Inspiring, encouraging but not living out mission

Nathan Brown
Master of Arts (Research) student
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

The One Project gathering in Seattle last month may have been the second most inspiring and encouraging event for which I have been privileged to attend. I applaud and support the impulse—Jesus. All.—behind this movement.

The need to refocus on Jesus is a perpetual task—He can so easily be obscured by our arguments, our busyness, our stuff, even our “churchness,” and the day-to-day mechanics of all of these. So, it’s inspiring to be reminded Jesus has been our focus in the past, even amid disappointments and frustrations, and to recognise He’s transforming people’s lives and communities today. And it’s encouraging to gather, to share and to worship with others of like mind.

Two weeks later, in Portland, I and 4500 academics, activists, artists, ministers and students from the US, Canada and 18 other countries attended the Justice Conference. Its focus: the Bible’s call to “do justice” and what this tells us about the nature of God and who we are called to be in His world. The conference may have been the most inspiring, encouraging and challenging event for which I have been privileged to attend. I didn’t just go home changed; I went home to change the world (if you’ll forgive me for being a little grandiose).

The One Project is a step—and a vital, positive, healthy one—but it isn’t the journey. The Justice Conference is a further step and a worthwhile one beyond that of The One Project, but it isn’t the journey either. The journey begins after I leave the hotel ballroom or the convention centre. The journey is me living out the mission of Jesus by working for justice in my community on the other side of the world. And you in yours.

The One Project Sydney, July 28-29, 2012.
Early registration closes March 28.
www.the1project.org

The significance of the question of motivation

Nathan Brown
Master of Arts (Research) student
Avondale College of Higher Education

Before Kevin Rudd disappears into obscurity, it’s worth remembering what may have been his most significant achievement as Australia’s foreign minister.

Last year, under Rudd’s leadership, the Department of Foreign Affairs reviewed overseas aid for development and poverty alleviation. Australia has now become a leader in moving toward dedicating 0.5 per cent of its gross national income to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. More important: the profound change in rationale. Instead of furthering Australia’s national interests, “the fundamental purpose of Australian aid”—the new policy reads—“is to help people in developing countries overcome poverty.”

This policy may not look radically different from the previous policy but the question of motivation is significant. An apparently identical act or idea is rendered profoundly different by its why.

The Bible says we should do some things simply because they are the right things to do. As Jesus said, part of living humbly as His disciples is to be “hungry and thirsty for justice” (Matthew 5:6, NLT), to seek goodness in all its forms, including working for more goodness in the world beyond ourselves as agents of God’s kingdom here and now. In theory, it’s straightforward. In practice, it’s more complicated—our motivations get so muddled and muddied.

So, let’s applaud anything that moves our national, corporate and individual actions beyond self-interest. Whether this new policy changes priorities or survives the loss of its political champion remains to be seen, but we can be encouraged by this impulse.

We should also consider our motivations. We might find ourselves doing some things differently and other things similarly but with radically different motives. That will be good for us, as well as for those—and for Him—we seek to serve.