Engaged in God's mission, the local church has a broad agenda. It begins with building up the congregation through the proclamation of the gospel and formation as followers of Christ. That formation culminates in loving service to one another and the vulnerable, the neighbour, standing up for just relations in church and society, and caring for creation. Especially these last three aspects - which come together in the broad, diaconal mission of the church - raise the question of whether we could not (better) join forces with others in this. Or does this lead to an erosion of our witness?
Assignment
By 'others' I do not so much mean other churches or fellow believers, because - with exceptions - that should be self-evident. Diaconate in society, after all, requires local alignment and joining forces1. This benefits both the vulnerable neighbour - more becomes possible - and the witness of the gospel. With a variation on Psalm 133: how good it is when brothers and sisters stand united in society. There the LORD commands his blessing and grants life. But does this promise also apply to hanging out with those who do not (yet) profess Christ as their Lord and Saviour? What does the LORD ask of us in this? Does it fit in with his call to do justice, always aiming for good and walking humbly with him (Micah 6:8)? In other words, is it a command for God's church or only an option for when it suits us? Or perhaps even a threat to our witness? In this article, I want to think through this challenging question and offer some tools for the missionary-diaconal practice of local churches.
Case study
The local IVN is organising a clean steps walk to clean up litter. Is it a good idea when the diaconate calls to participate in this? Or would it be better to start its own team to regularly clean up the neighbourhood around the church? A missionary working group wants to encourage the church to be diaconally present in the local area. Will the church itself make an offer of help through the diaconate? Will contact be made with the Present Foundation to form a permanent 'flex team' from their own church to pick up regular requests for help? And can you then expect Present to communicate this in advance to help seekers? How does this affect spontaneity and reciprocity in the relationship, for instance? The social neighbourhood team identifies a great need for a place for casual encounters. In the neighbourhood network, in which the church also participates, this question is discussed. Is the church willing to partner with others in this? To be a welcoming church, preferably with billiards, or to 'supply' volunteers for a coffee morning in the community centre?
Visible presence
Churches are increasingly being pushed to the fringes of society in our country. Quite a few churches are more or less resigned to this. They focus mainly on their own survival and internal community and faith building. Even in the media, the voice of churches is still rarely heard. How does this relate to Jesus' call to his disciples to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt 5: 1-16)? A city atop a mountain and a lampstand shining for all in society, our shared home? This is possible only if God's children are visibly present through their good works. If they show the attitude and way of life that Jesus beatifies: awareness of their own imperfection, responding from a gentle heart, hunger for justice, showing mercy to those in need, a heart free of selfish ulterior motives, seeking peace in relationships and accepting suffering for Christ's sake. Then they will be called children of God by others and the heavenly Father will be glorified for their sake.
Staying recognisable
Now, it is often the case that diaconate in society takes shape through specialised diaconal organisations. As a result, the initiating churches can easily disappear from the picture. Especially if these organisations develop into professional, subsidised institutions that become independent of the churches. There are several examples of this both in the past and more recently. Of course, salt only takes effect when it dissolves into something, but I don't believe Jesus meant to say that Christians should become invisible. On the contrary, He wants His followers to impart flavour to their surroundings and be visibly present. If they stop giving off that flavour and hide their light from people, they are no longer good for anything and are better off being 'trampled by them' (yes, it really does say that).
Diaconate was once called pantomime of salvation by missiologist J.C. Hoekendijk. After all, even without words, the church can make visible what is at the heart of the gospel: forgiveness and unconditional love and faithfulness. But pantomime is somewhat different from anonymity. The apostle Peter calls on congregations to always be ready to give an account of the hope from which they live and act. Not from an attitude of knowing better, but meekly and with respect for others, so that people will not speak ill of them (1 Pet 3: 15-16). This seems to me to be an important guiding criterion: can we work together while remaining visible and recognisably present for those around us? If this is not (no longer) the case, restraint suits us and it seems wiser to be diaconally present in a more profiled way.
Being a guest
Another perspective is that of location: where does a missionary or diaconal activity take place and what does this mean for the relationship to others and the witness that emanates from the church? Who is a guest with whom? Here Henk de Roest distinguishes three possible situations2:
- Opening one's own spaces to others: church-going for the neighbours.
- Encouraging church people to volunteer individually, in pairs or in small groups in non-church settings: church-going at the neighbours.
