initiative. Stuart Murray-Williams spoke a little on what’s different about urban church planting, before we split into a couple of sessions to talk more in depth about either getting involved in UE Glasgow or about more of the theoretical issues of urban church planting. I got incredibly excited about this all. I only really went because Reuben told me I needed to come… I’m glad he did! I love UEs core values… relationship, creativity, and humility. Key issues.

Some things Stuart Murray-Williams shared…

Inner cities are places of marginilaty, and God is in the margins. Mission is not trickle-down, but seep-up.

There is a deep suspicion of incomers. We are not people who just come to “do our project” on them.

Inner-city church planting is multi-faceted – questions if it is church planting or holistic mission?

Suburban heresy: seperating social justice and evangelism.

The idea of a fallow year – a year of being before doing.

Jesus’ whole ministry is framed by food – he starts by turning water into wine, ends with the last supper, followed by a post-resurrection BBQ on the beach.

Towards the end of the evening Doug Gay (who lectures at the University of Glasgow coincidently) read a poem he wrote a while ago, entitled “A New Glasgow“. It is a beautiful picture of what Glasgow could be like if we take seriously our call to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God (as a wiser man than me once said).

It was a privillege to be there and get to talk to so many people in Glasgow who are committed to not only planting churches but to living out lives of justice.

Rick… the idea that being rather than doing could in fact be “the church” is something we discused – church in every context will look different depending on the needs of that particular community, and so it could end up that the team sent to church plant there may in fact never “do church” on Sundays as we would understand it… which is completely fine and definately fine with God… but much harder to explain to supporters, as Murray-Williams pointed out!

First time I’ve come across the guy I must admit… you got any of his books you could share with me??