Emerging Church- Theology and Discipleship - Uniting Church in Australia

This page authored by: Rob Bos | Last updated: March 18, 2003 | Status: Working
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Why is the church changing?
Current trends
The new context
What do we mean by "the emerging church"?
What is the Christian community?
New ways of being church
Changing styles of worship
Being a twenty-first century Christian
Being an effective change agent
Restating what we believe
Lively Churches
Helpful resources

Note: This 12 points above are on this one page so you can print this page and read it later

1. Why is the church changing?

The church is changing because people and society have changed and continue to change. In the past the church has always changed through history. This is not because God changes or because our central beliefs change, but because the truths of God need to be celebrated and communicated in new ways. The Uniting Church from its foundation has seen itself as a church "on the way", always responding to God's new initiatives.

Churches which do things the same way they were done fifty years ago continue to help people whose faith was shaped in the past, but are often not attracting new attenders. Surveys in churches show that, in many churches, the average age of people attending is increasing every year and hence numbers are declining.

People who are missing from the church include: young people and marrieds under 50. Of those who do attend, women far outnumber men.

We need to think carefully about the difference between the substance or content of the Christian faith on the one hand, and the style in which it is presented on the other. Things which do not change include:

The Bible
Basic beliefs about God as creator, who Jesus is, how God's Spirit works in the world
What followers of Jesus do when they meet together (read and reflect on the Bible, pray, praise, celebrate the Lord's Supper, support and encourage each other)
Witnessing to God's good news for the world

Things which are part of the style and may change include:

Translations of the Bible into modern languages
Words, images and metaphors for God, that help people today to understand something of the profound mystery that is God
How we do things when we meet together (formal or informal, seating in rows or round a table, styles of music etc)
How we share God's good news (large meetings or through friendship networks, use of television and film etc)

If we are serious about reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ, then we will need to reflect together seriously on such matters as:

changes in society
what are the real pressing issues for people
the ways people process information
the way people choose to interact.
We will therefore need to pay attention to the style of music, the type of language we use, the community's dress code etc. Unless we do this, we may be putting up barriers which prevent people from entering into and growing in the Christian life.

2. Current trends

Trends in society
Society is changing quickly and the way each generation's approach to life is different. The generations are sometimes characterised as:

The builders (born before 1945)
The boomers (born 1946-1965)
Generation X (born 1966-1980)
Generation Y (born after 1980)

Each of these groups has different ways of viewing life, different values and different goals. This means that in order to attract people to a Christian fellowship, we need to relate to their needs and their way of seeing the world. This does not necessarily mean that we agree with all their values, but it does help us to make contact and communicate with people.
(See Hugh Mackay, Generations, MacMillan, Sydney, 1997).

Trends in the church
In Australia, the National Church Life Survey has extensively surveyed church life across many denominations in Australia. Some very useful books have been published. For more information, go to http://www.ncls.org.au/

3. The new context

Changing culture
Our cultures are changing:

Information technology has vastly increased the speed at which we can communicate across the globe. The internet has put at our fingertips an unimaginably vast library of music, videos, games and information.
People now process information more visually and interactively, and not just by passively receiving it through the ears.
People move to another city, state or country much more frequently than they once did.
Family life is much more pressured than it once was.
There are also many solo parents bringing up children and many more people living alone.
There are many people who come from cultures and backgrounds other than Anglo-Celtic. This means that there is a dominant culture to which we all belong (and contribute) and then a subculture which may reflect our ethnic background or our work or recreational interests.
People spend more time in cafes and restaurants. This means that good food, conversation and small groups are increasingly important.
We buy and sell using electronic means of transferring funds.
Work has changed, with more people going into "mind work" rather than "muscle work", as well as into service industries.

Post-Christendom
By Christendom is meant the time in the history of Europe when the church was a powerful influence in society, in fact church and society were almost one. Christendom is now finished. The church is no longer regarded as having a monopoly on truth. Its authority has waned. The cultural and political influence of the church has decreased. The power of the church to define and control public morality has receded.

