Engaging With New Housing

A6: How to join in with what the Holy Spirit is doing on the estate

Biblical intro

‘No, please!’ said Jacob. ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably.’ Genesis 33:10 NIVUK

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. Psalms 127:1 NIVUK

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Acts 16:7 NIVUK

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.” Acts 8:39-40 NIVUK

At a glance

Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury quoting John V. Taylor’s The Go-Between God stated that Christian mission is ‘finding out what the Holy Spirit is doing and joining in’. This guide is about working out how to apply this theology practically when working on a new estate.

Listen to the local community and listen to God

Be flexible and open to God working in unexpected ways

Don’t be afraid of risk taking! 

Key Points

When it comes to engaging in mission, most people want to ‘find out what the Spirit is doing and join in’. It is important to recognise that it is God’s mission, not ours. Whatever Hedoes is part of the building of Hiskingdom and Hischurch. On a new estate, a blank canvas, it’s hard to know where or how to discern; there is no community to research, no existing community to speak to and no church with a body of Christ already journeying and listening to God within that place.

When Ali and family along with six others, who felt called to unconditionally love, bless and serve the new community, prayed they sensed God say that Hewould speak to them through the people moving into the new community. In the same way as Jacob saw God’s face in Esau, Ali and the others saw God’s face in the new local residents.

This meant that rather than arriving with their own plans and agenda they listened to the new residents and waited to be led through them. Initially the people asked for opportunities to get to know their neighbours, a rounders match, coffee and toddler times and a Halloween Party [She worked with the community rather than doing to the community – see links below]. However, as conversations about faith grew the residents asked for: a ‘God Club’ to tell the local children about God (‘my kids don’t know anything about God – you could teach them’ said the parent who suggested it); a community nativity play; an event telling the Easter story; and, a year after Ali and her family moved in, a regular church gathering. Conversations about faith were also initiated by others rather than imposed by the existing Christians, but they were – and are – surprisingly frequent.

John, Mandy and Chris similarly shared that they were guided by the community in that they went out to the people rather than waiting for people to ‘come to us and our church’. Sue, Helen and Penny all actively listened to the community.

The importance of prayer emerged as a theme as people shared their journeys, with the accompanying attitude of listening to God. John, Mandy and Chris shared how they joined in with what God was doing through a prophetic word given during a prayer walk to identify a house to live in. The word tied into a later diocesan offer and they could see God’s leading in it. Prophetic words have also played a significant role in Ali’s discernment – including having a word for a local resident that was part of her journey to faith.

David highlighted the importance of trial and error in discerning what to do, and the value of taking a risk. He stated that we should take a risk to do things differently, ‘if it doesn’t work it doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing!’ Being given permission to fail (including allowing ourselves to fail) is all part of our learning and also discernment. Penny shared the story of trying to get a bus as a community space and began fundraising with a ‘running for the bus’ scheme. Ultimately, she could not get planning permission for the bus to be on site but the running took off and grew into a significant community activity, growing friendships and, ultimately playing a key role in the emergence of ‘Sunday Active’, their Fresh Expression.

Sometimes we simply do not know what to do, but as we pray and take risks we see where God is at work. Sue’s experience was similar in that things emerged unexpectedly. John and Mandy stress the importance of having ‘no remit’ and Ali advocates ‘laying down your agenda’. Both point to the same attitude of making space for God to lead and to join in with what the Spirit is doing.

Seeking to join in with the Spirit is risky and sometimes we will get it wrong. However, the safer alternative is human-led and ultimately leads to disappointment. 

Learning Points

Sometimes practitioners on the ground are scared of seeking to join in with the Spirit as it involves risk taking for which they haven’t been given permission. Not being given permission to fail by the church or funding body who is overseeing the work is counterproductive.It is through taking risks and trial and error that significant learning emerges and the opportunity for God to bring forth something exciting, unexpected and unplanned emerges.

Links and Resources

For details of contributors, see The Contributor’s Page.

Taylor, John Vernon (1972) The Go-between God. The Holy Spirit and Christian Mission SCM Press.
Wells, S. (2018). Incarnational mission: Being with the world. London: Canterbury Press, Norwich.
Moynagh, M. (2017). Church in life – innovation, mission and ecclesiology. SCM Press. In particular chapter 2 (which includes Ali’s story).
See more of Penny’s story here at Sunday Active.
See more of Chris Hunt’s story here.
Ali reflects on joining in with God’s mission here.

Thank you to Helen Baker, John & Mandy Bentley, Chris Hunt, David Johnson, Penny Marsh, and Sue Steer for sharing their stories and wisdom and Dan Simpson for his support with the interviews.