St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) is generally associated with Irish identity.  Part of my ethnic background is Irish, but my interest in St. Patrick’s Day will be much deeper this year than shamrocks and music. 

I’ll celebrate the day by gathering with a group of pastors who have been reading a book.  Our group includes black and white ministers who are Methodist, Baptist, Reformed, and independent.  We are all grateful in a fresh way for the legacy of St. Patrick.

The book is The Celtic Way of Evangelism, by George C. (Chuck) Hunter III.  Its subtitle summarizes the point: “how Christianity can reach the west…again.”

In case you don’t know, St. Patrick was a fourth century missionary to Ireland.  Although he hardly acted alone, he was the unquestioned visionary and leader of a movement that turned Ireland to the Christian faith.  His reach then spread into movements that penetrated continental Europe as well.

Before Patrick, Ireland was a “barbarian” (according to the Romans) population of unreachable, illiterate tribes.  Before he died, tens of thousands of Irish came to Christ, and St. Patrick’s mission had founded 700 churches and ordained 1000 priests.  30 or 40 of the 150 tribes had become substantially Christian.  The slave trade had all been stopped, and intertribal warfare had greatly decreased.

How did Patrick do it?

First, he loved the people.  He had actually spent six years in Ireland as a slave early in his life, and he returned there because of God’s call.  He was a pioneer in understanding the local culture as a strategy for missions, and adapting the method to the mission field.

Irish people are right-brained as a culture, so Patrick used stories, symbols (the 3-leafed shamrock to teach the Trinity!) and poetry to get to their hearts.

But Hunter’s book gives an even greater insight into evangelistic failure and success.  The Roman church required commitment before inviting people into community.  Patrick reversed the order.  He invited non-believers to experience community (togetherness, fellowship, mutual sharing, conversation, prayer, corporate worship) as a path toward faith and commitment.

What would it look like for today’s church (read: “Corinth”) to accept people into our community as a first step?  We must let them be among us first – and trust the Holy Spirit to change them and awaken faith.  That’s his job – not ours.