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Living in Grace

D3LM3

Re-imagining church

What do you think the church will look like in the future?

I have been asked to share a few thoughts with a group of leaders on what it could mean for us to 'Re-imagine church.' This is with particular influence of the Covid pandemic and how we have all had to do church differently. For the purpose of this blog, I am deliberately choosing to use 'church' with a small "c", as I believe the global Church will take it's lead from the grassroots movements of the local communities of faith. 

As I have start applying my mind to this tough question, my gut response is this: "Our focus in the Christian community will need to be on the small gatherings of Christ-followers, instead of on the bigger worship gatherings." And this is not a bad thing at all - it will just take a shift in our thinking and how we analyse church. 

Up to about 15 months ago we got drawn into the trap of thinking a church was successful based on three criteria: 

How many people do you have in your church?
How many buildings do you have - what facilities do you have?
What resources do you have? Financial and human resources were a sign of a thriving church.

Is this a fair way to decide if a church is a success or not? If we measured Jesus on these 3 criteria, how would he have scored? He would be seen as a failure, wouldn't he?

Remember that the truest definition of 'church' comes from the Greek word 'ekklesia', which means 'the called out ones' or 'an assembly.' The Church began as a group of people, called out of the world, to recognise Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and then to follow him. 

Sadly, 'Church' has come to mean a physical space and modern dictionaries include this as part of their definition of what a church is. We should remember that the global Church didn't meet in official Church buildings/Cathedrals for nearly 300 years - we managed to do the work of God and follow Jesus without gathering in massive spaces. 

So, for this reason I believe that part of Re-imagining church is going to call us back to our roots. These roots included a few of these key ingredients:

They were small in number; 

undoubtedly filled with the Spirit of God; 

loving each member extravagantly; 

showing compassion to the community;

Mission minded;

living faith and not caught up in systems.

These are just a few of my brain-storming ideas on this topic. I WOULD LOVE to hear some of your thoughts on this. Please take a minute to respond to this question: What will Church look like in the future?

1 Corinthians 12:27 - Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Romans 16:5 - Greet also the church that meets at their house.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Daughter

When Jesus called the unnamed woman in Mark 5, 'daughter', he was giving her way much more than she could have dreamed of. 

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” - Mark 5:34

From being a nobody - an outcast - someone lost in the crowd, she is now called a “daughter of the living God.” She is given a new name and with that she is given her dignity back.

This is a profound reality for all of us, because there are some days when we feel lost among the billions of people on our planet. We wonder if anyone cares. We may even question if God cares. Today's scripture brings hope to all of us. 

God does care for us.

We are all his sons and daughters.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The character of a person

Jesus always treated people with dignity. Even if people disagreed with him, or even if Jesus challenged them, he could never be accused of treating people inhumanly. This makes Jesus more than just a good person, this makes him an inspiring leader and a person of deep character. As Simon Sinek comments:

“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”

Most of the people who approached Jesus for help could offer him very little in return. However, he still treated them with love and respect. 

This is a great challenge for us. Too often we look down on those who can't give us something in return.

How do you feel about this?

James 3:18 - "You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." (The Message)

Living in Grace

D3LM3

One day at a time

The uncertainty of the present age in which we are living, really reminds us to live 'one day at a time.' Circumstances and situations are constantly changing - we never know what tomorrow may bring. The only certainty we can have is that tomorrow will not be the same as today! 

For this reason I believe in Jesus' words to his followers: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34

James said it like this: "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14).

May you know that God will grant you enough grace for today, as we all learn to live simply 'one day at at time!'

"No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time - Bob Parsons 

"The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." - Abraham Lincoln

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Taking refuge

Augustine wrote a beautiful prayer, which is recorded in a collection entitled Little Book of Prayers. I pass it onto you and pray that it may bless you today.

"Father, you are full of compassion, I commit and commend myself unto you, in whom I am,
and live, and know. Be the GOAL of my pilgrimage, and my REST by the way.
Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts beneath the shadow of your wings; Let my heart, this sea of restless waves, find peace in you, O God. Amen."

Psalm 91:1 - Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

May you find your refuge in the shelter of the most high.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

To live differently

Following Jesus is an invitation for us to live differently. Often we find that we are called to go against the flow or to see the world in a new light. Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36)

In his thought-provoking prayer, Pedro Casaldaliga writes about a similar attitude:

"Against the orders of hate
you bring us the law of love.
In the face of so many lies
you are the truth out loud.
Amid so much news of death
you have the word of life.
After so many false promises, frustrated hopes,
you have, Lord Jesus, the last word,
and we have put all our trust in you.
Alleluia, Alleluia." 

I am grateful that the Lord has the last word, despite what happens all around us.

Living in Grace

D3LM3