Part of us might long for the era when the church was powerful, influential and part of the status quo. Another part of us recognises that the church may well have been compromised. Its ability to present an alternative to society's values, to be "not conformed to the world but to be transformed" was severely restricted in Christendom. Post-Christendom presents us with a new opportunity to be distinctive, unique, counter-cultural, alternate.

The cultural shifts
There are many definitions and descriptions of post-modernism. Mark Riddell (http://www.zeta.org.au/~lorien/prodigal) and others have described the movement towards post-modernism in recent decades as a movement from:

Faith in progress ---> Doubt and uncertainty that things will get better.
We assumed all problems were solvable through science and technology. The experience of two world wars, Viet Nam, the ecological crisis, the problems of urbanisation, the rise of new diseases like HIV etc have all contributed to a growing doubt about progress.
Detached objectivity ---> Subjective knowledge also has validity.
We now know that nature is not an "it". Science does not rely on impartial measurement alone. Quantum physics has weakened/destroyed the old paradigm. Also feminist critiques have helped us to see that the dominant "objective" perspective was usually that of while, male, heterosexual professionals. History and other social sciences depend on the viewpoint of the observer.
Confidence in rationalism ---> More intuitive ways of knowing gain credibility.
Descartes said "I think therefore I am", but this no longer applies. While our intellects are important, humans are not just intellects. Our whole persons are involved in knowing, and this post-modern perspective is more in line with the Hebrew (Old Testament) approach to knowing.
Process lineally, sequentially ---> Process data in many ways at once.
The printing press meant that we started at point A (top left and front of book) and finished at point B (bottom right and back of book) as dictated by the author. On the World Wide Web, we can hyperlink in whatever direction and wherever we like. People take in information in all sorts of ways; not just lineally.
Reality is "real" ---> Reality is socially constructed.
When dealing with what was "out there", we thought we were on solid ground. Reality was external, fixed; all we had to do was to explore and discover it. People from other cultures and minority groups have helped us to see that different people see "reality" differently. We have moved from "truth is out there" to "tell me your truth and I'll tell you mine".
Faith in institutions ---> Less inclined to give authority to institutions.
There was a time when our trust in the monarchy, police force, church and courts of law was firm and solid. People are now much more suspicious and mistrustful of institutions. The church now has to earn people's confidence; it cannot be assumed or taken for granted.
Absolute ethical principles ---> Less agreement about central values.
The grand overarching stories (metanarratives) fail. Science makes advances before we have developed ethical codes to deal with the new discoveries. The 1950s were a time of solid ethical principles and these were good for some, but not so good for women, the disabled, Aboriginal people or migrant-ethnic groups.

Some characteristics of postmodernism
Post-modernism is characterised by:

Juxtaposition, diversity, multiple-tasking.
Things are put side by side, seemingly unconnected. The tension may be creative or may simply be chaotic. Look at the video clips of current pop stars. Notice how young people "channel surf" when watching TV.
Relationality, hunger for community.
People choose their community, it is no longer given by family ties or geography. Coffee shops and eateries have proliferated. Some "communities" are created on the world wide web in chat rooms. Churches need to create spaces and opportunities for genuine interaction and community.
People want to participate, to be involved.
People are now less inclined to give authority to a "guru". They prefer to meet "in the round" so that everyone can see everyone else's faces. They look for shared leadership. Inclusion is the key. People are not passive recipients. People want to create meaning for themselves. People want to experience God, not just know about God.
Spirituality, questions of meaning.
The secular city of the 1960s did not eventuate. People hunger for spirituality. We live in a time like the first century when there were lots of competing spiritualities for people's loyalty. Christianity needs to re-establish its credibility in the market place. The Christian scriptures and tradition have a tremendous richness to offer.
Holism, inter-connectedness.
Ecology demonstrates that all things are connected. A habitat does not consist of isolated species, but each living symbiotically with the other. Similarly, every aspect of life is connected with our well-being. Faith needs to be connected with every aspect of life. Furthermore, the church is like a body, with different members functioning for the well-being of the whole.
Romanticism - a quest for beauty, love, creativity, self-expression (materialism has failed to satisfy).
People are less concerned about life-long goals or careers. The material utopia has been punctured. These things did not matter to Jesus either. Perhaps Jesus was a romantic? Church can offer opportunities for people to experience beauty and love. Churches need to provide opportunities for people to be creative and express themselves.
Playfulness.
People want to push the limits, enjoy things for their own sake. We use technology to play better games. Young people try drug use, body piercing, bisexuality. There is a lack of concern for constraints of time and finance. Without resorting to life-denying practices, Christians need to know how to play and celebrate. Of all people, we have something to rejoice in, to celebrate, to party about!
Immediacy.
Many people want fast food. There is a preoccupation with heightened experience in the present, the "adrenalin rush". Bungy jumping, jet boats and computer games are all popular. Post-modern culture is loud, fast, aggressive, "in your face", with little space for reflection or analysis.

