Church – a change?

We may soon be inundated with ideas on how to spend time whilst in self-isolation: be that knitting, praying, drawing or writing – even finding time to complete that 2000 piece jigsaw which hasn’t seen the light of day for many a year. We have seen in the past few days, literally, such significant changes with our ability to socialise, to travel freely and also the closing of places of worship.

For those of us in the church world coronavirus is forcing us into reimagining what church is and what church looks like!

Paul Blakey, founder and CEO of CNI

Paul says “I believe we have become far too Sunday morning focussed. The main thrust often has become the service or the gathering or the teaching or the latest course. We see church as the place we go – be it the building or the events.”

Pete Ward, in his book Liquid Church (alternative book sellers do exist), tries to describe church as either solid or liquid. Imagine a block of ice. It is static, its growth based upon attracting similar entities towards it. It also has a set of rules, identities, boundaries. Ward suggests that society has been changed to one where “I am what I buy, rather than what I do“.

The traditional church may have adopted some aspects of modern society into its core being: it may have its eyes firmly on the bank, where a possible metric is euphemistically known as “bums on seats” or the ‘October Count’. This could be described as Solid Church.

The greater the number of people attending church is paramount. If deemed successful then a church plant could occur, reflecting its parent origin, similar or even a clone of the core church. With such a church we may find that its members organise the running of the church, and this even becomes an end in itself. Is this Church?

But today, society is more mobile – well perhaps not currently with CoronaVirus. It has adapted to the vagaries of our employment: no longer a job for life, but one that moves perhaps every 18 months. There’s little loyalty to a specific company as maybe our role is the most important feature, one that could be honed as we move from one employer to another.

Ward describes this evolving church in 3 ways:

– a Heritage Site, one where we strive to become re-attached to our roots, offering a slice of history.
– a Refuge, one where we feel as one, where we are safe. It has become a place of shelter for believers, one where we find comfort.
– a Nostalgic community, one where communal meetings remain possible, unlike those outside.

Paul Blakey describes his understanding of church as: 

– one where people partner with God to be and bring change. (my emphasis)
– less focussed on the gathering and more about the sending out. ( I would add ‘being out, living, in the community)
– demonstrating God’s kingdom as a reality.

How do we visualise tis relationship-centric church?

Possibly by not trying…

The Kin_dom of God is one that is near, so close, tangible. If we reflect upon the Celtic interpretation, it is a ‘thin place‘ akin to a fine white silken cloth draped over the contours of the Earth’s surface, where we can sense, touch, be wrapped up amidst the Kin_dom of God.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near.
Mark 1:15
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Luke 6:20

Bible Gateway

There are passages, listed in the link above, which say ‘the Kin_dom of God is like this’; perhaps it isn’t about what we see but maybe about the promise that is offered.

The Apostle Paul speaks at length and often about “in Christ“. To be ‘in Christ’ is to be made anew. The Apostle Paul, to differentiate from Paul Blakey, sees that being ‘in Christ’ isn’t merely a future aspiration but one that surrounds and is within the believer now.

Imagine that ice block mentioned earlier when discussing Solid Church. Now consider the ice melting. The centre of the block may still remain, but the melted water is now flowing outwards. Droplets might exist – are these people or small groups seeking to build relationships? The traditional church may remain for some time, but the aspects which wish to be focussed upon relationships within society, may now be liberated to flow contextually.

This liquid may be unstable, change direction or split as per the needs of the community – but it remains water.

Without the constraints of a building it can adapt quickly, taking on board the latest social media to ensure communication amongst those who want to hear its message, its way of living, its way of being. It’s more of a network than a spider’s web – it has been liberated from the central core. The ‘water’ still sustains it, provides life, but it is free to flow.

Membership of this Liquid Church may be a cause of anachronistic tension. Do people want to have sustained membership to one organisation anymore? Like their employment or with their mobile phone provider, does society want to flex, swap and not be tied down? It’s not about swapping between churches but reimagining what the ‘church’ is.

Some key issues of Liquid Church are:

– the importance of relationships above all else. Not solely between those who feel they belong to the church, but between everyone. Church may not mean we can identify everyone as followers, but people mingle, intersperse within various initiatives, sowing the hope, love, joy, peace, purpose and life to everyone they come across. 
– the concept of worship may/will need to be re-imagined. What is suitable, what resonates, what energises one group of people, may not support others. We have to be adaptive, and also be freed of constraints from the past. The Wesley Hymns provide a foundational message to my faith, but they may not be understood by society of today. Nor will the time we have available at any one meeting be able to unpack and explain its deeper meaning. That might be another part of the network.
– the leadership of the network is with God, not a central leader. Decentralised growth can be unnerving but also liberating.
– the boundaries which are evident in Liquid Church are most certainly fuzzy. If we seek to know where Church ends and society starts, or vice versa, we may need to see the Kin_dom of God in all.

If we engage with the other, we may see the Christ in both of us.

Weird Church, p.20.

This decentralisation suggests issues with finance, for how will this every changing network be financially supported, for it to have paid pastors for example – seen with the major institutionalised churches?

Perhaps here is the major change we may see. A schism between traditional donations to the principal church to one it is given as needed to projects (aargh – people are never a project) or initiatives which are close to that community. Will we see the role of the pastor/minister as one who is in paid secular employment and offers their time outside of their contractual obligations, or one who lives very simply and sacrificially gives of their time and resources?

Liquid Church means that we can explore, we can engage and encounter with those, previously, we would consider ‘outside of Church’ but are now ‘within the Kin_dom of God’. We can focus, not on the building, but loving the person in front of us, wherever, whomever they are.

Paul Blakey concludes “It is important to get together, to connect, to sing, to worship, to unpack what God is saying – but the world needs a church (people) who are living out God’s Kingdom as a reality. “

What are your thoughts on this? Are we ready, over the next few months, to engage constructively to discern a possibly new perspective of Church? Why not add your thoughts below, anonymously or not, in the comments. Thank you.