Where did we ever get the notion that Christianity is best practiced away from the marketplace? Surely not from the New Testament; Jesus is teaching in public setting throughout the gospels, from alongside the Sea of Galilee to Jacob's Well, to the synagogue in Capernaum. Paul's career happened in the streets, marketplaces and public arenas of Palestine, Asia Minor and southeastern Europe. Even when early Christians were afraid of the authories, they brought the gospel into the public square.
Not only was it public, but from the earliest days, Christians have been servants to those on the margins. Throughout our history, Lutheran Christians have seen service as a central tenet of our faith. One can make a pretty good argument to say that we've alway been involved in serving; Lutherans have long been advocates of education and health care, and have been responsible for hospitals and colleges in the US and around the world, and Lutheran disaster relief efforts have been exemplary. Even so, for many people today, especially younger adults, we have left the impression that our religious expression is disconnected from the everyday needs of the society around us.
Jesus himself took "the form of a servant," on his way to our redemption at the cross. This focus on service does not diminish the important roles of teaching and proclamation; rather it sets them in a uniquely post-modern context. The missional church of this century will understand that our witness and theology in the public square will only be as strong and as effective as our service, and that a primary way we will teach the faith to a new generation is to help them learn about God through active service to others. We will experience the love of Christ as we bring Jesus' love to others. And the world, as the old campfire song says, will know we are Christians by our love.
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