There is lots we can work with here in presenting the Christian message.

Some useful links to sites about Christianity and post-modernism.
[http://www.faithmaps.org/pomophillinks.htm]

4. What do we mean by "the emerging church"?

"The emerging church" is often now used to describe the shape the church seems to be becoming, especially when younger people (but not only younger people!) have a say. They often feel that the way the church worshipped and was organised 20 to 30 years ago is no longer meaningful or helpful to them. They also want a church to which they can feel free to invite their friends.

The emerging church is usually marked by some of the following:

Worship which is experiential, participatory, interactive and communal. Contemporary music, visual communication and (sometimes) multimedia presentations are important.
Leadership is shared among many people.
There are intentional strategies to invite, welcome and integrate newcomers.
There is a high degree of emphasis on community building.
People of different age groups and interests are involved together.
There is good coffee and interesting food with lots of spaces and opportunity for small groups and informal conversation.

The emerging church comes in many shapes and sizes, from small house groups to large regional churches with hundreds of members. What they have in common is that they seek new ways to worship - moving away from one person (usually the minister) out the front and the rest of the people sitting fairly passively in rows on hard seats. They also have in common an investment in community-building.

5. What is the Christian community?

Being a new kind of church in the twenty-first century means not just doing what "feels right" (although that is an important part of it), but also having a clear understanding of what the church is and what is essential for the church to be church and what can change as the culture changes.

The church is the worldwide fellowship of those who follow Jesus of Nazareth who lived 2,000 years ago. The church has existed since the time of Jesus and today exists in every country of the world. The church believes that the Spirit of Jesus is still in the midst, bringing new life to people, to communities and to the whole creation.

The Christian community worships God who is encountered in creation, in the person of Jesus and wherever people find hope, healing and renewal.

The church want to be open to being used by God to bring hope, healing and renewal and its members serve God in the workplace, in community organisations and in seeking justice and peace.

For a fuller statement on the nature and purpose of the church, you may like to read a paper which the World Council of Churches is working on:
[http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/nature1.html#nat]

To see what the Uniting Church in Australia says about the church, go to the Basis of Union, particularly paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.
[http://nat.uca.org.au/basisofunion/Basis1992.htm]

6. New ways of being church

Some new ways of being church include:

The regional church with Sunday attendance of over 500 adults and a comprehensive program of activities during the week. They tend to have multiple staff and a well-organised band of volunteers. Lay training is a high priority and there are numerous small groups. They have a well-developed system of reaching new people and integrating them into the life of the church. The music is lively with a good proportion of contemporary praise songs.
The following article explains regional churches in more detail:
[http://www.rca.spirited.net.au/articles/powell-glen/GP001.htm]
Other people are meeting in much smaller groups, such as house churches, café churches, in pubs and coffee shops.

There is no one way of being church in the twenty-first century.

7. Changing styles of worship

Some changes in the style of worship include:

