004: Human Frailty

This is the text of an address I gave to the Praise Meeting at Sutton-in-Ashfield Methodist Church on Wednesday January 29^th. The Bible readings were Matthew 16:13-20 and 1 Kings 19:9-18.

It was during an ‘awayday’ with his disciples in a place named Caesarea Philippi, away from the madding crowd, that Jesus turned to his disciples and asked, “who do people say I am?” A strange question in many respects. Was Jesus having a mind-blank, or perhaps an identity crisis? The people of the Galilee region knew him, the miracles he had performed, his authoritative teaching on the Kingdom of God and his brilliant exchanges with the religious authorities. So, what did they make of him? The reply was revealing, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” I don’t know what response Jesus expected but it could have been along the lines of “a Galilean peasant”, “the carpenter from Nazareth”, “a great teacher and preacher”, or “a subversive trouble-maker”. All would be spot on but the word on the street was different. He was hailed alongside some of the greatest figures in Jewish history – the prophets.

This made me think about some of the prophetic figures of the modern day – people like Martin Luther King Jr., the famous civil rights activist who is remembered for his address to thousands from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. During what was quite a heavy address, his favourite gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, shouted out, “tell them about your dream, Martin”. He then departed from his script and with his vibrating Pentecostal-style voice embarked upon his “I have a dream” speech for which he is so widely and warmly remembered. His dream was for his children to grow up with the same rights as white children and be free to live without discrimination and prejudice on account of the colour of their skin. They shot him.

And then there’s Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years imprisoned initially on Robben Island because he was branded as subversive. On his release, without a trace of bitterness, he worked his way back into the political system and they made him president. And another great figure is Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani girl who campaigned for the rights of girls and women to be educated without fear of violence from extremist Islamic groups. They shot her but mercifully, thanks to the prompt medical attention in Pakistan and later in Birmingham UK, she survived an horrific head wound.

The thing about prophetic figures is that they are ‘game-changers’. They are totally consumed by their message and spend themselves, even at risk to their lives, in seeing their dream become a reality. When their work is done, nothing is ever the same again. So when Jesus is considered to be ‘one of the prophets’ it was by no means an insult.

But one of the prophets mentioned in the list was Elijah. Here is a larger than life character whose primary passion was to restore true religious beliefs to a nation which had been hoodwinked into following false gods. The pinnacle of his career was the contest on Mount Carmel where he upstaged 450 prophets of Baal and had them slaughtered. Yes, it’s blood-thirsty but that’s what life was like in those days, you only have to watch the recent Channel 5 series ‘The Bible’ to see that. But the passage we read depicts Elijah in a very different situation. This man of enormous faith was suddenly reduced to a quivering wreck and cocooned in a cave on Mount Horeb in a state of suicidal depression. He was afraid of the death threats from Queen Jezebel, he felt his ministry had been a failure as everyone had abandoned the true religion, he felt abandoned by God who failed to come to his rescue and, with Elisha waiting in the wings to take over his role, he saw his future in terms of the scrap-heap of prophets. Not a pleasant state to be in, especially for a man of such high standing.

Elijah in the cave

But there was one other problem which Elijah faced, and it is one which some Christians are prone to. He was wedded to sensationalism – he expected God to always respond to his prayers in a miraculous or sensational way. Back in the 1980s I made several trips to the USA and watched with horror as the TV evangelists did their bit on prime-time TV. With their emotional addresses, high-profile celebrities and strong appeals for money, some of them built their kingdoms and tried to out-do their rivals. One such TV evangelist was Jim Bakker (yes with 2 k’s in his name). He was the founder of Heritage USA, a Disneyland-style theme park for Christians. He also had his organisation, PTL Power Ministries and his prime-time TV show onto which he would invite some top names. Sadly the names he invited were renowned more for their celebrity status and crowd-pulling power than their flimsy Christian credentials. But Bakker was a man wedded to sensationalism. Very soon his sexual misdemeanours and embezzlement led him to prison where, to his credit, he reflected long and hard about his downfall. Aided by people like Billy Graham, he looked again at the teachings of Jesus and realised how little he understood of the true gospel message. In his book, aptly entitled “I Was Wrong”, he unfolds the gruesome details of his human frailty.

