Committed to bringing the Christian message to young people in his hometown of Manchester, Andy Hawthorne was shocked when a missions partner told him he shouldn't just preach the gospel, but also engage in community projects.
It worked. The Message Trust has been recognised internationally as bringing hope and change to the roughest, poorest neighbourhoods of Manchester.
And it got him thinking: What, exactly, should the priority of the church be? Shoudl it be the lamp on a stand - bold, unashamed gospel proclamation to as many as possible? Or should it be more salt and yeast - serving and blessing the vulnerable and the marginalised, with no questions asked?
The answer, of course, is both. Christians who want to follow Jesus should explain the good news with words - but also make sure to demonstrate the gospel through what's been described as random acts of kindness.
It worked. The Message Trust has been recognised internationally as bringing hope and change to the roughest, poorest neighbourhoods of Manchester.
And it got him thinking: What, exactly, should the priority of the church be? Shoudl it be the lamp on a stand - bold, unashamed gospel proclamation to as many as possible? Or should it be more salt and yeast - serving and blessing the vulnerable and the marginalised, with no questions asked?
The answer, of course, is both. Christians who want to follow Jesus should explain the good news with words - but also make sure to demonstrate the gospel through what's been described as random acts of kindness.
