The Myth of Christianity's 'Frontline'Pete Portal - 12 Jun 2014

  What else do we honestly think following Jesus is about?

There are loads of funny phrases that often get used in Christian circles, and one is ‘full time Christian ministry’, which confuses me; aren’t we all called to play our part in the Great Commission? 

And I wonder if ‘frontline ministry’ is an equally dubious phrase. Based in Manenberg, South Africa, we're often told that we minister on the frontline, and at times, I think I know what people might mean. We've now had two bullets fly through our office windows during gang fights; dear friends and family have been killed; our houses have been broken into by those we have been trying to serve; we’ve seen miraculous financial provision come in as we’ve prayed for salaries or emergency rehab funds; and we’re committed to living amongst the poor and marginalized. Sounds pretty ‘frontline’, right?

But isn’t this just the normal Christian life? What else do we honestly think following Jesus is about? He did miracles of great power, loved till it hurt, equipped his disciples to cultivate counter-cultural communities of faith, celebrated the outcast, and obediently followed the Father’s voice (despite Peter’s sensible-sounding advice to the contrary) all the way to Calvary. 

And then he told us to ‘go do the same’.

I sometimes wonder where the concept of ‘frontline’ ministry came from. Might it have come out of the Christian ghetto – where Jesus’ passions have largely been replaced by chatting about church culture while sipping smoothies? 

Living on the front foot

During an ugly gang fight in Manenberg last year I went to buy milk from a local house shop, run by a Somalian man. I asked him how he was dealing with life on the frontline - I happened to use that exact word. His reply completely schooled me: “I’m from Mogadishu – living in Manenberg is easy!”

I went away struck by how relative everything is. I used to live in middle class Kent, south of London.  The only ‘gang’ I came into contact with growing up was the group of prepubescent kids roller-skating on a road off ours. So to me, some of the things that go down in Manenberg are pretty shocking. Yet, had I grown up in war-torn Mogadishu, my perspective would be completely different.

What’s my point? Well, I think the ‘frontline’ might be a myth – I don’t think it really exists. Or if it does, it’s different for each of us. Wouldn’t it be more helpful for us to think and live in terms of obedience to God’s specific call on our individual lives?

Then, when we’re walking that narrow path, we’ll see it needn’t be glamourised, nor feared. We can just enjoy living on the front foot – passionately pursuing whatever life in its fullness looks like for each of us.

For me, living on the front foot means living and loving in Manenberg. What does it look like for you to live your life on the front foot of obedience, courage and hope?

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