A significant part of the reading from 1 Kings 19 talks about Elijah’s encounter with God in the cave. There was a mighty wind which dashed the rocks in pieces, a great earthquake and then a fire. But God was in none of these sensational occurrences. No, they were followed by ‘a still, small voice’ through which God finally got through to his prophet. Overawed by the holiness of the moment, Elijah hid his face but finally listened to the God who loved him. It was in that moment that God revealed the truth. He had not written him off or abandoned him but still had work for him to do, including the anointing of Elisha as his successor. Oh yes, and he affirmed his ministry by revealing that 7,000 had remained faithful – a fitting tribute to Elijah’s ministry.

And then there’s the question which God poses to Elijah twice – “what are you doing here Elijah?” It would be interesting to know whether the emphasis is on the word doing or the word here. I favour the latter because it wasn’t right for a man of God to be hiding away in a cave. Sometimes we sense God is distant, not because he has moved, but because we are in the wrong place. I remember a time when my son was revising for his A Levels and I was working away from home on contract. I became painfully aware that being away from home was the wrong choice when my rightful place was at his side helping and encouraging him.

So, why did all this happen to such a great man of God? The answer is simple – because he was human, and human beings are frail. Any one of us can fall victim to fear and depression. As we get older, the body starts to decompose and no amount of prayer can reverse that process. St. Paul, in one of his letters to the church at Corinth tells about his ‘thorn in the flesh’. We don’t know for sure what this ailment was but three times he pleaded with God for its removal only to be told, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s response could be interpreted in many ways but essentially I believe God was saying to Paul, “don’t worry about your human frailty, I can use you mightily as you are”. Indeed Paul stresses that his own weakness is an opportunity for God to demonstrate his strength.

So Elijah had to learn the lesson about experiencing God in the non-sensational moments too. As preachers or teachers, preparing a sermon or talk when the well is dry, or as parents having to battle with unruly children or deal with the pressure of highly dependent elderly relatives, we too need to realise that God is just as close to us in these times as when the miraculous and sensational things are happening. Our human frailty is not an excuse for running away into a cave in a fit of depression. Basically we need to be real about life. We are ordinary Christian disciples serving an extraordinary God.

003d: Fresh Expressions of Christian PART IV

In PARTS I, II & III of this bulletin I explored some of the characteristics I have observed in people today and how they differ from previous generations. In particular I am concerned that we recognise that the next generation of Christians will be different from those of the past and that we don’t reject them or distance them from church life because of our unwillingness to embrace change. In PART I I explored these attributes:

1. They Walk the Walk but don't Talk the Talk
2. They don't like labels
3. They don't do Nostalgia as we do

In PART II I explored these attributes:

4. They want something that works
5. They are choice-driven
6. They don't do Nostalgia as we do

In PART III I explored these attributes:

7. They use the Internet
8. They are spiritually alert but institutionally allergic
9. They belong but won’t join
10. They network

So, where is the church in all of this? 
The church still fishes in the pool expecting to catch fish who will turn up at 10:30 each Sunday morning, sing whatever hymns they are presented with and accept whatever lesson is preached without comeback. Is it not right, when thinking about starting a Fresh Expression of Church, to start by recognising the nature of our Fresh Expressions of Christian? But the same is also true of our traditional church model. Bearing in mind the decline in church attendance in recent years, we are doomed if we think we can replicate what worked 50 years ago and expect growth. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’. Perhaps it’s time to take a good hard look at the people who don’t come to church and tune our approach in a way which will engage more effectively with them, without diluting the gospel itself.