- Together with others take initiatives, based on a shared perception of a need in the environment: church-going with neighbours
Churches are often most familiar with the first form: being church to the neighbours. Activities are organised, such as a women's morning, open meal or mother & child drop-in, the neighbourhood or acquaintances are invited. Or the church spaces are literally opened up to others, e.g. for a concert, exhibition, course group or polling station. The other person is then a guest of the church and accepts the church's rules of play. It is then up to the church to behave as a good host and gastfreundlich to be friendly and benevolent to guests. In line with Paul's call to the congregation in Philippi: 'Your kindness be known to all men' (Phil 4:5 NBG-51, HSV: benevolence). So that also means: giving the other person space to be themselves, within the limits of healthy manners, of course. But let us not be too quick to judge the other person by our church and religious yardstick. Let us treat him or her as we ourselves would want to be treated in such a situation and be happy with every neighbourhood or village fellow who dares to step over the high church threshold.
In the second case, church members are a guest of the neighbours. These set the rules of the game and believing volunteers are asked to behave like good guests. For example, a church couple may choose to participate in a community centre living room, aimed at meeting and socialising. Speaking about faith will normally only happen reactively and not proactively, as evangelisation is not the aim of the activity. Yet this too can be a wonderful opportunity to be salt and light, to serve from the mind of Jesus and build new relationships. In almost every church, there are members who are diaconally present in this way, but usually this is on their own initiative, separate from the diaconate or work group Church in the Neighbourhood, for example. I advocate that we do consciously make this connection, for instance in a home visit or through an annual meeting of 'extra-church' volunteers. In this way, we can support them, discuss experiences, learn lessons and pray for each other. This is a practical way to give shape to reciprocity between church and society. A bold volunteer can be asked to share something about it in the church magazine or in a service. A great opportunity to involve the congregation in God's mission in their own environment3.
In the third situation, as it were, people are as guests. It presupposes willingness to act together for a common goal despite philosophical differences. Think, for instance, of assisting people with financial problems or refugees in a temporary emergency shelter. This requires agreement on the why and wherefore: what drives each of the partners and when are we satisfied with the result? It requires the willingness and ability of church stakeholders to build bridges, to sincerely listen to what drives the other and to give understandable words to their own motivation. This may show that we want to go the way Jesus points out by trial and error. In such a situation, we can, for example, make a plea for three basic diaconal principles: helping those who have no helper (supplementing existing services); helping under protest (bundling signals and introducing them to governments and institutions) and helping with perspective (helping people to stand on their own feet again)4.
Healing present
From different perspectives, in this article we looked at the possibility of acting together with others in the missionary-daconial vocation. Finally, a question that helps me further is this: does this acting together help us to be truly beneficially present? From our faith to be with people and appropriately share God's salvation in loving attention, faithful contacts, priestly prayers, hopeful words and concrete deeds? As God came near to us and is and remains near to us in Jesus Christ, so may we imitate him in our presence. Not from a moral or religious superiority, but from the attitude and way of life that Jesus lived and beatified. That is what the A/other may call us to. That makes us humble and dependent, because it is only possible from a daily relationship with God who works in us with his Spirit.
Bert Roor
Dr Bert Roor worked as a lecturer in mission & diaconate at the CHE Theology Department until early 2024. He is now part of MIRTE, the TUA's Missiological Research Team, as an (unpaid) researcher. He is also an elder in a Reformed congregation, a board member of the Gave Foundation and actively involved in A Rocha. Bert Roor is one of the authors of the basic book of missiology Engaged in God's mission.
This article is reproduced with permission from Ambtelijk contact 2024, number 4.
- For this, see my handout in Near neighbours. Churches active in local diaconate. ︎
- Henk de Roest, A house for the soul. Thoughts on the church for inside and outside. Meinema, 2010, 283. I list them here in reverse order. ︎
- Missionary counsellor Petra de Jong-Heins elaborates on this in a four-step cycle: Experience - Exploit - Reflect - Respond. See: Petra de Jong-Heins, Contextualisation
Of the gospel: theory and practice, in: Petra de Jong-Heins et al (ed.), Engaged in God's mission. Basic book of missiology, Utrecht 2023, 178-179. ︎ - Derk Jan Poel, 'Present among people in need', in: Petra de Jong-Heins et al (ed.), Involved in God's mission. Basic book of missiology, Utrecht 2023, 214-215. ︎
