Last updated 09:44, Friday, 20 June 2008

Why should Christians go to church?’ was the eye-catching headline question in your recent interesting article (The Cumberland News, June 13) on a University of Cumbria course, apparently part of an initiative to encourage ‘fresh expressions’ which (according to Tim Herbert) “is like a new brand for the church, similar to a makeover.

Rather significantly, he continues “many times the church has had to go back and rediscover itself”.

My deep conviction is that without this rediscovery, effort expended on new marketing brands or cosmetic makeovers is akin to that spent rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.

If it is to make a much-needed impact upon our spiritually impoverished, materialistic, ‘post-Christian’ society, the church does need desperately to change through the rediscovery of its true, radical (meaning ‘root’) nature.

Let’s begin this identity-rediscovery process by realising how unhelpful and biblically nonsensical it is to talk about ‘going to church’, and then progress quickly to reflect on what it is for believers actually to be the church 24/7.

The church (that is, the one founded by Jesus and the apostles) is not about religious buildings, institutions, clergy, services, rituals, systems, programmes etc.

It is about people learning to live in relationship with their Father God and with each other – ordinary people sharing in ongoing personal relationship with the living, risen Christ through their faith and prayerful trust in Him; ordinary people energised daily in their work, homes and families by His Spirit; ordinary people being filled (to overflowing) with the self-giving love and affection of their Father God, and thus living in daily friendship with Him and with each other.

When Jesus promised ‘I will build my church’ he was certainly not referring to the construction and maintenance of religious buildings or institutions.

Rather, he was talking about the growth of what the early Christians referred to as ‘the body of Christ’, of which Jesus (and only Jesus) is the true head.

He has kept his promise! This ‘body’ is now being built by him, and is in remarkable worldwide growth as ordinary folk come into authentic, vibrant faith relationship with him and grow to learn more about his love, freedom and acceptance.

Jesus summarised how this would impact society “By this everyone will know that you are my followers, that you love one another, in the same way that I have loved you?”

What a profound difference it would make if Christians in Cumbria (and indeed elsewhere in the UK and Western Europe) were to rediscover their true identity, and get liberated from the institutional identity of church that has misdirected our focus, time, energies and resources for so long.

‘Fresh expressions’ would not then be yet more ideas tacked on to ‘past-their-sell-by-date’ institutions, but rather genuinely spontaneous and fresh expressions of vibrant personal faith.

When the first Christians were filled with the Spirit of Christ, they ‘turned their world upside down’… and the only ‘course’ they had been on was to be with Jesus.

PHIL LITTLE
Naworth Drive
Lowry Hill
Carlisle