February 2006

“Moving with God, transforming communities” is our Synod Vision.

As the Uniting Church sheds the appearance of a traditional, denominational institution and emerges as a church relevant to the 21st century, as it becomes a church which is clearly about sharing the Christian faith, a church that is highly relational ... what can you do to transform communities?

A human transformer is a change agent. Jesus is the master change agent of all time. Like Jesus, we must change and allow God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to change us so we can transform others.

Transformers of the non-human variety are electric devices that change values of voltage and current so equipment can perform tasks to produce tangible results.
I believe that, by moving with God, we are empowered to establish meaningful relationships through which we, as change agents, can introduce others to Jesus Christ. In turn, they will be transformed as we have been and will continue to be.

How then do we transform communities?

Firstly, I strongly believe we cannot do it alone — only as a team. Teamwork allows ordinary believers the chance to achieve uncommon results because teams encourage their members to stay focused on the goal. They regularly pray together and are accountable to each other. Never underestimate the power of prayer and teamwork.

Secondly, we need to develop our faith and set in place spiritual advisers who keep our faith well formed and informed and our spirit ready for maximum performance.

Thirdly, to transform communities we need to transform individual lives. Very few of us have the gift of mass evangelism and not-yet Christians or non-churchgoers are often suspicious of such evangelists thanks to televangelists whose misdeeds have discredited Christianity. We must work together to discern the form of evangelism most appropriate for particular situations, so we can achieve great results and accelerate community transformation.

As we seek to build our confidence to share our Christian faith, I can say one of the great joys of the Uniting Church has been my transformation from having a very private faith to being able to articulate who Jesus Christ is for me. That privatisation is common to many people of my generation — but how can you show a passion for Jesus while your faith is locked up inside you? Oh, for the radiating passion of so many young people who have come to know Jesus and who ooze their love for him so infectiously, affectionately and effectively.

Our own Board of Mission wrote some time ago these telling words:
“We see our major role to call the church to participate in the mission of God for the sake of the world ... (This) requires us to have some understanding of the world ... (and) to be connecting with the world ... the gospel is never going to be shared through a solid argument, or by building a new foyer at the front of the church or by organising a church service for the pre-school. The gospel will be shared and a new sense of what the church might be ... will come from relationships.”

Jesus clearly offers this relational model of walking beside people; of encouraging, mentoring, coaching, healing and being concerned for the core of a person’s being and sacrificing self for others.

“In the gospels, we find Jesus moving to the edges and beyond the potentially restrictive institutions of the day into the world created and loved by God. God’s way forward in mission ... is clearly demonstrated by that unique act whereby God entered into the human condition in the person of Jesus Christ” (Frost and Hirsch).

I pray for a “Jesus virus” with us, the virus carriers, transforming communities as we relate in the world!