But it’s no good griping about the problem. We need practical solutions. In my list of attributes I mentioned that choice is seen as a key facet of today’s culture. Let’s look at some ways in which we can expand our vision of what goes on each Sunday or midweek. I don’t suggest for one minute that all or some of these ideas can be adopted each week, nor by one minister trying to do it all. They could, however, be adopted periodically with a team of people, each with a different skill set. In my own church, great strides were taken to provide a choice of activities in the Sunday Morning service once a quarter. Of course there were critics but overall it enlarged people’s vision and understanding of Christian Faith.

We could call these ideas ‘Menu Church’ because they seek to offer people a menu of worship activities and styles rather than offering the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. It could also be that the start and / or end of the service brings people together for a short period of corporate worship and news sharing.

For small churches, then the number of options on the menu is likely to be small and the frequency of such Sundays low. A lack of break-out rooms would be one limiting factor. But in larger churches where the number of skilled leaders is greater, then a more regular pattern could be built into the church year. One idea is to hold Sundays like this around the major festivals or key moments in the Christian Calendar. For instance, Lent would be a good time to focus on prayer and meditation, Pentecost would lend itself more to family activities like Messy Church and so forth.

Menu church 

Activity 1 – Discussion Group
Many people outside of the church resist being preached at but warm to the idea of contributing to a discussion. Much of the Alpha course is devoted to unpacking the issues raised in the video or talk and, sensitively led, this can be the most fruitful part of the course, allowing people to ask the questions they would be too afraid to ask in other settings. You could discuss matters affecting the local community, items in the news, activities which take place in church or matters of faith.

Activity 2 – Meditation
Meditation was popularised in the 1960s when the Beatles were introduced to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Today you will find some commercial organisations offering meditation to its employees to help them in their work environment. Celtic meditation is becoming more popular and a local author, Liz Babbs, has produced a number of books on the subject (see www.lizbabbs.com). However, it is important to ensure that this is Christ-centred.

Activity 3 - Messy Church
Messy Church in particular has become very popular as a Fresh Expression of Church. But why not offer this as one option on Sunday morning? It is particularly suitable for a group of mixed ages. Just imagine the children with Mum, Dad and grandparents working together on a model of Noah’s Ark, discussing the story. Sunday lunchtime would never be the same again!

Activity 4 – Arts and Craft / Photography
Why not offer a session of arts and crafts where people can draw, paint, sew, knit or engage in a relaxing activity around a Christian theme? People of all ages can mix together and contribute equally. Likewise you could ask people to bring in photos they have taken which have some kind of special significance or spiritual meaning.

Activity 5 – Bible Reading
Yes, I know we have Bible readings in church but why not have an activity where the Bible can be read slowly and reflectively? Ignatian Bible Reading is a technique where people are invited to imagine they are part of the Bible scene. They imagine being one of the characters or asked to imagine what it felt like to be there, what were the other people feeling and so forth. It brings the Bible to life in a new way. There are other creative ways of reading the Bible like Lectio Divina where the Bible is read prayerfully, asking God to speak to you through his Spirit.

Activity 6 – Prayer Room / Boiler Room
I believe every church needs a room set aside as a prayer room. A few years ago, the Methodist Church embarked on a programme entitled ‘Pray without ceasing’ where an entire year was focussed on the topic of prayer. In the 24/7 Prayer Movement we encountered ‘Boiler Rooms’ – rooms set aside for and equipped in such a way as to allow people to spend long periods in prayer. There would be bean bags, pens and paper to allow people to write down their thoughts or create journals, candles, books and anything to allow people to engage creatively in prayer. There may be quiet spiritual music playing in the background. Teaching on prayer is sadly lacking in some churches. This could be the remedy. Also, you might have an activity where prayers are focussed on one or two situations – perhaps something happening in the community, a challenge faced by the church at large or prayer for healing and wholeness.

