Embracing the Future
Pastors, leaders, and indeed most of our church members are doing it tough. The natural instinct is to do everything possible to return to familiar models of church and other regular activities. The pressure can take its toll.
Pastors are falling on their own swords, even entertaining suicide.
An overview of world history, prophetic calls in the Old Testament, the political situation of the 1st Century, Jesus’ warnings, plus the Book of Revelation, serve as reminders that times change.
Today we see accelerating moves in the status of world politics and power bases.
Let us see the COVID restrictions as an opportunity to learn how to become an effective underground church.
We can learn a lot from China and
Iran where the church is growing at around 20%pa, has no centralised leadership, no buildings, no high tech support, loves Israel, and women are a driving force.
So what is our long term ‘plan b’?
- Change focus from platform ministry to discipleship.
- Let go of liturgy and symbolism.
- Move church into homes.
- Promote autonomous groups.
- Minimise or eliminate paid staff.
- Find a use for, or sell, under-utilised real estate.
Let’s keep our ears to the ground.
Tough times don’t mean we lose our faith, hope and joy
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1
