Further Education a significant opportunity or forgotten sector?

The Church of England has launched a new vision, Vocation, Transformation & Hope, for engagement with Further Education (FE). This is great news. I was an FE Chaplain from 2010-13, though I remained in the sector until 2015 advising colleges in the north of England about faith provision.

Since then I have trained for ordination and am now coming to the end of my curacy in Leeds.

But hearing the news this morning (1 May) has unsettled me a little as, and I'm honestly not exaggerating for effect here, last night (30 April) I was clearing through paperwork - imagining that I might be organised and tidied up before moving to my new post - and I found a reflection on FE written by me for my discernment process. 

Having not seen it for at least SEVEN years, I'm amazed I found it as the national church has launched a new vision for FE. It still feels current.

Reflection on Further Education

I had the privilege of being a Further Education College Chaplain for three years. Over time I came to identify four main aspects of my work: policy development; encouraging and facilitating a faith presence; offering pedagogical (teaching in class) input; and pastoral work. These four Ps became my framework of understanding. It was relatively straightforward explaining these motifs to managers and tutors. More Christian models were less accessible to staff. For example, Priest, Pastor and Prophet were three hats Chaplains were encouraged to wear, but how do you legitimise your presence by reference to these terms?

Not that I wasn't these things. The pastoring aspect of Chaplaincy is a common thread in all sectors and styles of chaplaincy. We exist to be the hands of Christ. The third mark of mission speaks of 'responding to human need by loving service.' FE pastoral work meets the joys and griefs of life - student deaths were a common occurrence. But counselling and listening to staff met a desperate human hunger -  to be seen as a person, not a cog in a machine. These conversations often unveiled unacknowledged injustices across the college, which had to be addressed. In so doing, becoming a prophetic voice, I found myself seeking to transform the culture of the college, challenging bullying and seeking peace, all of which falls under the fourth mark of mission. I had to challenge homophobic bullying as a natural part of this mission.

The priestly nature of chaplaincy was a mystery to me for some time. I was complaining about being described as 'The College Nice Guy' to a colleague, who insistently retorted, "do you know how few nice guys there are in college?"  Encouraging though this was, I was still left unhappy that my 'being there' could be considered 'chaplaincy.' It was this guilt that caused me to pour too much effort into policy development, acting as a de facto Equality Manager. It gave me credibility, but was, essentially, a sell out to the culture of productivity. Until I read something in Being a Priest Today (Cocksworth & Brown, 2006):

"When people brush up against the holy they are never quite the same afterwards...they have met someone who stands for another world, a different set of values that are strangely compelling...In this person something of the divine could be sensed, and it felt good to be in touch with such deep reserves of affirmation and love."

The first mark of mission is about proclaiming the good news, which on one level was strictly prohibited to me. I was expressly forbidden from proselytising (seeking to convert). But Chaplains are physical signs of God's grace. We are flesh and blood examples of Christian love and service, and even when we were simply available, present, our nature and character had an impact, a felt impact, on the college.

But when speaking of 'The College' to Christian leaders I was often met with overwhelming ignorance about the size and scope of the sector. Despite the presence of nearly 400 colleges in the UK, three million people learning in them, with nearly double the number of 16-18 year olds choosing college of maintained schools, FE barely registers on the radar of churches. Some Boards of Education don't even reference it.

And not only FE, but chaplaincy too. Chaplains are parodied as 'vicars that can't cut it,' or a soft option for the bruised and battered. Whereas FE Chaplaincy required emotional resilience, creativity, a passion for young people, and flexibility.

Unfortunately, I was released from the College's employ after a three year pilot. This was a rare institution appointment (I wasn't employed by the church to be chaplain), but couldn't withstand the current economic climate. This precarious presence in FE is not uncommon. Individual chaplains come and go, usually because the individual in post was a local enthusiast or a short term paid post. The church should reconsider its chaplaincy priorities, helping church congregations understand more about FE, its impact on the local economy and community potential, while also seeking to release more individuals into this exciting, effervescent and youthful work. And, after all, we are scratching our heads about missional work with young people/adults - a more intentional focus on FE might surprising results.

True Ministry (for the masses)

"Don't receive God's grace in vain"

"Now is the time of God's favour, now is the day of salvation"

"Having nothing, and yet possessing everything"

"Open wide your hearts"

I'm loving the current series at church on Sunday mornings - 2 Corinthians. We're simply following the lectionary readings, but it gives a greater sense of purpose knowing we're familiarising ourselves more with some slightly less well-known books of the New Testament. The series is called, 'Making True Disciples'.

Yesterday, 24 June, 3rd Sunday after Trinity, we read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13.

As I approach the passage I think I might have taken a very straightforward approach: God is seeking to be reconciled to each and everyone of us (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17-21). This great grace is on offer now - receive it. Have you received it? If not - receive it. If you have and you've blown cold, why? Step back into God's great plan for you. Perhaps you've encountered hard times - great! That's the moment when we most realise what we have in Christ. Open your hearts to the life God has for you.

