Evangelism is so often seen as the conversion of the lost
Outreach seen as efforts to appeal to those in error
Working from a secure position of righteousness
"Come and join us on the highway to heaven"
denying the potholes and uncertainties,
the downright failings
of our road.

Such an approach meets the needs of the evangelist
but is unattractive even repellent to many
though preferable to medieval coersion
and conversion by force of arms

We are called to love our neighbours
to walk alongside them on their journey
sharing our struggles and, together, seeking
that we may stumble hand-in-hand down the Way
together risk the potholes and footpads and diversions
the problems that Jesus pointed to in his day
and have got deeper ever since.

Jesus takes us
from the super-highway of secularity,
down the slip-road of conversion,
to the roundabout of decision.
Yet do we really understand
where each exit goes to,
what each implies?

THEMES FROM THE PARABLES
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