What kind of bread?

Today I've been reading the gospel of John and within my usual preoccupation with God's heart for the poor I spotted something a bit interesting. In chapter 6 Jesus miraculously feeds 5000 people with a few loaves and fish, clearly impressive but the response of the people is really telling. After the meal Jesus sneaks off for a bit of alone time and later that evening joins his disciples as they make their way across the lake to Capurnaum. The next day the 5000 people who had been fed by Jesus realise he has given them the slip and all get into boats and cross the lake to find him; but why?

When they get to Jesus he sees right to their hearts; 'I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.' It would not be too much of a presumption to suppose that this crowd were poor and lived at subsistence level; in Jesus they had not recognised the Son of God but just a meal ticket. Jesus urges them 'Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life'.

In our attempts to bring the kingdom through material provision and social justice, meeting the 'felt needs' of the poor in our society, we need to remember that food does not make disciples; for the poor and marginalised in our society Jesus is their source, but not only of food and clothing, also of something far more enduring, of eternal life. Jesus was passionate to meet their need for food but also to reveal to them their real need beyond their felt need, and ultimately to meet both through his miraculous power and presence. 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry'.

'Incarnational' - adjective or noun?

I'm totally not a fan of the current trend of using 'incarnational' as a descriptive; the idea that Christianity is something which can be, at times and by specific people, described as incarnational seems to me to be totally misleading.

If Christianity is anything it is incarnational! Far from being a 'style' or ministry option for church leaders, incarnation is the very stuff of the Christian life on an individual and corporate level.

The incarnation or enfleshing of Jesus was a one time occurance sure, but it was an one time for all time event. In becoming Christians we are incorporated into Christ, and are made sons of God and parts of Christ's body; as a result we become little incarnations of Christ in this world. As individuals we cannot choose to follow Christ but avoid Christ incarnate in us; his only method of discipleship is to move in, to inhabit your flesh by the Holy Spirit. Its the only hope for our redemption, extreme yes but nothing else can overcome our sin.

'Incarnational ministry' has come to carry numerous connotations; an endorsement of the material world and human culture, a desire to meet people where they are and a strategy to participate in shared human life with them. I really love this but I'd far prefer to hear it called Christian ministry - its such a mistake to think that we can be a Christian and still avoid the incarnation of Christ in us affecting the world around us. A Christian life without incarnation is simply no Christian life at all!