Mick Turner
I believe that the Church universal is at a critical juncture at the dawn of the new century. Our world is filled with people who are spiritually hungry, existentially confused, and ethically adrift.
Many sincere seekers find themselves on the cusp of making a commitment to Christ but, for numerous reasons, are reluctant to do so. Not a few potential Christ-followers have been turned off by the contemporary church in its current form. This is understandable in light of the rigid negativity in which the church, particularly in its more fundamentalist forms, presents itself to the world. Not a few folks see this and, instead of taking a leap of faith into the arms of Christ, head for the hills as fast as they can. More than a few are afraid to call themselves Christians because they think that before they can be accepted into the fellowship of the Body of Christ, they have to join the Republican Party. If you think I am exaggerating, recall if you will a couple of years ago when a Baptist minister in North Carolina attempted to drive anyone who voted for Democratic candidates from his congregation. I am certain that if Christ was alive today and witnessed such buffoonery, the words of John in the shortest verse in the Bible would again apply, “Jesus wept.”
Also among the ranks of the frustrated are members of Christ’s fold seeking a deeper walk of faith. Other Christ-followers have doubt, unanswered questions and, quite frankly, do not feel fed by the current vision under which the Church is operating. One of the most significant challenges to today’s Church is to find ways to address the legitimate needs of these congregants. Church leaders can no longer afford to turn a deaf ear to the issues raised by Christians who are less than satisfied with the status quo. Given the context of the post-modern culture in which the Church now exists, to minimize the spiritual needs of these well-intended seekers is to invite death.
The great paradox here is the fact that the world today needs the Church more than ever. However, it needs a vital, vibrant and service-oriented church that is committed to carrying out Christ’s work in this post-modern age. As Christ-followers, we are called to continue incarnating his life in the world. That is the fundamental duty of the Church and I look around and see that, although well meaning, we are not doing a very good job of it.
Many churches and many Christians are anything but “living epistles” or a “pleasant aroma.”
Most recently, it has occurred to me that Christianity must undergo certain changes if it is to survive in the context of the post-modern world. Numerous writers have given their opinions on what form this change must take and range from ultra-liberal views such as those of Anglican Bishop Spong to the arch-conservatives who call for a return to the good old days, or even beyond to something dubbed Neo-Puritanism. In addition, there are the advocates of what has come to be known as the “Emerging Church,” which calls for something somewhere in between yet something totally new. This is the notion in particular of the “missional church.”
I think it is hard to predict exactly what form the church will morph into, except to say that it is doubtful that their will be any unified version. Chances are, as we move through these transitional but formative times, we will see a plethora of new wineskins, some good and some not so good.
Whatever the form, I think 21st century Christianity needs to incorporate three basic foundations if it is to be a relevant force in post-modern times. Without too much elaboration at this point, I will list a trio of words that hopefully will increasingly characterize the Body of Christ in the months and years ahead: creative, transformative, and incarnational.
Church leaders must quickly come to the realization that our society has, to a large extent, become post-Christian. Prior to the 1960’s the Church was perhaps the most stabilizing and important institution in America. Christianity constituted, for all practical purposes, our moral compass. This is no longer the case. I won’t belabor this point here, but suffice to say that this state of affairs necessitates a certain reassessment of how the Church goes about its business, especially how it presents the Gospel. We must be creative, finding new and culturally relevant ways to present Jesus to our culture. The old ways just won’t work.
Jesus sets our example. He used parables and examples that his audience could relate to. He spoke of farmers, vineyards, oxen, and a host of images that his peasant listeners could relate to. Now, we must do the same. Creativity and cultural relevance in our gospel presentation is essential.
The Protestant Church as a whole has been woefully inadequate in providing its constituents with workable plans and methodologies for positive change in their lives. It seems that, once a person is converted, efforts at discipline that person is aimed at the most superficial denominator possible. In our current social milieu, although there are many who are quite comfortable to punch their ticket to the Pearly Gates but balk at deeper discipleship, there are countless others clamoring for a real taste of the Living Waters of which Christ spoke. It is incumbent upon the Church to rediscover its rich tradition of spiritual formation and make that a centerpiece and a calling card. In short, we must present to the world a living, vibrant Christianity that is transformative, a faith that gives substance to people’s hope for positive change. This alone would do much to deepen participation in the Church by spiritual seekers.
Finally, perhaps the most imperative mission of the contemporary Church is to rediscover and consistently manifest Christianity’s compassionate heart. In our hurting and often unjust world, we, as followers of Christ, need to incarnate his heart, his love, and his compassion to those around us who are suffering. Compassion, more than anything else, can help heal the many wounds that both individuals and groups of individuals carry. The reality is, we are all part of an interconnected whole. When one suffers, at some level we all do. Jesus understood this and he acted on this understanding. We, believers in his name, are to do no less.
© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved
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