It remains the most helpful mission concept I have encountered in the past twenty years. “WOW – that’s a big call, Paul.” But it is true … and it is so simple.

Devised by the late Harold Turner (the Kiwi Newbigin), the suggestion is that for mission to be effective (under God’s gracious hand, of course) it needs to advance at three levels in a concerted manner.

Level One focuses on the individual-personal, incorporating spoken evangelism with acts of compassionate service. Words and deeds by individuals.

Level Two focuses on the public-social world with communities as the centerpiece. The community we know as the church – the distinctive, alternative, and attractive people of God – building bridges and walking across them into the wider community. This is where home and workplace are honoured. This is where social and economic systems are challenged. This is where the Kingdom of God becomes visible.

Level Three focuses on the deeper-cultural world. If society is a tree, the concern here is for the roots. If society is a boat, the concern here is for the tide. Level Three recognises that it is the invisible which tends to be influential. It agrees with CS Lewis in asserting that “the critical ideas in society are not the ones being argued, but the ones being assumed.” This is mission to worldview or, as Turner expressed it, this is “deep mission”.

The rest is here.

It is good to see these 3 points:

1. recovering biblical preaching
2. renewing theological education
3. redeeming tertiary mission