Evangelistic and Encouraging - and probably shallow. Sure...these themes are here.

However, I was really rather taken with Phil Arnold's approach (Phil is our curate).

1. URGENCY (vv.1-2)
2. AUTHENTICITY (vv.3-10)
3. VULNERABILITY (vv.11-13)

Paul's purpose in writing is (in part) to justify his apostleship - the church in Corinth (that he helped found) considers him a less than impressive specimen of apostleship in comparison to others. In fact, some might suggest Paul's experiences of hardship are signs he was not a great apostle at all.

[As I write this, I can see how easily even I think this of certain leaders. How quickly I judge a person's success based on the relative ease with which they maintain their ministry]

Phil argued that the passage showed three ways in which Paul's ministry was characterised, and so in turn should mark all Christian ministry.

1. Urgency (vv.1-2)
So often in our lives we use all manner of excuses concerning our service to God. We can't find the time, or make sacrifices...or particular tasks will take too much time.

Or we are easily distracted from a legitimate task: that suddenly urgent chore, or the latest news article about this-or-that celebrity, or a website we've meant to look at for some time, and so the procrastination goes...

Or we are enslaved to the tyranny of the urgent. We are forced to fire-fight, to prioritise the urgent but sadly unimportant...

Paul was NOT a procrastinator, was NOT distracted, nor was he prone to focusing on the unimportant.

GRACE-FAVOUR-SALVATION

This is Paul's focus. Is it ours?

2. Authenticity (vv.3-10)
Real ministry is often done in secret. Either it's the tasks we do that are unseen, or the challenging people we chose to tolerate. Inauthentic ministry is marked by the tendency to put obstacles in other people's way. I was challenged to think that my bitching about another Christian, or work colleague could in fact be a cause of stumbling to another true friend.

I watched Frasier recently (Episode 17, Season 3, 'High Crane Drifter') in which he bemoans perceived rudeness of people around him. Something he says struck a chord, "Your rudeness will in turn cause me to be discourteous to another, and so on..."

Real ministry seeks to stop the chain-reaction of rudeness and discourtesy.

This happens because we see ourselves, always, as SERVANTS of GOD (v.4).

A life of service commends God's grace because real lives are marked by a balance between struggles/challenges and blessings/provisions.

There are, Phil contended, two problems if you see life as either only blessings, or stuggles:
i) if life is ONLY happiness and blessings, well you're either in denial or else likely to be very disappointed, or
ii) if life is ONLY struggles and challenges, well life is nothing but an endless stream of mishaps and soul-destroying battles.

The first is in plain denial of the experiences of every man, woman and child.
The second is in plain denial of the truth of the resurrection. God comes to bring life, joy and peace now.

Christian's are most attractive when they possess both (challenges and blessings)...in balance. I am more able to draw others to God if they see an authentic life... [I LOVED this point by Phil...] How many of us try to hide what God is doing...do we stress the struggles, or do we ignore the pain believing that Christians can't see us in need?? One is a problem about witness, the other is a problem with fellowship.

3. Vulnerability (vv.11-13)
Which is why, perhaps, Paul ends this passage with a reference to his own emotional needs. He is no superhuman, who faces the slings and arrows of life with a mere shrug of the shoulder. We might find his list somewhat intimidating - giving the impression of a hero (vv.4-5; cf. 11:23-27). Instead, Paul says - please love me?!

We may be called to a tough life - but this should weather us - not harden us [great point!]

We never get to the point where we don't need the love of other people.

True ministry involves all three elements: a life or urgency, lived with authenticity, and in relation to others in a spirit of vulnerability.

This is - after all - the life Jesus lived. He strained for the gospel, being with those around him in the good and bad, never pretending to be happy when he wasn't...our great servant King.

Phil's final point was simply to say that in ministry (a task that isn't actually for the professional Christians, but for all) we are commending ourselves to others. When we reach out to others we are saying - Accept me...my life, my message, my love.

For when another accepts me, they are, in fact, accepting Jesus.

Living as a minority

Our bishop, Nick Baines, has blogged today on comments he's made about being a minority. I think this is a very important debate to had - how do we function as a 'national' church if we're a minority. However, I'm not sure about Nick's suggestion that we should look to the Muslim community as an example. This is my response to Nick:

This may seem somewhat facile but is it not more appropriate to think of
dwindling Christian communities as early church, where they were more
mission-orientated and certainly a minority?

There is a fundamental difference in the histories of the two faiths. Christians look back to an early church that was persecuted; Muslims look to a more triumphalist origin. This creates a different mindset.

I agree with your final paragraph that there are important challenges facing the church, but what conclusions could we draw from the Muslim community?

