In an effort to provide an advocacy for our local churches to reclaim a theology and practice for missional service to the homeless and disadvantaged in our communities, I will be posting a series of blogs. These will be somewhat a compilation of several papers and discussions over the last few years. I hope they will generate discussion in your sphere of influence and in our churches.
Reclaiming Missional Service with a View of Rescue Missions
~ © by Rev. Jim Lewis
Beginnings of Rescue Missions
An area of charitable service that has included both the Gospel and social service is the Rescue Mission. Although Mission work began in America almost 200 years ago through a series of shelters organized by the Western Seaman’s Friends Society in 1830, commonly held history marks the modern Rescue Mission movement in the U.S. to Jerry McAuley, founder of the Water Street Mission in New York City in 1872. A self-described “rogue and street thief” who spent seven years in Sing Sing prison during the 1860’s, McAuley followed up on the invitation of a street missionary and gave his life to Christ. McAuley’s Water Street Mission became America’s first Rescue Mission; almost 300 Missions followed in the United States, which form the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (1946, 13-17). More recently a similar international movement has arisen in City Team Ministries.
In light of cultural and theological views of the time Rescue Missions tended to take one of two tracks: either becoming churches, or branches of a church called “chapels” – sometimes arising and declining according to changing needs in the city. In The Romance of Rescue, William Paul describes various types of services developed through Rescue Missions as “57 Varieties” (1946, 29). Some focused on the Pure Gospel: the Gospel will do the work; if you change the hearts of men, you will change the environment. Secondly, there are “community” missions: established in poor districts, identical to the church institution. Thirdly, the “welfare” mission: merging the message and ministry of Jesus to initiate emergency shelter facilities and services. Lastly, “industrial” missions, which are similar to social industries, such as Goodwill, which was started by the Methodist Church – following their theological perspective. Initial elements of these Missions dictated that they are not to become churches themselves, but support the work of the church in areas that the church could not (1946, 14).
In the last three decades, changes in Mission programs have largely involved an evolving postmodern philosophy relating to alcoholism and its treatment, which I relate to a move toward relativism. Prior to society recognizing alcoholism as a “disease,” it was considered the sin of drunkenness, and the men and women coming into Missions were drunks. Now that addictions are designated as diseases, some Missions have moved from Jesus being the cure, to a more clinical approach. Due to this more “professional” approach, there was a move toward secular concepts of treatment that are substantially removed from the former, spiritually-based programs. Many merge the two views, seeking to treat the physical and spiritual issues.
Reclaiming Missional Service with a View of Rescue Missions
~ © by Rev. Jim Lewis
Beginnings of Rescue Missions
An area of charitable service that has included both the Gospel and social service is the Rescue Mission. Although Mission work began in America almost 200 years ago through a series of shelters organized by the Western Seaman’s Friends Society in 1830, commonly held history marks the modern Rescue Mission movement in the U.S. to Jerry McAuley, founder of the Water Street Mission in New York City in 1872. A self-described “rogue and street thief” who spent seven years in Sing Sing prison during the 1860’s, McAuley followed up on the invitation of a street missionary and gave his life to Christ. McAuley’s Water Street Mission became America’s first Rescue Mission; almost 300 Missions followed in the United States, which form the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (1946, 13-17). More recently a similar international movement has arisen in City Team Ministries.
In light of cultural and theological views of the time Rescue Missions tended to take one of two tracks: either becoming churches, or branches of a church called “chapels” – sometimes arising and declining according to changing needs in the city. In The Romance of Rescue, William Paul describes various types of services developed through Rescue Missions as “57 Varieties” (1946, 29). Some focused on the Pure Gospel: the Gospel will do the work; if you change the hearts of men, you will change the environment. Secondly, there are “community” missions: established in poor districts, identical to the church institution. Thirdly, the “welfare” mission: merging the message and ministry of Jesus to initiate emergency shelter facilities and services. Lastly, “industrial” missions, which are similar to social industries, such as Goodwill, which was started by the Methodist Church – following their theological perspective. Initial elements of these Missions dictated that they are not to become churches themselves, but support the work of the church in areas that the church could not (1946, 14).
In the last three decades, changes in Mission programs have largely involved an evolving postmodern philosophy relating to alcoholism and its treatment, which I relate to a move toward relativism. Prior to society recognizing alcoholism as a “disease,” it was considered the sin of drunkenness, and the men and women coming into Missions were drunks. Now that addictions are designated as diseases, some Missions have moved from Jesus being the cure, to a more clinical approach. Due to this more “professional” approach, there was a move toward secular concepts of treatment that are substantially removed from the former, spiritually-based programs. Many merge the two views, seeking to treat the physical and spiritual issues.
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