Dear friends in Christ

My article this month for the Caller is an overview of my presentation and town hall on September 27 – so that you can understand what I’ve seen and discerned during my year here – and so that you can read and reflect on it and help be part of this discernment process.

Churches became an increasingly important part of American life during the nation’s first 200 years. In 1776, just 17% of Americans belonged to a church; by 1980 that had grown steadily over time to 62% and topped out around 2000 in the upper 60s. Churches grew for several reasons: immigrants used churches to maintain their native culture; preachers offered urgent messages where God’s presence was strongly experienced, and people joined institutions like churches to improve their lives and to do things that improved the world around them.

Since the 1970s, though, people are less and less likely to belong to a church – especially in the “mainline” denominations. And those people who continue to be involved with a faith community are less involved.

Why? Much of it hinges on the fall of the institution. Since the 1960s, institutions across the board have declined. We’ve moved from an “Age of Association” where groups were the main way society organized itself – into an “Age of Authenticity”, where we are skeptical of institutions and instead discover and express our true selves on our own.

Along with this decline of the institution is a change in our cultural assumptions. Some important assumptions our society holds are that humans are fundamentally good, that we can save ourselves through things like technology or economics, and that our role in the world is to be a consumer aiming for material growth. In many ways, these assumptions run counter to the Christian message: The world is both good and it is broken. Life is communal. It is not all up to us. We are not alone in our suffering. As Christians, we have a compelling story to tell and an inspiring future to invite people into.

So how do we do that?

Pivot from Membership to Apprenticeship
If some of our core work is making apprentices – or disciples – for Jesus, then we need to shift the focus of our parish’s culture to that aim. Instead of trying to form people as church “members” – this pivot intends to form people as “apprentices” of Jesus – to move into a way of life that transforms us as we engage in practices of reconciliation and forgiveness. Can we make Jesus not just our savior, but our rabbi as well?

Pivot from Consumers to Missionaries
For generations, Western culture has simply reproduced new generations of Christians without much work on our part.  That’s changing.  That means we have to think of ourselves less as religious consumers, and more as missionaries who can tell others about God and what God is doing in the world.  But being witnesses is a challenge, especially if we’re uncomfortable with the word “evangelism”. All of us have experienced God at work in our lives.  If we can answer questions about our Gospel identity – if we know what difference Jesus makes in our lives, for example, or how God’s story is our story – then we can offer an alternative meaning, identity, and purpose for peoples’ lives. Can we start by sharing our stories of faith and life with each other?

Pivot from God as Academic Subject to Experienced Reality
What makes us unique is the presence of Jesus at the center of our community. Our job as 21st century Christians is to lean into that reality – to allow God to lead and take seriously the notion that God is still speaking to us.  The way we start down that road is to engage in spiritual practices – especially those rooted in Scripture – and allow them to influence how we shape our conversations and thinking. Can we learn to ask “God” questions instead of “church” questions?

Deacon Vicki made a great comment during our conversation afterwards – this is hard work. It absolutely is. But it’s also work that can transform us, our congregation, and the world around us. 

In Christ, Pastor Aaron Twait