The latest in our series of 'rural questions' comes in response to Rick's question on the dynamics of planting in different places. Forgive the shameless inclusion of podcast praise, but I'm not sure how to edit that bit out!
"La Pausa"
I love football, and during the World Cup it is a terrible distraction that can make for much enjoyment and little work! Yet, as I thought of Rick’s question a little known football term came to mind. “La Pausa” or, the pause, which many feel coined in Argentina had made it’s way into Europe and part of the tactical tool belt of Barcelona in the 2010s. Fundamentally it is utilised by a player when everything is frantic to simply slow down and pause in order to get a sense of bearing to then affect the game. As I think of one of the differences between transitory and rural contexts pacing is one which comes up time after time. What I want to consider is a few ways in which each is different, but also how we can learn from one another in our different areas.
For those in transitory communities, learn to slow down
In talking to some of my friends in more transitory communities there is a regular coming and going of people, both in church community but also in the local area. This can be to do with education or employment, but can create a pace and turnover that appears frantic. You can feel that there is a limited time to reach and invest in people before they inevitably move on, either back to their ‘home’ or on to another opportunity or job. However, if we pause to consider not just where these people are now, but where they might be in future, their discipleship and nurturing in this community might be preparation for them to return with a deeper affection for Jesus and His church. Think of the church in Antioch in Acts 11 and the excitement and novelty. The diversity we see in Acts 13 coupled with having Barnabas and Paul there must have been exciting - yet, the first thing we read of them doing is to send on and send out. If in the midst of frantic movement the church slows down, lifts her eyes and sees the broader picture, the next steps can be better informed and more widely effective. Maybe reach out to a community or area that people are coming from, and discuss how people can be sent back, or sent on to be a blessing in other places.
For those in slower communities, don’t turn a pause into a nap
I realise in the first section I spoke about the church and how it disciples and sends, but what about how the church is rooted in a ‘static’ community like a rural town. The danger here is not of a frantic, but atrophy. When a pause becomes a nap. I don’t know about you, but sometimes we are busy, we boil the kettle, sit down, start scrolling, and before you know it two hours have passed! In slower communities we can be like this. Relationships take time, investment is quantified in years not days, and there can be a higher bar for cultivating truth and credibility. In our first year in Loughrea we simply ‘were.’ We got the kids established in school, met our neighbours, joined clubs, went shopping, attended events. We didn’t try to impose, or to create community in a place that already had established community. Yet, in these circumstances we need to be careful that we don’t just simply turn in and tune out, but remember our dynamic purpose and commission as Gospel witnesses. Of course, we need to pace ourselves as this can take time, but we do so with a sense of preparation. The genius of “La Pausa” is that when everything has slowed down, the player is prepared for quick movement, grabbing opportunities and a change of tempo. It is important in more static communities that we never stop learning, never stop asking question, never lose the sense of curiosity that we once had.
Be careful that we aren’t generalising in both
One of the things most necessary for “La Pausa” to work is a sensitivity to what is happening around the player. To be able to read the situation, and assess the tempo and opportunities. One of the dangers for churches in both communities is that we generalise and are lost in confusion. I have found that most areas have a little bit of both present. Some city contexts close to universities can have a transient student population, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find some people that have been there for generations. In most rural contexts there are a lot of people who commute and have no real roots in the local community and might only stay for a short season. As much as we are students of theology and church planting, we also need to realise that we are on a continual learning path of our local area. I’m regularly surprised by how things are linked together, the cross over of relationships, and new discoveries in our local area. There is much we can learn from one another, in both city and rural contexts, faster and slower paced, transitory and static communities. Sharing our contexts and hearing different perspectives is a great way to glean ideas, be challenged, and to be encouraged to take a pause once in a while and look around.
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