MISSION has become increasingly challenging in the 21st century. In what has been called a post-secular society, there are increasing numbers of “de-churched” and non-Christian seekers who are drawn to explore forms of spirituality, and yet are often alienated from church.
I have spent years engaging with this prevalent reality as an ordained Missioner in the Church of England (primarily in Southwark and London), and now in the Anglican Diocese of Niagara, Canada. Through theological reflection, practical ministry, and Ph.D. research, I have developed a mission model and approach that encourages individuals and church communities to embrace Christian contemplation — both as a means of spiritual renewal and as a pathway from spiritual awakening to Christian faith.
I have been inspired by 2 Corinthians 4-5, where God’s mission is focused on the healing of a broken world in which all things are being restored back into right relationship with God. In a society where many experience disillusionment, traditional models of evangelism — often rooted in intellectual rationalism and apologetics — fail to address the spiritual hunger of contemporary spiritual seekers. I believe that mission should begin with the transformation of the heart, drawing on ancient Christian practices to create opportunities for seekers to encounter God through contemplation.
I NAME this model of mission “God’s Kenosis, Our Theosis”, emphasising God’s self-giving love (kenosis), and, in response, the human journey through spiritual transformation into becoming Christian, entering deep relationship with God (theosis). There are many resonances between this contemplative approach to mission and the works of theological writers, including Thomas Merton, Kathryn Tanner, Elaine Heath, Owen Barfield, Sarah Coakley, Michael Gorman, Nicola Slee, John Zizioulas, and others, concerning a missiology drawing on both kenosis and theosis.
Conversion to Christianity is understood as an evolving process, encompassing both the inner and outer self. The inner-transformation aspect integrates Kathryn Tanner’s concept of “weak to strong participation”, with Charles Taylor’s framework of the “alienated below condition, stabilised middle condition, and fullness condition”, alongside Owen Barfield’s writing on “withdrawal from participation through to final or reciprocal participation”. Externally, conversion as salvation takes as a reality of life the writings of Walter Brueggemann to name the never-ending process of “orientation, disorientation, and reorientation”.
THIS approach resists imparting facts “about” God, and, instead, promotes a missional pilgrimage into relational encounter of God through contemplation. Anglican theology, influenced by Eastern Orthodox traditions, recognises theosis as a process of becoming more fully human as the seeker journeys ever deeper into relationship with God. Varied forms of prayer, group dialogues, and other practices open the possibility of relational communion with God. This creates a model that is invitational and non-directive.
Ultimately, mission belongs to God, not us: therefore, churches and those who lead creative contemplative events within this model are called to act as missional curators. This requires the discipline of waiting for people to trust Christians enough to open up about their religious and existential questions. Such a theological framing suggests that mission is a pilgrimage through experience of God that leads to conversion embodied in God’s love in ways that facilitate deep spiritual encounter.
MANY contemporary writings on mission practice mistakenly assume that modern culture is purely “secular”. This misconception, I believe, misguides the Church, and, as a result, limits its ability to recognise and embrace new opportunities for mission. In reality, our post-secular context has fostered a growing interest in spiritual seeking, leading to the rise of the “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) demographic.
Drawing from ethnographic research with the SBNR, it is evident that the Church must explore the theological implications of human identity, consciousness, the transformation of consciousness in conversion, the evolution of consciousness, and the concept of the “true and false self”. This research also highlights a common struggle among contemporary spiritual seekers to engage with the person of Jesus, particularly in understanding his divinity. As a result, many find it challenging to grasp conversion as a transformative process that enables individuals to become “in Christ”.
Common to many around the world, in this emerging global post-secular context, is a yearning for meaning and significance beyond the cold, rational, and brutalising effects of the marketisation of everything. At the same time, the disconnection with religions has led the SBNR to seek for spirituality outside the churches.
This shift is not a threat for the Church, but an opportunity. Mission in this context can help spiritual seekers’ quest for meaning and significance, to explore the shift to becoming co-travelling Christian pilgrims. Such an understanding suggests that seekers are on a genuine quest for meaning, and divine encounter — one that the Christian contemplative traditions are uniquely equipped to support. Furthermore, this approach to mission can be initiated by any Anglican parish church willing to engage in contemplative prayer and spirituality.
KEY to such an approach to mission are the four classical stages of the Christian mystical path, from awakening, purgation, illumination, to union. This begins with the stage of awakening: the initial realisation of God’s presence (initiated by God), and an invitation to begin the spiritual journey. Awakening is marked by disorientation, curiosity, longing, and an openness to ways of encountering God.
Quite soon after awakening comes purgation: a period of inner struggle, where individuals confront their attachments, fears, and false identities. This stage often includes the “dark night of the soul”, a painful but necessary process of surrender and healing.
In time, as the seeker increasingly lets go of painful experiences, comes Illumination. This is a stage of deeper awareness and enlightenment, where the seeker begins to experience God’s love in a sustaining way.