New ways of worship recognise that people learn in many different ways, not just by hearing. Some people need information presented visually. Others learn through conversation, some learn through music and rhythm, others learn through body movement, and so on. Data projectors are increasingly being used for powerpoint presentations, video clips and presenting images to enhance prayer.
People today do not just want things to think about; they look for experiences. They are less inclined to ask, "Is it true?" than "Is it real?" They look for a combination of head and heart. Truth is relational, not just rational. Worship needs to provide opportunities to experience God.
Today, we are much more inclined to use all our senses in worship, not just the ears. People can share faith stories, engage in interviews, discuss Bible passages in small groups, engage in debates, simulation games etc.
We need to give careful attention to the worship space - banners, lights, symbols, coloured cloths and projected images all help to enhance the experience of worship.
Careful attention also needs to be paid to the mood created by the music, whether recorded or live.
Churches which attract younger people have long ago moved away from a "speaker and audience" format. People want to participate in church life, not just be a passive consumer. That means people need to be trained for many kinds of leadership. The gifts of many are used. As society becomes more impersonal, people look for a community to belong to - they need and want interaction with others at a deep level. People need to feel loved and special.
All ages must be included.
There is much more emphasis on stories, rather than dry propositional truths.
Dance is sometimes used, not just by using a specialist dance group, but sometimes also the whole congregation can be involved in body movements.
Drama is again becoming popular.
People may be encouraged to use their imagination and visualise.

All this means, of course, that worship will take longer to prepare. In some churches, a number of teams each take responsibility for a service say once every six weeks. This means that they have time to work together and bring all their creativity to bear on preparation.

For further information:

Information on interactive worship and the use of technology.
[http://www.freshministry.org/articles/interactive.html]

UCA Theology and Discipleship Working Group on Worship
[http://nat.uca.org.au/TD/worship]
This site includes lots of useful links.

Leonard Sweet has written a number of useful books on the emerging church.
[http://www.leonardsweet.com]

Coolamon College has study units on worship.
[http://coolamon.org].
One particularly useful one (available in 2003) is How shall we worship? -2 by Ann Scull.

8. Being a twenty-first century Christian

Being a twenty-first century is a bit like being a first century Christian! There are lots of competing spiritualities and the onus is on Christians to demonstrate that the Christian faith deserves consideration and therefore Christians deserve a hearing. This means demonstrating that the Christian faith resonates with our deepest experiences of being human. It means helping people to make the links between their own experiences of wonder and mystery (perhaps in nature or in friendships or at pivotal times in our life such as birth, puberty, marriage, crisis or death), they are touching God.

Furthermore, this means that Christians need to demonstrate that their lifestyle and what they say they believe are consistent. This means that Christians always need converting.

Some characteristics of Christian discipleship in the twenty-first century are:

Being less concerned about financial wealth and material things and more concerned about relationships.
Being more concerned about the victims of society and those who are suffering than maintaining the status quo.
Living in relationship with God's non-human creatures and caring for the quality and integrity of creation.
Being honest, trustworthy and reliable in a world where examples of corruption and greed are daily portrayed on our news services.

This is a far cry from the legalism and smug moralism of some previous forms of the Christian life.

9. Being an effective change agent

The church needs to be reformed in order to be an effective witness for God. We need effective change agents.
Coolamon College has a unit on leadership in the church. [http://coolamon.org]

A helpful little booklet is Peter Corney's Change and the Church: How to Initiate and Manage Constructive Change in the Local Church (Aquila Press, Sydney South, 2000).

10. Restating what we believe

Christians need to be able to say what they believe in language that makes sense to the hearers. (This is sometimes called "apologetics" - nothing to do with apologising!) Bishop John Shelby Spong communicates well with many people and tries to express the Christian faith in today's thought-forms (although people disagree vigorously about whether it is still the Christian faith he holds to).

11. Some lively churches

http://www.surfsidechurch.org

12. Helpful resources

In addition to the links elsewhere in this website, you may like to check the following:

http://www.spirited.net.au/dean/stuff/articles/2001-10-22-emergingchurch.asp
An Australian site produced by Dean Tregenza.

http://www.emergingchurch.org/
This website has been produced by the American Lutherans and has some useful links.

http://www.gocn.org/
This is the website for the Gospel and Our Culture Network. There are lots of excellent articles in their on-line newsletter.

http://static.userland.com/gems/surfsideUnitingChurch/sacredcows.pdf
A useful Summary of William Easum's book, "Scared Cows Make Gourmet Burgers".

http://local.sa.uca.org.au/mdc
After the website opens, scroll down the left hand bar and click on 'Emerging Church'
A report on the Emerging Church consultation held in Adelaide 28 February to 1 March 2003