Hi, Church -

So, there’s this thing that happens to churches these days where we are tempted to respond to decline by chasing relevance. These words, of course, need some definition.

Decline, we might say, is what we are tempted to feel when congregations shrink in size, when finances get tight, and when buildings decay. It’s a sense of stagnation.

Relevance, we might say, is what we are tempted to chase in response to decline through things like a hyper-exertion of energy to grow in numbers, and raising money, and updating the property. A sense of bustling makes us feel good about our church, that we’re becoming relevant to the world.

The problem is that a big congregation, deep pockets, and a building are not essential for what it means to be the church. These things might be a part of a church’s reality (some churches are bigger than others, some have more money, and some have facilities) but they shouldn’t distract us from what matters most, which is actually embodying the way of Jesus.

This is to say that a large congregation, financial stability, and a well-kept church property does not mean that a congregation is close to the heart of God.

I think of the two images Jeremiah uses of a cistern versus flowing waters. We’re told flowing waters (waters of life) are better than a cistern, which is where water becomes stagnate. However, to understand this in terms of decline and relevance we have to clarify what we’re talking about.

If we are spending our energy to appear vital simply because we have numbers, money, and space then we need to rethink what we’re doing. However, if our energy is spent on embodying the love of God in the time we have and places we are given, then the we will find ourselves in the Spirit’s flow.

This means spending time contemplating the incarnation of God in Jesus, mediating on who he was, what he cared about, and why it cost him his life. In this we will know what it means to be witnesses.

And so, church, take some time this morning to begin praying in this way. Allow the Scripture to shape your prayer (the Sermon on the Mount is a good place to start). And wait for God’s encounter.

See you at 10:30am.

Grace and Peace,