Activity 7 – Reading Room
Why not have an activity where a number of Christian books are available – prayer books, books on meditation, biographies – so that people can sit quietly for a period reading.

Activity 8 – Film Clips
You could show small film clips or items recorded from the news and allow people to discuss them from a Christian perspective. Again, sensitive leadership is needed so that it doesn’t turn into an argument. Also you will need to extend your CCLI cover but it is not expensive.

Activity 9 – Debate
I like to watch ‘The Big Questions’ which is broadcast on Sunday mornings with Nicky Campbell chairing a debate on spiritual or religious matters with prominent people involved (having recorded it earlier of course). Again, good leadership is needed here but it can help people to wrestle with matter of importance to their faith.

Activity 10 – Hymn Singing
Offer a session where two, maybe three hymns are sung and then the words and significance explained and discussed. This would help people new to faith to get to grips with some of the treasures of the past.

Activity 11 – Faith Exploration
This is an activity where an aspect of Christian Faith is explored and discussed. Many Christians struggle with some aspects of the faith and it’s good to provide a sensitive, non-judgmental environment in which to explore these together.

Conclusion 
Now I know that a lot of these are handled in house groups or midweek activities and some would argue that Sunday morning is neither the time nor place to do this. Some might also argue that it is diluting worship. Bear in mind that I am not suggesting that we replace Sunday Morning worship each week with these ideas but that they are offered occasionally. Remember that I am thinking not just of the people who come to church, but those who, with a little persuasion and warm invitation would like to come but are put off by an environment where all the regulars know what to do and strangers don’t.

Don’t expect the minister to handle all of this. A team approach is vital and will also energise people in a new way as they learn from one another. Also, don’t use all of these items each time; pick and choose which would work best for you and which suit the season of the year. You may also have other ideas of your own. Form a team, plan ahead, publicise it in the community, talk about it with your friends and prepare invites. As John Wesley famously said, ‘We have nothing to do but save souls’.

Of course, there is one factor I forgot to mention and I thank my wife for prompting me. All this must be undergirded with prayer!

003c: Fresh Expressions of Christian PART III

In PARTS I and II of this bulletin I explored some of the characteristics I have observed in people today and how they differ from previous generations. In particular I am concerned that we recognise that the next generation of Christians will be different from those of the past and that we don’t reject them or distance them from church life because of our unwillingness to embrace change.

In PART I I explored these attributes:

• They Walk the Walk but don't Talk the Talk
• They don't like labels
• They don't do Nostalgia as we do

In PART II I explored these attributes:

• They want something that works
• They are choice-driven
• They don't do Nostalgia as we do

Let’s look at some other attributes. In particular, consider your children, grandchildren, friends and neighbours, and see if you agree with these.

7 : They use the Internet
I mentioned in the last bulletin how odd it may appear to the younger generation to be confronted with a collection plate during the service. With the take up of internet shopping accelerating at a phenomenal rate, we need to recognise that the way we ask people to contribute to the finances of the church also needs to evolve. Should we not be more open and excited about the work we have funded and the impact it has had on the community?

Not only that but the old saying 'the Bible tells me so' has now been replaced by 'Google tells me so'. People use the internet as their source of wisdom and knowledge and are less inclined to accept what a preacher tells them on Sunday morning as the final word. And yet do we offer an opportunity for people to ask questions about what is preached and express their own views on the subject of the day? In this ‘Facebook’ age where people exchange their views openly and instantly, should we not provide similar opportunities with regard to what is preached and what we believe?

I heard of one church which handed out iPads to members of the congregation so that they could follow the order of service and sing hymns by reference to what was on the screen. I can hear your groans as I write this – “what if they press the wrong button; the battery gives out; the wifi goes down; they struggle to read the screen?” I personally would not like to hold my iPad as I worship God. For a start it might set my mind racing about the emails I haven’t replied to or tempt me to try out an app I have recently downloaded and take my focus totally away from what I am in church for. Not only that, but I find mobile devices so impersonal and can destroy the fellowship of the gathering. Even the use of projection equipment can be a turn-off when things go wrong. How I hate it when we are singing verse 3 and the projectionist has forgotten to advance the slide.

