St. Paul expected his hearers to be moved. He so believed in his preaching that he knew it was ‘the power of God unto salvation.’ This expectation is a very real part of the presentation of the gospel. It is a form of faith. A mere preaching which is not accompanied by the expectation of faith, is not a true preaching of the gospel, because faith is a part of the gospel.
–Roland Allen Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962), p.74, also quoted by yours truly in this morning’s sermon
Good. I’m in the middle of reading this venerable tome. As it happens the diocesan convention takes place on the provisional feast day for Allen. After looking into what he had to say, I was hoping that some attention and focus would be paid to the great need for the renewal of mission even within the borders of our diocese and the walls of our naves. It is not our ethos, but it is what we are called to do and do effectively.