Finally, the stage of union: the goal of the spiritual journey, where one’s life becomes aligned with God, marked by peace, compassion, and deep communion. Entering into union is a choice to become “In Christ”, choosing to follow Jesus as a way of life, marked by the traditional sacraments of baptism and confirmation. These four stages are framed in a way that resonates with contemporary seekers.
IN MY experience, a key starting point is the provision of a weekly silent meditation group, and a monthly spiritual dialogue, which creates a space for seekers to begin their spiritual journey through shared silence and reflective conversation. These foundational practices foster a contemplative environment where individuals can begin to explore Christian spirituality — and in time, the Christian faith — on their terms.
An important practice is lectio divina, particularly focusing on the “I am” sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John. This helps spiritual seekers to explore specifically Christian understandings of the divinity of Christ. Such a meditative reading of scripture encourages deep listening and a personal encounter with Jesus, allowing seekers to engage with the texts in a way that nurtures spiritual insight and transformation.
IN ADDITION to scriptural meditation, contemplative prayer practices drawn from Benedictine, Franciscan, Ignatian, and Carmelite traditions offer seekers different ways to experience God. These rich traditions provide diverse approaches to prayer and contemplation, helping individuals find methods that resonate with their spiritual needs and journey, beginning with cataphatic practices (direct experiences of God’s love) that lead into the apophatic (experience of the God who is beyond comprehension).
The passing on of wisdom is also a significant element of this contemplative path. Drawing on contemporary interpretations of, among others, the Desert Mothers and Fathers, this practice helps seekers to navigate the complexities of modern life through the lens of ancient Christian wisdom. By engaging with these insights, individuals can cultivate a deeper understanding of spiritual disciplines.
Finally, prayer walking serves as physical expression of the inner spiritual journey. These practices offer seekers a tangible way to reflect, pray, and experience the movement of God in their lives.
By integrating these contemplative practices into their spiritual exploration, seekers are invited into a holistic process that nurtures inner growth, deepens their relationship with God, and supports their movement towards the Christian faith.
These practices are not merely techniques but disciplines that cultivate a disposition of openness, surrender, and attentiveness to God’s presence. Additionally, they provide crucial resources for mission by equipping Christians with the spiritual depth and resilience needed to accompany seekers on their missional journey. The contemplative traditions offer a hospitable and relevant framework for engaging with those exploring Christianity, creating a safe space where genuine encounters with God can unfold.
A PARTICULARLY striking aspect of the vision of this more contemplative approach to mission is the framing of mission as a process of healing, as well as conversion. One significant issue for those involved in mission practice is that many spiritual seekers carry deep wounds — whether from personal trauma, societal injustice, or negative religious experiences.
By fostering spaces of hospitality, deep listening, and contemplative practice, churches can once again become places of healing and restoration. Contemplative Christian traditions, with their deep wells of spiritual wisdom, offer a rich resource for mission by modelling a way of being that prioritises presence over persuasion.
Practices such as hospitality, spiritual direction, and shared silence can create transformative encounters for seekers who are longing for authentic spirituality. This approach moves away from a transactional model of mission (where success is measured by numbers) and towards a relational model that prioritises spiritual growth and human flourishing.
WHILE I see this as a significant missional opportunity for the Church, I am also aware that it will be a big challenge for some church traditions to embrace this model of mission — especially given the current state of the Church. Many congregations are shaped by a more propositional approach to evangelism, which can be resistant to the slower, more organic nature of contemplative missional engagement.
I do have real hope, however, that this approach to mission could be sustained by some churches. After listening and recording the real-life stories of spiritual seekers and examples of missional communities engaging with this model, I know that it is possible to create spaces where those on the margins of faith can effectively explore Christian spirituality and the faith, drawing on forms of contemplation.
I remain excited that such an approach offers a profound reimagining of Christian mission — one that is deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, yet acutely attuned to the needs of today’s seekers. This is both a challenge and an invitation to the Church: to move beyond a focus on institutional survival, and instead embrace a way of being that prioritises spiritual depth, authentic encounter, and contemplative transformation.
For those seeking a fresh vision of mission — one that resonates with the hunger for meaning in our time — this model offers an authentic approach to opening Christian spirituality to post-secular spiritual seekers. This not only requires a rethink concerning mission, but the challenge for Christians more generally to embark on their own journeys, from awakening through to union with God, in a world that is increasingly dark and uncertain.
The Revd Dr Ian Mobsby is Canon for Mission Theology and Diocesan Community Missioner in the diocese of Niagara. The Seeking Heart: A contemplative approach to mission and pioneering was published last month by SCM Press at £25 (CT Bookshop special offer £20); 978-0-334-06585-2.
WORD OF THE MONTH
Andrew Davison
Patristics: the study of Christian teachers and their writings from the foundational early centuries of Christian history, perhaps to AD 750, but the end of the period is ill-defined; from Latin pater (father).
