One reader of my last blog (Church-in-Context) suggested that our churches might not be as involved in community because their leaders do not know how to be. I wholeheartedly agree, but wish to look at some of the implications of that reality. Whether or not they have been successful in the past, right now many are accomplishing very little in terms of community transformation. For a long time they have been on the periphery, maybe enjoying a mere modicum of success, if any at all. Now, our community realities require a different approach and our churches do not know how to respond. It’s like driving a standard shift car for years, where your left foot serves only for the clutch. If you were to change to a Go-cart where there is no clutch, your left foot is there to operate the brakes. Adjusting to this is such a difficult task, that some persons never bother driving Go-carts after one try. Unfortunately, as difficult as effective community ministry might be, our churches cannot opt-out of it. I hope to show in what follows why this is so.
How do we become more relevant to our communities? The first thing to realize is that we are not speaking primarily about more relevant programmes as much as we speak about a more relevant mindset. Programmes are known to be notoriously contextually sensitive, that is they work in some contexts and not in others. But a more relevant mindset (a contextual one) will keep various principles in mind, and will continue to devise programmes that will then seek to minister effectively according to these principles. What are some of these? Do not be surprised that their foundation is Biblical. This is what sets the Church apart from other social agencies, and is her very raison-d’etre.
1. All men (not just Christians) are created in the image and likeness of God. The worse offenders in our communities are themselves God’s image bearers.
2. Sin has tarnished that image in man, and in every case is seeking some opportunity to further denigrate man. Thus, sin is dastardly, not because it offends God’s sensibilities, but because it destroys God’s creation, hence offending his sensibilities.
3. One of the main ways in which sin manifests itself is through our need to show ourselves better than others. Mankind uses every means possible to put down others and elevate self: sex, gender, race, class, politics, religion, profession, wealth, education, employment, etc. Our communities are rife with these sins, even when sexual sins are non-existent, as is thought in some of our churches.
4. Jesus Christ died to restore God’s image in man, and the relationship between God and man. Those who have experienced restored relationship with God are now responsible for addressing issues in the social order that continue to denigrate God’s creation. This responsibility is not popular among many, but is essential to our lives of renewed minds encouraged in Romans 12:2. The previous verse indicates that anything else is worldliness.
If our churches keep the above in mind, what issues will they see in their communities that need addressing? I suggest that leaders and followers alike discuss these things and identify situations that need attention and then work at them. Some may require long term effort, like the re-socializing of our youth. Quick fixes might do for others, like helping to repair someone’s roof. In all cases what will be required is a new way of seeing each individual, as a special child of God requiring all the love of God that his people can show. When we think like this relevant programmes become easier to identify, as well as the expertise required for effectively implementing them. This opens up possibilities for us to involve more believers in ministry, according to their giftings, and to train them for the most effective use of these gifts. Surely, as they get more involved a more meaningful bond between them and the people of our communities will be created. But everything begins with a change of mindset. In a nutshell, the people of our communities are bearers of the image of God, battered by the ravages of sin. The church must be involved in an attempt to restore the lustre to that image, by tackling sin and its effects, wherever such becomes manifest.
What do you think?
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2 comments:
If I read your second entry correctly you're recommending a complete change of heart and attitude among Christians - one in which we remember/recognize our personal need of salvation (we are all before the cross), remain humble and love everyone regardless of class, color, behavior, etc. etc. That kind of attitude, you seem to suggest, will almost automatically result in the kind of action that will lead to community effectiveness simply because it is impossible to love God's way - and not act. I get it and I think you hit the nail on the head. It would of course mean that we'd lose our tendency to be inwardly focused, cease to be obsessed (only) with our personal problems/situations, understand that we are not here -on earth- just for ourselves. We'd really become servants. Oh my! It's all quite obvious and as you said, based on biblical teachings. But it requires passion, interest, vision - not just on the part of our leaders but also on the part of lay Christians. . .
I think that you are on to something here David. The obvious challenge in my view is that of our eschatology. In much of our thinking, we are saved to go to heaven (our glorification), not to bear the image of Christ in this life - to be what He was, salt, light, God's fragrance and so on. Jesus prayed for us that God would not take us out of the world, but that we would be kept from the evil one. When Paul was in two minds about going to be with the Lord or staying to serve, he quickly chose the latter.
Secondly, we are also informed by a theological worldview which leaves us thinking that there is nothing redeemable in the world. Some Christian worldviews suggest that we will necessarily fail every test that God sets us. Adam failed, those under the Law failed and so on. We build this theology of failure in our mindset and thereby close our eyes to the possibility that God's glory is not only to be had in salvation of souls, but may be found in the improvement of lives and the uplift of community, even if in the end, these lives and these communities do not meet God's righteous requirements.In that scene of the angels where Isaiah saw the Lord, The angels said to each other, "The whole earth is filled with His glory." So instead of thinking test and failure, we might want to acknowledge that His glory already fills the earth.
A final thought - Ministry in most of our churches tend to be unbalanced. In this season there seems to be a craze for "praise and worship" while matters such as teaching and community transformation are not treated with the same passion. Balanced ministry saves us from becoming irrelevant in the wider context in which the church exists. Paul tells the church that if a stranger comes in and you are doing something that he cannot relate to, then he will conclude that you are all mad.
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