The Emerging Church

I have just been reading some lengthy descriptions of "Emerging Church". I have also seen some descriptions of "modernism" and "postmodernism." All these are titles which can be used to conveniently categorise what, to some people, are simply obvious reactions to the stimid approach to "being church" today. For some time I have been thinking about what should be happening to change the downward spiral of a church which loves Jesus but cannot connect him to the people outside their circle. Take, for instance, the movement at the time of the millenium to fix green oval signs on church walls: "The Millenium is Christ's birthday. Come and worship him here." I relocated to Anglesey in North Wales 18 months ago and now I see the same sign in the Welsh language!

As I travel around our country I pass many churches who persist in displaying posters containing Bible quotations. What use are they in a world that now has a majority of people who don't read and probably understand the Bible? They would be just as effective written in Latin or Greek. An approach of this sort to evangelism is totally pointless and a waste of money. It is just one big "turn off." It turns me off, and I am a preaching Christian! So then, if I, as a preacher, find this sort of approach off-putting what effect will it have on people in general? After all, I speak the speak and understand a great deal of "Church language and terminology." So why does it repel me? It is irritating, annoying, patronising, and offensive.

Last year I attended a day-long session that looked at churches becoming "family-friendly." I went there because I thought perhaps there would be something worth adopting. Yet the whole thing was founded on an assumption that we have lots of children in church, which we do not. Another assumption was that our way of worshipping should be reconsidered because it did not appeal to people of this era. The point I make is that our problem is how to make contact with people outside our fellowship to show them how Jesus is relevant to them.

The only way that people will start to attend church is if they see it as relevant. But remember that these days we are the ones who know what happens inside a church and the people we should be working with have no idea at all. All over this land we have hundreds of beautiful village church gems which the public do try to help continue as they pop in to see the marvellous architecture. But within these gems what is the evangelical philosophy? What are they doing to "make a difference" to people outside? There again we have hundreds of churches who are struggling financially to stay open. They are saddled with buildings which are no longer maintainable because of their size and design. These buildings are often repellant in aspect and people are expected to step inside to see what Christianity is all about?

We are living in an age where consumerism is the name of the game. It is commonly believed that all the luxuries in the marketplace are the things to possess because they will make a positive difference to our lives. Yet, when the next version of a commodity is introduced to the market there are people flocking to get them as quickly as possible. Why? Because the older version is suddenly old hat and useless, despite it being the best thing since sliced bread originally. It is now only 8 years since I first went on the Internet. At that time Windows 95 was the latest and greatest in computer operating systems and Windows 98 was just about to burst onto the market. Today I have software which is now useless because it is not compatible with Windows XP. That software was purchased not that long ago. We buy cars because they are the latest model and have all the extras we think we ought to have. But before many years have passed those cars are either piled up in vehicle dismantlers' yards or already recycled as other commodities.

In other words, what our consumer society is chasing after, be it possessions, position, or power, is incapable of being any use in the long run. They do not take us anywhere good. Even though our society does not realise it, what is really needed is spiritual food. All of us need something which will appeal to and sustain our human spirit. That is where Jesus comes in. But how do we "sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?"

It is because we now see a huge chasm between the world in general and our church community that we have to build bridges in order that those we seek on behalf of Jesus may cross safely. One of our problems is to persuade people that they need to cross the bridge. It was one of the criticisms of the Humber Bridge when built that it spanned the river but did enough people have a reason to visit the other side? Why did the chicken cross the road? Did the chicken really want to cross the road? All Christians know the value of what is on the other side of the bridge. It is our tast, therefore, to talk to people and tell them what is there. Ultimately the great benefit is to continue on to the celestial city that I described in a former blog, but much has to be experienced before that reality becomes attractive.

I honestly believe that all we need to do is to engage others in conversation, ask them how we can be of help and then roll up our sleeves and do the work. Eventually the question will be asked, "Why are you helping me like this?" This is the first "buying signal." We can then talk about a saviour who loves men and women so much that he wants to help them where they are. This is the key to it. We need to see that when Jesus spoke to Peter after his resurrection and said, "feed my sheep" this is what he meant.

Outside the ranks of the church are literally millions of people who need help and who need Jesus Christ desperately. They are not aware of this so we are the people to go out and tell them. Two thousand years ago St Paul was in Athens and saw the many different shrines and altars to the various deities men and women worshipped. So careful were the Athenians to ensure they had covered every single deity that they even had an altar enscribed "To the unknown God." Paul siezed on this to show them that not only had they missed out a god but that he was the God. He was able to use their love of talking about the latest thing to show them how they should worshipping the God.

Again, there is the story of John Wesley being instrumental in the conversion to Christ of thousands of people who had no hope but suddenly found hope in Christ. In their situation as lowly workers for the rich minority they could expect very little in this world. Echoes of Ronnie Corbett in the three person sketch saying, "I know my place." But boy how they reacted to the promise of a rich life to come! Even in 2006 this is no outdated message if shown in relation to the world as it is today. I have seen posters on church walls saying "Jesus Christ is the answer." Yes, he is, but tell people how it works! This is the "Emerging Church" I want to see.