8 : They are spiritually alert but institutionally allergic

I know this has been overstated in the past but I do detect an openness to spirituality today which exceeds that of previous generations. This was clearly shown when Princess Diana died and people across the country poured out their grief in some quite extraordinary ways. Flowers were left outside shopping centres of all places, perhaps suggesting that these are the new temples of worship. Although the church played its part in the mourning process, people were not naturally drawn to churches as a place for dealing with their grief.

As I mentioned earlier, yoga, tai chi and other forms of spirituality are no longer frowned upon in society as they were in the past. And so, one of the major challenges we face in the church today is to recapture those areas which have been hijacked by spirituality merchants who are devoid of moral grounding.

9 : They belong but will not join
The church used to work on the “believe, behave, belong” model where becoming a member was conditional on people understanding and accepting our doctrines and living respectable lives. This has now switched around totally to the “belong, believe, behave” model whereby people are encouraged to join in first in the hope that the influence of mature Christians will influence their beliefs and these new beliefs will influence their behaviour. But we also need to recognise that although people may like to join us, membership in its traditional form is a big challenge. This is seen not only in churches but also in political parties. In this age where people like to dip their toe in the water before diving in fully, the need for explorer groups is acute so that people can make their own mind up before making a full commitment. In the past, evangelism has been geared around the “bring people back to the faith they have abandoned” model whereas today, the vast majority of people never had any faith upbringing to turn back to. You only need to look at the statistics relating to the number of children attending Sunday School today as opposed to 60 years ago to see that.

10 : They network

Traditionally, churches have been planted in a locality in order that it will attract the people who live in that community. The Anglican Parish system works on this basis and it can be a touchy matter when a church in a neighbouring parish starts to do outreach beyond their parish boundary. And yet, people today spend more and more of their time with people in their network rather than people in their community. How many of us know our neighbours well? I am a member of David Lloyd where I play racket sports and use the gym. This is one of my networks and some of my time is spent socialising with people in the cafe-bar as opposed to hitting a squash ball against a wall. These are people who don't live near me but with whom I have developed a bond of friendship. Many people today spend more time with work colleagues than with their neighbours or, dare I say it, with their families. To expect people like this to have an allegiance to a building down the street is an unrealistic expectation. This is why the Fresh Expressions of Church movement gives serious focus to developing church within our networks. Of course, the biggest networks in use today are Facebook and Twitter. Try compressing the Sunday Sermon into 140 characters for a tweet!

For discussion:

7. One of my wife’s colleagues was quite surprised when he discovered she was on FaceBook. How has your method of communicating and discovering what’s happening in the world changed over the years? Has your church kept up with this change?
8. ‘I’m spiritual but not religious’ – you sometimes hear people saying this. What do you think they mean and would you agree with it?
9. What does church membership mean to you? Can you be a Christian without going to church?
10. How well do you know your neighbours? Would you feel comfortable sharing your faith with them?

© Roger G Johnson 20

003b: Fresh Expressions of Christian PART II

In PART I of this bulletin I explored some of the characteristics I have observed in people today and how they differ from previous generations. In particular I am concerned that we recognise that the next generation of Christians will be different from those of the past and that we don’t reject them or distance them from church life because of our unwillingness to embrace change.

In PART I I explored these attributes:

·        They Walk the Walk but don't Talk the Talk

·        They don't like labels

·        They don't do Nostalgia as we do

Let’s look at some other attributes. In particular, consider your children, grandchildren, friends and neighbours, and see if you agree with these.

4 : They want something that works

The old children's song goes, 'Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so'. Along with love, truth is seen as a hallmark of Christian faith. However, people today are less likely to ask "is it true?" They are more likely to ask "does it work?" People are attracted more to those who live an authentic Christian life rather than someone who tells you what you should believe. To put it another way, people trust authenticity more than authority.

