By Elia King
“How can we get our church to be more relevant?”
“How can we get our church to be more welcoming?” When was the last time you heard one of these questions come up in a conversation about church? When was the last time you asked? Usually these questions are followed by responses that fall into one of two categories: so-called practical steps that often fail to take local context into account or broad philosophical foundations that can be difficult to implement in “real-world” situations. In my conversations with friends and colleagues, I have to admit to a sense that we may never reach a long-term, universal solution to the problem of how to reach our neighbors.
Sometimes the questions are attached to some other agenda. When we say words like “welcoming,” what we really mean is that we wish certain people in our congregation were friendlier or more open-minded. When we wish for more relevance, we are really saying we’d like others in our church to be as in-touch with the real world as we are.
If our goal were simply to be relevant, we could study what is popular and create worship-like performances that reflect the values of our culture (and in fact, some do). But the likely result would be little more than a commercial for Jesus that doesn’t really stand out above the static. If our goal were simply to be more welcoming, we could adopt a model of community that shimmers of acceptance on the surface, but neglects the real needs of everyone who walks through our doors, regulars and visitors alike. The challenge of being more relevant means we have to learn to be in conversation with the stalwart supporters of irrelevance. The difficulty of being more welcoming is that we must also welcome the unfriendly.
When we talk about being more relevant or welcoming as a church, more often than not, I believe we are looking for ways to express a much deeper question: how are we, as a church, creating and sustaining a culture where individuals and families in our neighborhoods can connect with God?
Of course as a worship pastor in a local church, I do believe there are some practical things we can do and systems we can put in place to create a culture that is both inclusive and seeks to present the beauty and truth of the gospel in meaningful ways for our communities. Strategies like avoiding “in-speak” and thinking about each service through the mindset of a visitor can be extremely helpful in planning an inclusive worship service. And what church couldn’t use a few more friendly greeters? But at some point and on some level, we have to be OK with the idea that we are not just providing people with quick-fix solutions to their problems. If we’re really interested in being part of a shared journey following Jesus, then we should, as churches, be looking for ways to overflow into the streets and homes in our neighborhoods and not simply trying to get our neighbors to fill our pews.
I love the story of Oasis, a ministry that begin in 1985, when Steve and Cornelia Chalke launched a hostel for homeless young women in South London. Oasis now has over 40 different sites around the world, including churches, hostels, schools, and medical clinics. When asked about the secret of their growth, the couple answers that they have always taken seriously Jesus’ call to serve “the least of these.” Every time they are presented with the opportunity to launch a new initiative, they ask the question: what are the greatest needs we can help with in this community? By looking for the greatest needs surrounding them, Oasis discovered the most meaningful ways to be part of the lives of their neighbors, and in turn, they have experienced community that is both relevant and inclusive.
In our local churches, we have opportunities every day to be part of the communities around us. Block parties, bike races, neighborhood garage sales, online forums—each of these offer their own opportunities to be involved in the lives of the individuals and families around us. But none of them follow a specific formula.
And that, I believe, is the main problem with formulas: they promise a shortcut to authentic, Christ-filled community. But there are no shortcuts. There is only the life-long work of a journey together, following Jesus.
Elia King is pastor for worship at the Boulder Seventh-day Adventist Church.