Thinking about St. Patrick the missionary

I am wrapping up preparation for the sermon tomorrow, which is the last week of our evangelism series. We are concluding it with several baptisms. As it is St. Patrick's Day on Monday, I also am going to briefly touch on St. Patrick because his life is an example of what we are teaching about. Not the totally fictitious St. Patrick and the leprechauns, 4-leaf clovers and green beer and all that. But what we know of the historical St. Patrick.

Two of my missionary heroes are Hudson Taylor (China) and St. Patrick (Ireland). The reason is that they understood the need to contextualize how you go about church and mission in different cultures. I also am reminded that they both were criticized by their "home" base of Britain (in both these cases in totally different time periods). But they got criticism for changing how they went about "church", how they adapted their ministry even their dress and look if needed, to proclaim and teach the gospel catered to a specific culture.

I was just re-reading tonight the book "The Celtic Way of Evangelism" by George Hunter, which was a very influential book in my life several years ago. There are some who have disagreements with the author's take on the Celt's (as there is a variety of time periods and complexities in their history, so it is hard to say in a generic form "The Celts"). But never-the-less, it is a great and inspiring book. I will simply put a few quotes here from the book in memory and honor of the ministry of St. Patrick.

Patrick was kidnapped by the Irish at age 16 and became a slave for many years. He eventually escaped and went back to Britain. But then he ended up going back to the very people in Ireland he escaped from to share Jesus and proclaim the gospel. But he didn't do in normal ways. He did set up formal biblical training and education but so much was done relationally and creatively.

We can get fearful of being rejected or that people won't like us when they know we are Christians. But look at this description of the people Patrick went back to:

".... stripped before battle and rushed their enemy naked, carrying sword and shield but wearing only sandals and torc...  while howling." (page 19)

Patrick got to understand those he was trying to reach:

"..Patrick understood the people and their language, their issues, and their ways...When you understand the people, you will often know what to say and do, and how. When the people know the Christians understand them, they infer that maybe the High God understands them too." (pages 19-20)

"After years of reflection on how the Irish might be reached, he moved into mission....employing parable, story, poetry, song, visual symbols, visual arts and perhaps drama to engage the Celtic people's remarkable imaginations. Often, we think, Patrick would receive the people's questions and then speak to those questions collectively." (page 21)

"They did not rely upon preaching alone to communicate the fullness of Christianity." (page 74)

The results:

"They baptized many thousands, probably tens of thousands. Patrick's mission planted about 700 churches. Within his lifetime, 30 to 40 (or more) of Ireland's 150 tribes became substantially Christian." (page 23)

The criticism that followed from the British and Roman church leaders (sounds like some similar criticism of today):

"One would naturally assume that the British Church which ordained Patrick and sent him to Ireland, would continue to affirm his mission and celebrate its achievements. This was far from the case. The British leaders had expectations that he was to be administer to local churches and care for faithful Christians. The British leaders were offended and angered that Patrick was spending priority time with "pagans", "sinners" and "barbarians". (pages 23-24)

"The Roman church leaders repeatedly criticized the Celtic wing for not doing church the "Roman way".....the hairstyle of the Celtics contrasted with the "tonsure" of the Romans. In hairstyle matter, and many others, Celtic Christianity had adapted to the people's culture; the Romans wanted Roman cultural forms imposed on all churches and people's - a policy that was alien to the Celtic movement's genius. The driving issues was control. That is why it was so important to the Romans for everyone to do church the "Roman way." (pages 40-41).

Despite the criticism, the type of people this missionary venture produced:

"They were devoted, compassionate, sold-out citizens of Heaven. They relied, through "prayer without ceasing" upon the Triune God's providence and power. They would do anything they could to help other people find The Way." (page 76)

I pray that as a church, we become devoted, compassionate....  and we would also do anything we can to help others find The Way, The Truth, and the Life." .............Amen.

Comments

[Jonny McCormick]

Great blog on St Pat! It's great to know that people are still talking about him all these years later. i wrote a blog on St Pat at the end of january this year.

http://www.fuzzyorthodoxy.com/2008/01/study-on-st-patrick-as-role-model-and.html

[jimmy]

I've been wanting to read "Celtic Way of Evangelism". I've got to get it now. And we have a hero in common! I have a tattoo of Hudson Taylor on my right arm. I've been itching to get some new ink. I think I smell a St. Patrick tattoo coming on.

[Colleen]

....and then share a post-baptismal pint of green beer with you.

[shawn]

That's wild knowledge about his life that I didn't know. It sure compels me to not give up on reaching a culture/society that often seems unwanting or unreachable. This is encouraging news today.

[Andy Giessman]

Great book! I am a church planter in Scranton, PA where Patrick is celebrated big time. I think I might speak on Patrick next year. It could be a great tool to reach our city. Thanks for you posts, Dan.

[Rick]

Having studied this for a thesis in seminary, I found that humility was key. If you read Patrick's writings, and reports on others such as St. Columba, you see their humility before God.

[lilly lewin]

didn't know hudson taylor was one of your heroes..
that's who hudson lewin is named for!
we loved that he was the first western missionary to adapt chinese dress and haircut to better relate to the people.
and you do know that the celtic way of evangelism impacted my life in a big way!
hope the baptisms went great today!

[Dan]

Colleen,

I will admit that if I saw a leprechaun walking around and it was real that would be somewhat exciting too. I would hope he would then trust in Jesus and then be baptized in our new baptismal.

[Colleen]

I really love the Celtic Way of Evangelism, and the shape the Celtic church took. As well, the role that the church played in the preservation of the entirety of Western history and civiliztion, as laid out in 'How the Irish Saved Civilization'. With my Irish background, I was very much blessed to see how God ordained such a group of backwater rabblerousers to be His servants, eventually re-evangelising England and most of Europe. And Patrick's story! Captured by pirates! Converted while a slave! Escaping! Returning to preach to his captors! Whew! What a story! Much more exciting than leprechauns and green beer.

[steve Williams]

Some of the biggest ways the enemy uses to keep people from relationship with Christ revolve around these very issues. They represent that additional gulf you diagram so well Dan before the sin gulf can be breached by trust in Jesus. First, "they" won't come to "us" because there is the perception that "we" won't accept "them" until they clean up their act and conform to our outward appearance. The whole idea by those in the world that church is just a follow-all-the-rules-and-look-good club. The danger on our side is we tend to measure what God is doing in a person's life in terms of sanctification and holiness by these same exterior style related standards.
When will we realize that "they" are "us" and "we" are "them" - the only difference being we have trusted in God's mercy in Christ, whereas they may have not yet done so.

[Jason]

nice to learn a little more about the man behind the holiday...may get the book..

[Brenna]

I read that book several years ago and remember that it was an excellent book. I completely understand how we are sometimes criticized for reaching out to others and sharing the Gospel in different ways. It's a shame that churches can't branch out from their traditional ways and go to others instead of expecting others to come to them (their churches) and be open to how others think and what they need. Many of the people I meet just want me to share in their interests. That's a bridge to relationships and eventually sharing the Gospel message.

[Allen]

So fascinating how critics will do the same thing today as back then. If you aren't doing church like they do, then you can get criticized. I am not talking about changing the gospel or changing truth. But when you make changes to forms of church and ministry for new cultures, the "guard" gets upset. How we never learn. Thanks for the post.

[phil]

Thanks Dan, I loved the Celtic Way of Evangelism and the story of Patrick. I appreciate the post.