February 2005

Are you well connected?

A deliberate leading question to all Uniting Church members and nothing to do with any blood relationships or social status.

The Vision Development Workshops so far have spent time reflecting on why the traditional churches have lost relevance to the community at large.

Once we were at the centre of the community and now we are bystanders. Why?

It is so easy to identify the multitude of societal, technological and religious changes so evident in the world at large, but what have the churches done in response? Jesus Christ was the leading agent of change and did so as a transformer of values, attitudes and therefore people — but we seem to let that happen without being involved.

Some workshop participants have challenged others to return to old-style evangelism which the world no longer accepts. Why should they accept, when the churches have lost credibility through the media reporting of scandals such as misconduct, paedophilia and occasional mismanagement?

Why should they accept, with the growth of spiritual alternatives to Christianity, the “me” syndrome (people doing what they want to do without acknowledging the needs of others) and negative attitudes to institutions, particularly governments, banks and churches?

The Church is not valued by many and it is up to us to change, to regain our relevance in the community. Our goal should be to show that our Christian faith is central to all life and not just the church.

Firstly, we need to reflect Christianity in all we do, both inside and outside our church communities. We should deepen our personal spiritual life and passion with Christ so that God is evident in what we do daily. Our uniqueness as Christians should be visible.

We are in the conversion business! We need confidence to share our faith in all our relationships.

Modern style faith-sharing is more effective than old-style evangelism. It requires each of us to learn connecting language rather than traditional God-talk. To the unchurched, words such as salvation, redemption, witnessing and sin are either misunderstood, not understood at all or are alienating.

We all network in the community through sport, interest groups, causes, children’s activities, the workplace or kerbside conversations with neighbours and passers-by.

The opportunities abound for sharing your faith. But we must show an authentic faith, expressed passionately and with intentionality.

Secondly, spirituality is booming and Christianity should be highly visible as a leader in the smorgasbord of options. We need to roll up our sleeves, get gutsy and be diverse in our range of opportunities for people to become pro-Jesus — even if they are anti-church.

Our congregations should be highly visible spirituality centres showing that the Church is people — the Body of Christ — and not buildings.

Thirdly, the church should be visible through us wherever we connect with people, not just the worship centres which frighten the unchurched.

We need to be seen to be more than worshipping communities where people are expected to come. Communities group differently nowadays and we should be among them so that the Church is on the street, in the malls, at the schools, wherever there is a crisis and need.

The Church can longer expect to be the centre of the community, but its members should be there in person.

Congregational life can grow. Many congregations are successful because they are intentionally and passionately expanding their out-of-worship activities so they are in community marketplace of interests and needs.

Our community services and educational activities are also successfully integrating church and community. The only real concern is their faith-sharing ability. Many people claim they have less time for church, but if the church is constantly alongside them, they should be inseparable.

One workshop participant asked several pertinent questions:

Is it bad for the church to die, because Christianity will not?

Then God will re-create the church, but in what shape will it be?

Both are valid, but if we tackle the task of being a well-connected church within the community, we never need to answer those questions.