Craig Greenfield Analysis

“You say you care about the poor? Then tell me, what are their names?” This is the problem that Craig Greenfield has spent his adult life trying to resolve. Seeing the humanity and building relationships with people on the margins of society – wherever that may be – is his life’s calling.
To say that Craig Greenfield is a polarizing figure would be a major understatement. He admits this frequently. His first publication, Subversive Jesus: An Adventure in Justice, Mercy, & Faithfulness in a Broken World, is no less polarizing. Written in a casual, narrative style, Greenfield shares his thoughts about an upside down Kingdom of Jesus that he is working to be a part of. He traces his way through his family’s time living in the slums of
A theology of risk must evolve when one’s family and children are involved. Putting oneself at risk requires discernment. Putting children at risk requires constant re-evaluation and communication with the children themselves and the other parent. What makes this chapter so captivating is Greenfield’s undeniable claim that children have an innate ability to break down barriers in a way that no adult ever could. Children have not had the unfortunate opportunity to learn what “acceptable” behaviour is and therefore see the humanity is everyone, regardless of economic station or appearance. We have much to learn about missions from children and Greenfield recounts several examples of God using his children is ways that defy logic. While we must balance this with our theology of risk, Greenfield’s point is well taken. We rarely think about how God can use our children to advance His kingdom, despite the fact that scripture is full of such
Relationships should come first. Truth should be spoken to power and Band-Aid solutions are not solutions at all. We should be seeking to bring down systems of injustice in the name of Jesus. These sorts of subversive acts are exactly what the gospels are full of and Greenfield has certainly lived a remarkable life rife with exceptional ministry that he is uniquely suited to. While it would be easy to read his story and make a claim of arrogance in him (as the majority centres on his efforts), the story itself is evidence against such a