Today truth is relative and people who claim to profess absolute truth are viewed with suspicion. It’s only right that people should question what the Bible says and the claims it makes. James 3:17 says this, ‘But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity.’ Open to reason means that you can argue with it, pull it apart, meditate long and hard over it but in the end, God's truth will speak to you through the still small voice of the Spirit.

5 : They are choice-driven

Most of us take a trip to a supermarket each week for the weekly shop. We probably take it for granted that for each item we buy, there are 3 or 4 alternatives waiting to be chosen. Choice is a given today. I drive a Ford but there's no law which says that everyone should do the same. And yet, the culture in many churches is a one-size-fits-all approach. The preacher decides the hymns, the readings, the theme and how long the whole thing will last. Who would think of going for a meal in a restaurant where you are given a menu with a single choice on it?

People today are much more discerning about what they choose. They don't see one religion as having the whole truth and may well dip into various religions or spiritualities. We used to give this approach the name New Age - a pick and mix approach to faith and life-style. Many today turn to yoga or tai chi to aid their mental and spiritual wellbeing and yet these used to be banned in church -  still are in some. I will write in a later bulletin how we might cater better for this choice-driven or consumerist culture.

6 : They support causes, not institutions

Every year, millions of pounds are raised for Children in Need and Red Nose Day. Similarly, vast sums of money have been donated to the poorer countries of the world through Live Aid. And yet, in some churches, they still pass around the plate so that people can drop their offerings in to support the upkeep of the institution. What would a young 21st century person with no prior experience of church make of that? Are they tempted to ask ‘do you take Master Card?’ or ‘can I use Paypal?’ Does the use of a collection plate convey the message that the church is forward-thinking and engaging with the issues of today’s world?

People are more likely to give generously to a cause which they believe in and can be seen to make a positive difference rather than donating into an amorphous pot of money which is used to keep the show on the road. How often have you heard the preacher explain where the money will be used before the collection is received?

For discussion:

4.   ‘The Bible tells me so’ – how do you respond to this phrase?

a.   … in matters of science like the creation of the world

b.   … in matters of life-style like co-habitation and marriage

5.   We are a consumerist society – is this a good or bad thing?

6.   Do you know where the collection goes and how well it is used?

a.   Are there better ways of allowing people to contribute to the church financially?

003a: Fresh Expressions of Christian PART I

It was during 2004 that the Anglican and Methodist churches in the UK put their heads, money and pioneers together to form what was entitled Fresh Expressions of Church. It was out of a recognition that the church is reasonably good at doing church for those who come, but rather poor at attracting the 93% of British people who don't come. Based around the 4th chapter of the Mission Shaped Church report, this initiative has spawned hundreds of new forms of church which meet either inside a church building or outside in the community. It has been my joy and privilege to be at the heart of this work ever since and have been involved in a number of Methodist ventures. One quite alarming statistic recorded in the report was the fact that around 40% of people in Britain have stopped coming to church, some for trivial reasons, others with a grim determination never to darken the doors of a church again (Philip Richter, Leslie Francis, Gone but not Forgotten, DLT, 1998, ISBN 978-0232522365).

However, having reflected on the Fresh Expressions of Church work over the last decade, I wonder if we might have missed a trick. It's all very well designing new forms of church but the real problem we face is not that we do church badly. It's more to do with the fact that people and culture have changed and the church in some quarters has failed to keep abreast of that change. It is a fact that society's attitude towards faith is still positive but the way in which people believe has changed and we may be seeing a Fresh Expression of Christian emerging. This is the first of 4 bulletins which explore the attributes of a Fresh Expression of Christian and to offer suggestions for how the church might respond to such people.

