ASH BARKER LAUNCHES NEW BOOK ON URBAN MISSION

Ash Barker, director of Urban Neighbours of Hope (UNOH), Melbourne, will launch his new book, “Submerge: Living Deep in a Shallow World” at the UNOH Mission Centre, based in Springvale, on Sunday, March 24.

The book’s completion coincides with Barker’s preparation to move to live in the largest slum in Bangkok, Thailand, where he will begin a new UNOH chapter with his wife and fellow UNOH worker, Anji, and daughter, Amy.

Barker has co-authored the book with John Hayes, Director of InnerChange, a missionary order among the poor in California, USA, which also has teams in South-East Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Barker works with poor communities in Springvale, one of the largest multicultural suburbs in Melbourne, along with Anji, and Hayes works with African Americans, with his wife Deanna, in inner city San Francisco, California.

Together, Barker and Hayes have documented their personal experience in working with people from marginalised communities, at home and overseas, within the stark contrast of our modern-day culture, which celebrates high consumerism.

They tackle the hard issues facing the church today, in which society’s materialism has bent the traditional, spiritual and intellectual values of simplicity, modesty and moderation, towards a value system that obsesses over style, spending and ostentatious display.

At the same time, “Submerge” details historical and biblical perspectives, which direct the challenge of reaching the urban poor and the spiritual disciplines needed to carry out the task.

Some of the chapters include “Hammering Our Front Door”, “Beyond Analysis to Action”, “Orders: Communities Below the Surface” and “Digging Deep Wells – Starting and Supporting Indigenous Movements”.

“Submerge” has already been praised as a “practical-manual” for Christian workers with the powerful inspiration to transform the way the church responds to urban poverty and injustice.

Michael Frost, Founding Director of Centre for Evangelism and Global Mission, has praised “Submerge” as “provocative”.

“Saints Benedict, Ignatius and Patrick, stand alongside very ordinary saints who seek to build community with the poor and share the good news with them,” he said.

“From experiences in Melbourne, San Francisco and Cambodia, Barker and Hayes offer the church a wake-up call to rediscover the radical Ministry of Christ. Submerge is a manifesto for the revitalisation of Christian mission to the marginalised, full of real-life stories and historical and biblical perspectives. A challenging read.”

Peter Overton, National President of Churches of Christ in Australia, said “Submerge” would challenge the way people lived in the “shadows of Western materialism”.

“You will journey into the world of the poor, the oppressed and refugee and you will find Jesus speaking his confronting words,” he said. “You will find Christ in the midst of the unlovely as you submerge yourself below the gaze of our Western culture and find what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus of Nazareth.”

Dr. Roland Croucher, of John Mark Ministries, said “Submerge” is the first book, which integrates some of the classical Christian spiritual traditions with modern urban Mission thinking and practice.

“For 12 years, Ash and Anji Barker and others, have been combining spiritual traditions with humble service to the poor,” he said. “They provide a wonderful model and some key principles for her missional communities anywhere in the world. “Read Submerge: It could change your thinking and your life.”

“Submerge” is the third book written by Barker about spiritual disciplines and practical challenges of serving the urban poor over the past three years. “Making Connections”, a discussion series for people interested in discovery the faith (Vital Pub, 1998) and “Collective Witness” (UNOH, 2000), a biography of UNOH, are other books Barker has had published. These books were primarily aimed at Christians currently serving the poor.

“Submerge” is for all Christians concerned with the plight of our world and how to make Christ-like responses. While self-published, it is hoped that “Sub-merge” will be marketed widely through out the church in the USA and Australia.

Barker will share how he was called to minister to the urban poor at the book launch at the UNOH Centre, 66 Regent St, Springvale, at 2.30pm.

Other book launch dates: Saturday, March 9, at the Ginninderra Labor Club, Dunlop Room, Lhotsky St, Charnwood, at 8 PM.

Sydney: Wednesday, March 13 at Dunmore House, 270 Dunmore Street, Pendle Hill, at 6:30 PM.

Brisbane: Saturday, March 16.

Inquiries: Melbourne: Ash Barker, UNOH mission on 03 9547-1129 ACT: Michael Pilbrow on 02 6259 7065 Sydney: Graham Long on 02 9637400 Brisbane: Luke Smith on 0416037303

Here’s a quote:

In Ash Barker and John Hayes’s provocative new book, Saints Benedict, Ignatius and Patrick stand alongside very ordinary saints who seek to build community with the poor and share the good news with them. From their experiences in Melbourne, San Francisco and Cambodia, Barker and Hayes offer the church a wake up call to rediscover the radical ministry of Christ. Sub-Merge is a manifesto for the revitalisation of Christian mission to the marginalized, full of real-life stories and historical and biblical perspectives. A challenging read.

Michael Frost

Founding director, Centre for Evangelism & Global Mission,

Vice Principal, Morling College, Sydney