Not long ago seven Catholic churches closed in my town. Many other protestant churches in town are struggling to stay afloat with declining memberships and older members are “going to the church everlasting”, a kind euphemism for dying and the young aren’t interested because it means little in their lives. So does mean that religion in the world is to be no more?
Surveys nationally say that there are many people, especially the young that are searching for more meaning in their lives. This is probably the most available population segment in today’s world that are looking for some higher purpose or meaning. However the traditional church, way back, got stuck in first gear as they downshifted to do what they always did and maintained their old traditional ways in the face of a changing society outside their bastion walls.
How many of these churches lost their way and their biblical rooted focus and thought maintaining the forms of worship were much more important than reaching out as Jesus taught, to those most in need of his teachings. Had the 12 done this we probably would still be worshiping trees, some carved statue, become some doomsday cult, or more likely left the church or never bothered because it always seemed boring with no message.
So these churches were surprised to wake up in the new century and find their numbers dropping alarmingly as their children, unlike them, did not return to church going after reaching majority. The old church didn’t meet their needs; the church did not go out in the community and act on its supposed beliefs or peace, justice and serving society rather than be served. It huddled behind closed doors, played the organ and sang songs written in the 16th century.
However all is not lost. Some churches woke up in the new century and rediscovered their biblical directive to go seek out those most in need of the honest and time true message of God. They went however speaking the word of God in today’s language in forms and formats that today’s people understand. Churches that have failed to do this are closing, merging with sister dying congregations and parishes or closing altogether. They have yet to understand the truth.
One bright spot in my own town is the founding of a new church, being planted by a growing congregation in a nearby state that gets the message and understands the directive. Local churches claimed that they could not get new members because there was no one in town who was interested in joining a church. However in a try-out from this new out of town congregation at spreading the word, they had 800 people attend their first service. 800 souls seeking the Lord! Why hadn’t these same people just gone to any of the existing local churches? Maybe because even through the churches all know the same truth, they fail in their manner of communicating it to those who don’t desire their form and format of worship. Would you go to a restaurant if you had to order all your food in an ancient Elizabethan language foreign to you? Right!
So does communicating in a more modern cultural language and with more modern cultural music work? The church beginning to establish a remote congregation in my town started only back in 2002 in an exercise gym! Here in 2009 they have over 2000 members in two different physical locations and are soon to have a third planted right here. So why hasn’t my local church picked up some of these seekers? It sort of has. Not in the same numbers as this new church seems to have attracted in their short tenure of existence. However we have changed slightly. Newer more modern music without the thee’s and thou’s is replacing the outmoded language modern people have not been exposed to or understand. Why sing a song if you can’t understand the words and therefore the meaning?
There is a movement to update our shameful and embarrassing attempt at a church website. This should begin to provide a means of seekers who are the most internet connected generation to find out about us. New services and musical celebrations make us more know in the community. Our coming entry into television broadcasting of our Sunday morning service (message only) should also provide one more beam of light into the community.
Maybe if we begin to speak more with the language of today’s culture to some of those who obviously are seeking some kind of church experience (800 at that service, It still boggles my mind) we can provide an honest biblical based message for these same people. As the Northway NY church said about their establishing a satellite church here in Massachusetts they want to “meet people where they are to share the greatest message ever”. They also put it right out there in terms of bypassing 1800′s tradition “we want to be the church for people who don’t like to go to church but are open to faith”. Ponder that “people who do not like to go to church”. Why is that? What about traditional church don’t these seekers of faith care for? I’ve know the answer for quite some time. My own state conference knows the answer. It has been sharing this answer out to its 430+ churches since before the change in the century. However old ideas die hard. Old timers like what they know, what they were brought up with. But Jesus and his message isn’t about them, not about me and not about what “WE” like. It’s about spreading Gods word and we shame Jesus and his direction to spread the message far and wide to all who will listen. You go to a foreign land and spread the word in their language; you go to a foreign culture you speak to them in their language. Today’s society speaks a different language, in fact several of them. Who of us takes up the banner and speaks to them? If God were to ask for volunteers to go out in the world and speak to others in their language, would you answer “Pick me Lord!” Or would you shy away because they dress differently or don’t talk with as many big words as you, or they wore their best dungarees and work boots to church because that’s all they had?
Certainly if I don’t see more change from my own church, I might have to move myself and my family to the more modern church, one that really believes in spreading the gospel. One of the courses I tried to reach people with was called “I Refuse to Serve a Dying Church”. It didn’t really work as some already knew the answer and some hardened their hearts and refused to listen and consider new information with an open mind. I agree with its premise that you need to try to wake up traditional churches and keep them from dying, but in doing so they need to wake up as a congreagation or parish and smell the roses. Theu need to get involved, risk of themselves, claim the cause to spread the Good News beyond your walls and do so in any language thet works with your listeners. Don’t force them to learn yours!
I applaud this enlightened congregation from Latham, New York for having the strength and foresight to spread Gods word in whatever language works with today’s people, even across the state line here in Massachusetts. They don’t get anythign out of it except knowing they did what was right and true and did it as the Apostle Paul would have.
