The Challenge
September 28th, 2008
At a recent Benefice Service, we were challenged to consider how we might better engage with the wider community. It is important for a church to focus on creating a welcoming environment for those who come through its doors, but perhaps even more important to consider how its members might become a more effective voice in the wider world. It seems to me that this is one of the most important questions affecting Christians in the 21st century….how do we engage more effectivley with the wider world and put the Church at the centre of the community ?
Tags: Being Church, Engagement
Posted in
Discussing Christianity, Food for Thought |
4 Comments »
September 30th, 2008 at 12:06 am
I often consider the issue of how Church could become more central to
community life. Indeed, one could go further and ask the question: does
society want to be part of Church life?
Looking at this topic from a more abstract perspective, it is easy to
see (from the outsider) how ‘Church’ can at times appear to be a
‘members only club’; an exclusive gathering where only those who know
what it is really all about can take part. I think part of this is
linked into the busy nature of modern day life. We are all busy people
and perhaps it is because of this we sometimes forget to stand still for
a moment and consider what we can do in our day that can start to tick
some of those boxes that Jesus filled in 2,000 years ago.
Being a Christian is simply not a ‘Sunday only’ event – the perception
from those outside the building is that it’s a sort of cloak that one
puts on when entering the church and then, upon leaving, the cloak of
what it means to be a Christian is put back on the hook until the
following Sunday. Is this because we are too caught up on our own lives,
our own worries and concerns that we don’t stop and think of others who
might need our help?=20
If you were to ask the average person who does not go to church the
question: “what did Jesus encourage others to do?”, you will frequently
find the answer: help people. So the question remains: do those of us
who attend church on a Sunday live through the Gospel on a daily basis,
being there for one another; taking time to talk to our neighbours or
even something simple as phoning someone you haven’t spoken to in a
while?
So while I think it is important to look at ways in which the Church
must adapt to meet the ever changing nature of modern-day-life, it must
be also said that those within the church must go through a period of
reflection and consider how they can ‘be like Jesus’ on a 24/7 basis to
meet the challenge of ‘going out into the people’.
Perhaps we should post the following add in the local newspaper:
“Vacancy for Christians at local church. Full time position. Hours: 24
hours a day, 7 days a week. Excellent opportunity for progression, no
experience necessary. No formal qualifications required. Terms of
remuneration: ask the land LORD for details (FAO: YHWH).”
Daniel.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Christians can certainly take themselves seriosly!
When I was a Hospital Chaplain, I used to say that our role within the ‘organisation’ was to hear the stories which no-one else would hear. In other words, we would listen and be present …. when other people didn’t seem to have the time, the patience or the will.
Unfortunately, Christians always feel moved ‘to act’, rather than ‘to be’; to ‘talk’, rather than to ‘listen’.
Surely, the most important part of our witness is to be ‘incarnate’ within the communities we serve. We need to be ‘human beings’ rather than ‘human doings’; being as our Lord was – hearing the stories, the grief and sorrow, the longings and the aspirations of people – rather than ‘presenting’ our own agenda.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Thankfully their are those that ‘Go forth’ and those that sit, listen and live by example. its when you get a good mix of both as too much of either causes its own problems.
But i do feel in Reepham thier is a good mix and maybe a few more of the Go forth’s may be a positive thing.
I’m more of the live by example and sit and listen!
October 1st, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Evangelism comes in many forms – to most it simply is “preaching the word”, but it doesn’t necessarily have to end there.
I strongly believe that we can evangelise by reaching out into our communities and sharing our love of God (and His love for us) by living through the gospels in the market square, our schools, workplaces, community centers… We are spiritual beings encased in a shell, we should feel more free to express our spirituality with those who live amongst us and by our example share in the fruits of God’s love.