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Written by Glenn Smith
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Tuesday, 07 July 2009 15:45 |
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 I thoroughly enjoy my role as the Senior Associate for urban mission for The Lausanne Movement. (As I like to tell people, it is one of the few things I do in life that is a true role rather than a function! I get to celebrate what fine urban ministry practitioners are doing around the globe as together we pursue God’s global urban mission.)
But funny things often happen to me in this role.
I was at a conference at Princeton Seminary two weeks ago and was interacting with one speaker who had done a fascinating paper dealing with the new paganism. He was addressing issues of nature and creation. He made a passionate plea for a better view of cities on the part of congregations as part of the solution to the rise of this worldview. I introduced myself to him as an “urban missiologist”. He paused for a few seconds and commented, “I love that title – I have never thought about putting that adjective in front of that noun!” We had a great conversation. This does not always happen with my more secular neighbours. I have a vocation that can be a little of a conversation stopper!
But, this past week also included another funny thing that happens to people with my particular vocation. I am teaching a course at the Presbyterian College at McGill University in my city, Montréal, Canada. This course is entitled, Christian Faith, the City and Jazz! You see every year Montréal is home to the world’s largest jazz festival. Because I love following Jesus into the city and I love jazz, seven years ago I starting offering a course on the three themes. So for the first twelve days of July, I get to teach students about the God of creation and urban places and the place the arts play in the triad – using the jazz festival as context.
We do exegesis in a whole series of biblical texts. Last week we studied Genesis 1-4 (have you ever noticed that Jubal was the father of all jazz and string musicians: 4:21), Exodus 25- 40 (I love looking at this art exposition that the people of Israel made in the wilderness), Job 38-42 (God’s longest discourse in the Holy Scriptures, a commentary on creation as an antidote to the rationalistic idolatry of Job’s four “friends”) and Psalm 150. We explored the history of jazz since its roots in Afro-American slavery in the late 19th century. We explored why jazz is so urban. And then we listen to four-five free outdoor concerts, learning how to listen and appreciate jazz as an artistic expression.
Yes, funny things happen to urban missiologists. Tune in next week to more funny things that happen to people like me.
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Comments
yes, funny things can happen to urban mission work. I can testify about it. I am a missionary from DMG in partnership with SIM in South Africa, stationed in Cape Town. For 15 years I have been ministering together with a Canadian missionary among Muslim women. One of our main emphasizes was motivating, equipping and encouraging local Christian women to get involved in this wonderful task. I would like to share more with you. Would it be possible that you send me you email address? This way it would be easier for me, to send you also a few attachments
The Lord bless you.
Renate Isert
risert@iafrica.com
Avant tout je vous salue fraternnellement au nom de notre sauveur et seigneur Jesus Christ . c'est cour de ma recherche que j'ai decouverte cette porale qui me fait vibre le coeur. J'aimerais que vous m'aider a prendre part a cette congré internationnale. Je suis de l'Eglise Evangelique au Tchad (EET) fait tout pour me recommender a y prendre
a cet evenement.
Recevez mes meilleurs salutations en Jesus Christ Amen .