It is certainly true that parishes in Bradford are overwhelmingly outnumbered, made all the more frustrating when members of the congregation 'drive in' to church on a Sunday having left some time ago when the tide of immigrants became a worry. (This is a worrying trend, perhaps - Christians who feel called to worship in an area but not live there?)

The concern is that we end up with a siege mentality if we compare ourselves with our Muslim brothers and sisters. Churches don't think of being active, rather it's about protecting their church, the culture and congregation. We are about maintenance not mission.

Instead, we should, as you suggest, see the opportunity, which is to rethink our strategy of outreach, how the building is used by the community, how we present the gospel, how we seek to find culturally relevant ways of presenting Jesus. These are all things the early church did. I am not, as a Bradfordian, convinced we see this in the Muslim community around us.

Perhaps I'm not seeing this in the same way?!

What do people think?

The Venns

The name Venn conjures images of diagrams, does it not? This Venn diagram shows the intersections of the Greek, Latin and Russian alphabet. They are rather pretty in their own way. A chap called John Venn created them. Good for him.

Fascinatingly, the church commemorates John Venn's family today: his father, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather: Henry Venn, the great-grandfather; John Venn, the grandfather; and Henry Venn the younger, his father.

There is a helpful entry about them at this site.

Henry Venn (great-grandfather) was a clergymen who was deeply influenced (as a member of the Clapham Sect) by William Law's important book, 'Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life'. Over time he altered his view of Christian living.

"...Devotion signifies a life given, or devoted, to God." So begins William Law's Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. Originally published in 1729, Law's book stands as a powerful challenge to Christians. Law teaches that if God is "our greatest good," then the wisest way to live is to please God through a life of worship, adoration, and devotion. Since many fail to live this way, Law diagnoses why and suggests certain concrete practices as a remedy. Thus, no one interested in becoming more devout could ignore this dynamic book. Law's call has encouraged several generations, and does not fail to encourage believers even today with a serious call to a devout and holy life.

Henry Venn changed his Christian perspective, and through personal and generational influence came to personify the evangelicalism many of us adhere to today. I am particularly mindful that this year's Keswick has as its theme - Word to the World. John Venn (grandad) came to help found the Christian Mission Society (CMS). The spiritual background to the emergence of CMS was the great outpouring of energy in Western Europe now called The Great Awakening. John Wesley an Anglican priest and failed missionary became a key player in the UK version of the story. Not all those influenced by the revival left the Anglican Church to become Methodists. One such was John Venn, the saintly rector of Clapham. His son (the diagramatician's father) Henry Venn the Younger, was born at Clapham in 1796. He also eventually devoted himself in 1846 entirely to the work of the Church Missionary Society. He was secretary for thirty-two years, and his organizing gifts and sound judgment made him the leading member of the Society. His aim was that overseas Churches should become “self-supporting, self-governing, and self-extending”. He was instrumental in securing the appointment of the first African Anglican bishop, Samuel A. Crowther, in 1864.

"What Venn the Younger did, in essence, was to wrestle with the reality of
cultural distinctiveness and to map out a missionary strategy that both took
this seriously and sought to extrapolate an implement biblical and historical
principles of church growth. And in doing this he was no lonely beacon seeking
to spread light amid the darkness of his generation. He was rather the most
articulate and systematic exponent of ideas that had a very wide currency in
missionary circles and beyond…"

...writes Peter Williams. The Venns saw the powerful transforming power of the gospel, but crucially saw that it had to take root in a persons living - all of it, which means a persons culture is to be taken seriously.

These men embody the spirit of the Clapham Sect. Its members were chiefly prominent and wealthy evangelical Anglicans who shared common political views concerning the liberation of slaves, the abolition of the slave trade and the reform of the penal system. The group's name originates from Clapham, then a village south of London (today part of south-west London) where many of the group's meetings were held.

After many decades of work both in British society and in Parliament, the group saw their efforts rewarded with the final passage of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, banning the trade throughout the British Empire and, after many further years of campaigning, the total emancipation of British slaves with the passing of the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833. They also campaigned vigorously for Britain to use its influence to eradicate slavery throughout the world.

What strikes me is that this group were lampooned in their day as "the saints", which says as much about the life we are called to lead and the worries and fears we have.

These were a deeply evangelical body who were persuaded of the need for God to be felt in personal devotion, in public proclamation and societal reform. The group published a journal, the Christian Observer, edited by Zachary Macaulay and were also credited with the foundation of several missionary and tract societies, including the British and Foreign Bible Society and, as mentioned above, the Church Missionary Society.

Indeed, the Clapham sect have been credited with playing a significant part in the development of Victorian morality, through their writings, their societies, their influence in Parliament, and their example in philanthropy and moral campaigns, especially against slavery. In the words of Tomkins, "The ethos of Clapham became the spirit of the age".

What a bunch of individuals, eh?

Two thoughts to go away with:
1. To what extent am I living a life that pleases God through patterns of worship, adoration, and devotion?
2. Am I engaging with mission? Do I spread the good news?