What will the Christian church look like 20 or 50 years from now? Will it stay the same? Not according to Oliver Thomas, author of a refreshing article printed in USA Today, “Faith in America: Get ready for change.”
Thomas offers some valuable observations worth considering for anyone interested in the future of their church organization. He gives a brief overview of what primitive Christianity looked like, how it got lost along the way, and how it might be returning to its roots today.
Here are a few quotes that caught my attention:
Faith in America: Get ready for change
“As soon as a religion fails to meet human needs — or even to connect with its audience — it begins to die. History is strewn with the wreckage of once vibrant faiths that became irrelevant.
“Young adults appear largely uninterested in our denominational joustings over “correct” doctrine. They seek opportunities to worship, serve and become part of a nurturing community that cares deeply for one another.
“As a practical matter, clergy are seeing less emphasis on believing and more emphasis on belonging.
“It will be interesting to see whether a new generation of church leaders can begin speaking about their faith in a way that will appeal to modern audiences. Or will they stubbornly cling to ancient metaphors that were created to reach an audience that no longer exists.”
Very insightful! It occurs to me that it might be helpful to replace the word “religion” with the word “church” in regard to “connecting with its audience.”
I once thought the change occurring in many demonations’ church services could be “blamed” on the youth…then I heard a discussion of “Global Evangelism” that explained the necessity of adapting services in emerging countries to the culture of that locality. (Such as recognizing that even CS churches in some areas of Africa, for example, can not expect local people to sit quietly for an hour – since that may not be their way of worship or fit comfortably into their culture.)
Thank you for alerting us to this article…
I read a short item in a recent issue of a popular “journal of opinion” that suggested individuals who attend church are healthier than those who don’t — but it goes deeper than that. Those are healthiest who meet together frequently for interaction and discussion. My church closed in this community but a few of us meet regularly to study and discuss. I love it!
Very insightful and relevant. I drive by two large churches each Sunday to our little tiny church of about a dozen members. I often ponder as I drive by, “what do they offer that we don’t”? I think you nailed it. We are all about doctrine, not doing. We need connections, not isolation. I was fortunate enough to attend services with the Next Generation Christian Science Fellowship in Saint Louis for about a year before moving out of the area. At first some of the things they did felt awkward, like clapping while singing a treasured spiritual song. It soon felt natural and joyful. I can barely stand attending my former church now. The members are all loving and wonderful. And I deeply love the teachings of Christian Science. But quite honestly I am bored to tears in the church service. So I teach Sunday school. Much more doing and connecting there. perhaps the most important question for us to ask is, “What connects us with God, the Divine?” That is my definition of church.
Can we outline or package that?
Our church has done a wonderful job of keeping our periodicals fresh and up to date. We have excellent web sites to go to for information and help. Some churches are relaxing rules for membership and trying to reach out to their communities more. Still, we cling to so many things that were “created to reach an audience that no longer exists”. Our services are boring and a too literal interpretation of the Manual has stifled spontaneity for generations.
The subject of this week’s lesson makes me cringe every time I hear it. (Ancient and Modern Necromancy, Alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism Denounced). I know as a Christian Scientist that those words mean wrong mental influences, but what about the first-timer? Talk about “ancient metaphors”.
We have the most original way to think in the world today but we keep it hidden behind some pretty out-dated ways of presenting it.
I am new to Christian Science and have only been a member of my local church for a few months. I can honestly say I am not board in our Sunday services. I listen closely for what God has to say to me during the service even though I have studied it all week God still focus Mind on new inspiration each week. Our first reader listens to God when selecting the hymns and the solo and they always tie into the weekly lesson beautifully. When I go to church I do not see a building I see “The structure of Truth and Love;”
Thank you new church member for voicing what I felt when I read these comments. I think we may be confusing a false attraction to material entertainment and emotionalism (the results of so-called mortal mind’s education) with, “…one real attraction, that of Spirit.” Science and Health Pg. 102:9 only. Mrs. Eddy gave us the Manual to further our spiritual growth and protect the revelation of Christian Science. She considered it second in importance only to the textbook, Science and Health. It’s really hard for an “honest seeker of Truth” to be bored when hearing the Word of God read from the platform. Joy is spiritual and is expressed in different material ways, but the deep calm that true joy unfolds can’t be topped by all the hand clapping in the world. I’ve attended many other churches but none have given me the practical, uplifting, life-saving, sense of Love that the, “structure of Truth and Love” gives during our services.
Very interesting comments! May we be as interested to hear the WORDS of God as when we first heard it and when we first tasted its fruits.