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?
About Me
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Church in Crisis?
In so called Christian countries, like Jamaica where I live, the Church is constantly under the microscope, especially as our society continues the downward spiral into lawlessness. Recent apparent increased abductions, rapes and murders of children and the elderly have caused a firestorm of debate nationwide. As I write the country's parliament is taking a conscience vote as to whether or not capital punishment is to be retained on our law books, with most parliamentarians seemingly ready to back the desires of their constituents - namely, not only to retain the death penalty, but to speedily resume the execution of murderers as a means of stemming the rot that has set into our society. In all of this many are pointing an accusing finger at the Church, as they believe that for too long there has been a greater concern with "self-preservation" on the part of Pastors and denominational captains, than on the social and moral upbringing of our people and communities.
What we cannot deny is that in spite of the rumblings in society, and the malaise that have set in in many churches, there are many others that are enjoying record attendances. And there are not only a few such churches in our land. Yet many of the communities in which these churches exist are themselves examples of the worse poverty imaginable, where people are asked each day to sacrifice families, friends, neighbours and themselves for less than a basic survival. How can these churches continue to exist in such circumstances, happily praising God without a thought for addressing the reality in which many of their own people live?
One of the first problems is that the churches seem to believe that their greater responsibility lies elsewhere. I have arrived at this conclusion from a mini-survey done by some of my students at the Jamaica Theological Seminary (JTS) where I lecture. Ten of my students, representing eight different denominations, each did a recorded report of sermons in their churches over a twelve week period, to evaluate the community conscience and care that came forth as a challenge to believers. In the approximately 100 surveys collected from the ten churches, only two had anything to do with the community, a mere 2%. Instead the vast majority was concerned with issues such as "overcoming spiritual struggles", "standing on God's promises", "leading others to the Lord", "avoiding sexual immorality", and such the like.
Does anyone else see with me that our churches are in crisis precisely because they have painted themselves into irrelevancy? They have adopted an all too personal and private understanding of a relationship with God and in so doing have neglected the community. When we do this we become guilty of the very thing Jesus chided the religious leaders of his day for: "...you tithe dill, mint and cummin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: love, justice and mercy" (Matt 23:23). The weightier matters do require a personal commitment on the part of all Christians, but they can only be enacted in community. When these become our focus then indeed we will see a more relevant Church, involved as a part of the solution to our society's disintegration, instead of our standing on the periphery shouting irrelevant platitudes.
What do you think?
What we cannot deny is that in spite of the rumblings in society, and the malaise that have set in in many churches, there are many others that are enjoying record attendances. And there are not only a few such churches in our land. Yet many of the communities in which these churches exist are themselves examples of the worse poverty imaginable, where people are asked each day to sacrifice families, friends, neighbours and themselves for less than a basic survival. How can these churches continue to exist in such circumstances, happily praising God without a thought for addressing the reality in which many of their own people live?
One of the first problems is that the churches seem to believe that their greater responsibility lies elsewhere. I have arrived at this conclusion from a mini-survey done by some of my students at the Jamaica Theological Seminary (JTS) where I lecture. Ten of my students, representing eight different denominations, each did a recorded report of sermons in their churches over a twelve week period, to evaluate the community conscience and care that came forth as a challenge to believers. In the approximately 100 surveys collected from the ten churches, only two had anything to do with the community, a mere 2%. Instead the vast majority was concerned with issues such as "overcoming spiritual struggles", "standing on God's promises", "leading others to the Lord", "avoiding sexual immorality", and such the like.
Does anyone else see with me that our churches are in crisis precisely because they have painted themselves into irrelevancy? They have adopted an all too personal and private understanding of a relationship with God and in so doing have neglected the community. When we do this we become guilty of the very thing Jesus chided the religious leaders of his day for: "...you tithe dill, mint and cummin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: love, justice and mercy" (Matt 23:23). The weightier matters do require a personal commitment on the part of all Christians, but they can only be enacted in community. When these become our focus then indeed we will see a more relevant Church, involved as a part of the solution to our society's disintegration, instead of our standing on the periphery shouting irrelevant platitudes.
What do you think?
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