EDGE Theology!
An Introduction
We believe the notion of “Living on the Edge” first came through a word from God early in 2001. It was given during a Central Prayer Meeting following a prayer walk around the city centre. Since then it has been tossed around in discussion and prayer concerning the future mission of St Nic’s. It became lost under the mountain of response from “Sharpening the Focus,” a 6 week course many took part in exploring mission. It came back to the forefront of our thinking during a Staff Team Away Day focusing on the Vision Statement. The theme of “Living on the Edge” seemed to us to describe what is both attractive and characteristic of St Nic’s.
At about the same time, but under very different circumstances, a second word was emphasised as crucial to us by the insistence of the Holy Spirit. This was in verses 10 & 11 of Philippians 3:
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Each of us would echo Paul’s desire to “know Christ” — it is perhaps our hearts’ deepest cry. Equally, we would want to experience and celebrate “the power of His resurrection.” However, we also have to take on board the rest of the verse, and that is not so easy. To “know Christ” also means “sharing in the fellowship of His suffering.” How can we know and experience the power of the resurrection, except by living the life of risk-taking faith, totally dependent upon “the Risen Christ... turning up”? Where can we share in the fellowship of sufferings except in the same place that His sufferings happened, out and about and alongside hurting, suffering and broken people who live in our hurting, suffering and broken world. It is a sad fact that in recent church history different groups have emphasized different aspects of the gospel e.g. the evangelistic gospel or the social gospel. Our vision is that we renew the belief and practice of a whole gospel here at St Nic’s. Such a gospel will demand that St Nic’s, Nottingham is “Living on the Edge with Jesus.”
