Articles for tag: Urban Neighbours of Hope

November 17, 2012

By Kendi Howells Douglas In January 2012, an academic society was formed and met for the first time in Bangkok, Thailand. The International Society of Urban Mission is a gathering of like-minded Christians, teachers, missionaries, and urban practitioners from around the world. Its members focus on the issues of urban life, specifically serving those who live in poverty-stricken conditions in the growing slums around the world. Officially, “The International Society For Urban Mission exists, therefore, to be a fellowship of urban missiologists committed to seeking God”s Shalom in cities, especially majority world cities, through active reflection, solidarity and leadership development.”1

November 22, 2010

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Standing with Jesus in Urban Chaos

By Ash Barker On the morning of May 19, all hell broke loose across Bangkok. While more than 1,000 people were injured and over 50 died in the two months leading up to this day, May 19 was the most violent, bloody climax imaginable. Not far from our slum house””just a few-minutes walk away””a mob was using grenades, M-16s, and machetes to fight the army and loot convenience stores, luxury shopping malls, and banks. By midday, the crazed mob was inching ever closer to our slum. I looked up from the Klong Toey Community Centre and saw plumes of smoke

September 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

An Incarnational Approach to Mission?

By Ash Barker Some of the most exciting and innovative Christian workers today describe their approach to mission as incarnational. But the term has been used in such diverse and contradictory ways that it is in danger of becoming clichÃ©d, losing any real meaning. This means some will dismiss the incarnational idea before they even consider its important call to sustained faithfulness and relevance in mission. The Same as . . . ? Some people think that because Anji and I moved our family into Klong Toey slum in Bangkok, Thailand, that we are therefore incarnational“”believing we have somehow become

January 24, 2010

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Pastoral Transitions & Succession

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

By Ash Barker How do we know if it”s time to move on or to dig deep and persevere? As an urban mission worker for nearly 20 years, I know how much is at stake. It pains me to see so many Christian leaders either hang on to an assignment for far too long, wringing the life out of a community, or withdraw prematurely, missing out on what was possible in that community. How can we know the right time to transition out of our current roles? I have some experience with this, and have helped many others to do