Why We Serve at Bragg Jam

I have been enjoying an e-mail conversation on what being missional means and looks like. I described some of that for NCCd - and how this weekend that meant many of our folks volunteering for Bragg Jam and serving in venues from the River Walk to several local bars. I explained that we would not be tending the bar, but selling merchandise and tickets, here's what followed with some editing:

Keith, I have been thinking about our conversations, and was wondering the purpose of your members serving in the bars. Don't get me wrong, I believe in reaching the lost. My father was in prison for 10 years and I grew up in bars rather than church, but I am curious how selling tickets open doors.

My response:
Primarily it is a relationship thing.
1) New City's relationship with those putting on the event just went through the roof - we provided 1/3 of their volunteers. This group - and their entire board are all working for the revitalization of downtown, where our church is. This event is a part of that revitalization. So - as a whole our involvement opens doors with all of those connected with this event. Some of those board members and I are already having great conversations about religion and Jesus.
Not only that, but this will also give us an opportunity to be a part of future decisions that shape who our city is and will be...
2) It allows our volunteers to step out of their comfort zone and go where Jesus would go - and I do believe that Jesus would go to those places. Our volunteers - mostly - have backgrounds of cultural withdrawal where everything not 'church' is bad and should be avoided. They are being stretched.
3) As they serve, many of them will serve with other volunteers they do not know - volunteers who are unchurched, unsaved, and generally feel condemned by the church rather than loved. They will (at the very least) get an opportunity to start a new relationship and be Jesus - if only for a little while tonight.
In all of these relationships we hope to ultimately show and share Christ. Perhaps
we will have the opportunity to share Him tonight - perhaps it will come over time as we develop new relationships.

Jesus was a friend of sinners - would people describe you or your church in that way?
Jesus was called a glutton and a drunk - not because he was one, but because as a friend of sinners, that was often the company that he kept. What are you or your
church in 'danger' of being called?
We want to go where Jesus would go.
Love those whom Jesus would love.

This certainly isn't an exhaustive list of all the 'whys' nor is it an exhaustive explanation of our missiology, but hopefully it will help those who read and question understand a little better why we do what we do.

Mission flows from the gospel. Understanding the gospel is essential to a right missiology.
For example - Jesus came for the sick, not the well - GOSPEL
Jesus came for sinners, not the righteous - GOSPEL
Jesus took on flesh and dwelt among us (rotting flesh, dirty rotten stinking sinners) - GOSPEL
Jesus suffered and died for sinners - GOSPEL
No matter who we are, we are sinners all the same - we share a common problem (no matter how good or bad our rules and laws deem us), we are sinners in need of a Svior - we all share a common solution > Jesus.