Rethinking the term "Incarnational Ministry"

I have been convicted lately after doing a thorough exegesis of John 1:14 that the term "incarnational ministry" is actually theologically inaccurate. Now before you get your panties wadded up in a bunch let me please qualify and explain. By no means am I downplaying the huge impact of those who move into the inner city, or go live in a foreign missions field to live out the gospel. I have a great deal of respect for Dr. John Perkins and many others who see the need to relocate and move to the communities they desire to reach. I am concerned not about the practice and methodology of this kind of ministry, rather the enormous theological implications of what the incarnation is. So let's be really clear up front I am in no way attacking anyone who relocates and ministers in the inner city the live giving message of Jesus Christ.

While certain aspects of "incarnational ministry" are commendable, the very notion that we can do "incarnational ministry" is false. At the center of the gospel is the incarnation of Jesus Christ which is a unique and unrepeatable event. The incarnation is not a model or on-going process of ministry by which the Bible speaks it is one-time event that forever changed the course of human history. I want to share with you both practical and theological problems with the notion that we can do "incarnational ministry".

The practical

While again I commend those who move into the community they wish to serve the idea that you have "incarnated" is a falsehood. For one I see a great many who make the move and feel as though they take on the suffering of the community, but in certain areas keeping their kids either in home school, or private institutes. The reality is those who feel they have incarnated can choose to leave the community anytime they wish. They can pursue avenues and opportunities foreign to those who are indigenous. I was told of a missionary family who went to live in Africa, to "incarnate" so to speak, and when their baby came down with a serious health condition they fled back to the states for treatment. While they desired to live on the level of the villagers and endure discomfort, stress and health problems, they could never fully incarnate with the people.

In so many ways it would be like saying when Jesus experienced persecution he decided to just go back to being with the father. I don't think those who practice "incarnational ministry" can ever truly become incarnational. They always have options not available to others. They have resources and social capital not accessable to those they minister to. They have educational experience and networks that quite frankly indigenous people do not possess. They already see life through a different scope and can never truly change their thinking and presuppositions to conform to those who they minister to.

The Theological

The term "incarnational ministry" also does violence to the Scriptures. They say to the indigenous people follow me as I follow Jesus but this practice does harm to our call to follow Jesus, not individuals. We should point people to follow the one who incarnated not us. Unfortunately not all but some who do "incarnational ministry" become proud and haughty as if they are Jesus themselves. The incarnation is a single event of the Word becoming flesh and we can no way repeat that. As a matter of fact the Bible never uses the idea of "incarnation" as a model for ministry. While it is certainly important to embody the gospel, engage in relational ministry and bear witness to Christ our work is NEVER incarnational for we are NOT Jesus we simply represent Him. We are not equivalent to Jesus but rather subordinate to Him.

In John's gospel he displays the uniquiness of the incarnation; it can never be repeated again. Again I am so thankful for those who minister in word in deed and don't wish to downplay or change what they are doing. I simply don't approve of the term incarnational ministry. There is no way we can as fallen sinners repeat the incarnation through our ministry. While God sends the Son who then sends us this no way implies that we are to attampt to incarnate because that is humanly impossible. We must see the diety and humanity of Jesus Christ as once for all and it is Him that we proclaim in our ministry. We are not those who bring about redemption (which is a core concept of incarnation-Jesus qualified to pay for our sins) God alone is through His Son. We simply can't imitate what Jesus has done we can only proclaim and live it out but that is not incarnational.

My hope is not to offend you it is to make you think deeply about what the incarnation provided for us as believers. You must always see the incarnation in connection with the perfect life, crucifixion and ressurection of Jesus. We can't take out one part of that chain and use it as a ministry model. Let me be clear how much I value those who practice what they call "incarnational ministry". I am grateful for them and hope they see this is not to divide or belittle the efforts and methods by which they do ministry. I myself have been called to urban ministry and know the importance of living life among the people you wish to minister to. I will just no longer call it "incarnational"...

Social Capital

One of the reasons I believe mentoring an inner city child is so important is because they lack social capital. As a young man growing up I had two parents who took me to camps, gave me opportunities and pushed me to succeed. I also had coaches and mentors who modeled what it meant to love their wives, discipline their children and show up for work everyday.

Most inner city youth lack positive role models. They instead seek out popular rappers, drug dealers, and entertainers who promote a narcissistic, self-indulgent lifestyle. When they want to find jobs or get help inquiring about college they have few men and women in their corner who can provide the networking and resources they need.

This is why I feel mentoring is so necessary. By involving yourself in the lives of others and using your resources you can open up doors for a child that may otherwise be shut. Imagine if you never had parents that pushed you, had relationships with networks, or graduated from college or worked good jobs. I doubt we would be where we are because we would be the exception not the rule. Serve in the role of a mentor. It will bring you great satisfaction as God uses you to expand a young persons vision for their lives.