I sat in St. Barnabas Catholic Cathedral in Nottingham to hear One Sound, formerly the MAYC Orchestra and Singers, perform a concert. My eyes looked up to the large crucifix suspended from the ceiling and which looks mournfully over the entire congregation and I wondered what this might say to the vast swathes of people in the country who have little or no faith. The glory and majesty which we celebrate in the death and resurrection of Jesus is alien to the majority of British people and one of the biggest challenges we face is interpreting the gospel of Christ to a generation which has no appreciation of what we mean by Good News. The sorrowful frame of a man hanging on a cross during the last moments of his earthly life does not easily translate into Good News.

The mindset, worldview and general outlook of modern day people is vastly different from 50 years ago. In this bulletin I will reflect upon what a 21st century Christian might look like.

1 : They Walk the Walk but don't Talk the Talk

I meet a number of friends who would regard themselves as Christian and yet be unable to put into words what that means. Many would not go to church, either because they feel they are not good enough, because church does not fit in with their life-style or because it doesn't scratch where they itch. To become a member of the church we expect an acceptance of the doctrines of the Christian faith and yet for a growing number of people, not only is that doctrine foreign, it is also expressed in a language they can't relate to. Just think of some of the key beliefs - Justification by Faith, The Atonement, The Virgin Birth – there are widely differing views among Christians about these and they are just as problematic for those outside of church. In a recent address, the Archbishop of Canterbury urged people to emulate the life of Nelson Mandela who suffered immense persecution without retaliation in his quest for equality and justice for South Africa's black people. Many outside of the church would say Amen (or words to that effect) to his urging but would not readily relate this to a forlorn figure hanging on a cross.

2 : They don't like labels

I held my new grandson in my arms for the first time last year and felt a love and bond between us. He's half Hungarian and half English but he didn't think as we hugged each other 'you're a foreigner'. He will grow up without any recognition of the barriers which have separated people of different races in the past. People growing up in this generation simply accept the fact that Britain is multi-cultural and multi-faith. They don't say to Muslims or Sikhs "you've chosen the wrong religion". They accept that they were born into a different culture and accept them for what they are. It's true that tension exists towards Muslims because of recent atrocities and the Iraq and Afghan wars but overall people recognise that these acts and conflicts have more to do with extremism than the faith itself. Likewise, younger Christians don't tend to label themselves as Methodist, Baptist or Anglican but simply see themselves as Christian.

Similarly, society at large can't see what all the fuss is about in the church over women priests and sexuality. Many look at the church as being behind the times and clinging to outdated doctrines which no longer have a place in 21st century Britain.

3 : They don't do Nostalgia as we do

As Methodists we love to sing the good old Wesley hymns like And Can It Be or Love Divine all loves excelling but for younger people, these hymns, excellent though they are, do not express faith in a way they can relate to. The language is over 200 years old and uses words and phrases that even some Methodists would struggle to interpret. Take lines like “… an interest in the Saviour’s blood” or “For me who him to death pursued”. It’s all standard atonement theory but to the uninitiated it can conjure up some disturbing imagery.

In the new stream churches you will rarely hear hymns like this sung. Most worship in these churches has been composed within the last 20 years. Someone once said that ‘Tradition is the living faith of those now dead, but traditionalism is the dead faith of those still alive’. Our challenge in this generation is to make the past relevant to the present day, not to just assume it will happen automatically. Singing hymns without an understanding of their meaning can verge upon traditionalism.

In the next bulletins I will expand upon this theme with some more insights into what I observe in modern-day society and how the church might rise to the challenge of effective evangelism. It is indeed an exciting time we live in and all is not doom and gloom.

Each bulletin in this series can be used in house groups or other discussion platforms, like Lent Courses. At the end of each is a set of discussion questions.

For discussion:

1.   How easy is it for you to explain your faith to non-believers? For instance:-

a.   What is salvation?

b.   What is sin?

c.    What is heaven like?

2.   Do you consider yourself to be part of a denomination?

3.   Which hymns do you find difficult to sing and why?