Some of us have been members of a church for many years, maybe even since childhood. (That’s definitely not always the case. I, for example, have only been a Christian for a little over half of my life. Prior to age 28, I was not a Christian.)
Once we get involved in a church, at least in the traditional sense of church involvement, we may find ourselves spending more time with our like-minded Christian friends, and less time with other folks outside of our churches. Hey, it happens.
We are in a new era. Fewer people are out there seeking involvement in a traditional church, with more and more of the population not really having much experience with Christian teaching or knowing how to even “do church.” You can look across much of Christianity in the western world, and see traditional churches and denominations shrinking in size.
You don’t have to look far to see the statistics being observed across Christianity. In fact, you don’t have to look further than the attendance at most any church on a Sunday morning. The decline is happening, and this is nothing new. This decline has been happening for decades.
Given these facts, we have to be careful about our assumptions. Here are a few things to consider:
- Don’t assume this is all “bad news” for Christianity. This is challenging us all to prayerfully think about how we follow Christ in being His church in the world today. Jesus certainly shook things up 2000+ years ago and challenged religious leaders to re-think what was most important… and what was most important was LOVE.
- Don’t assume the way we might have attracted people to our church 30 years ago will work as well today. Let’s reach people in new ways in a new generation.
- Don’t assume “we’ve never done it that way” is a justifiable reason to not do things differently.
- Don’t assume how we define “church” must be rigid in having pews, or stained glass windows, or choirs, or praise bands, or only having ordained preachers delivering polished sermons, or meeting at traditional church times, or meeting inside a church building, or even meeting in a building at all. The United Methodist Church defines the “local church” as “A congregation of persons who have joined together as Christians to carry forward the message of Christ and to witness to and serve the world.” Let’s broaden our vision of how we “do church” to reach new people in new ways, all while still fulfilling this definition of what it means to be the church.
- Don’t assume that the people out there beyond the walls of our churches are all atheists or opposed to Christian teaching. Some may be very open to honest discussion about matters of faith or “spirituality” but are more guarded about involvement in the traditional institutional church. Jesus similarly ran into his own problems with the “institutional” church.
- Don’t assume you have to have all the answers when you genuinely and honestly share your faith with others. In fact, “sharing your faith” most often is best done through actions more than words. Demonstrate genuine concern for your neighbors. Give up some of your most precious possession, your time, to get to know them. Listen to them. Love them. You don’t have to present robust theological exegesis exploring challenging verses in Scripture. You don’t have to be a fancy theologian or use fancy theologian language. Just love them.
- Don’t assume if someone who is curious or new to the faith actually decides to attend your church that they feel comfortable in doing so. Actually if someone is stepping into a church for the first time (maybe ever??) they may feel a bit apprehensive about the whole experience. They may not know what to wear, what to say, what to do, because they have never “done the church thing” before. We must do all we can to help them feel welcomed and included from Day 1, therefore we must strive to be aware of who is coming through our doors. With that, do our photographs hanging on our walls, and signage, all convey an open and welcoming church where they are made to feel more at ease being there.
- Don’t assume if someone new DOES come to our church that they will be back again next week. As the old saying goes “you only have one chance at making a first impression.” You may never get a second chance. A person’s first visit to a church is a significant event and may totally determine whether they EVER come back.
- Don’t assume newcomers know our “Christian lingo.” If we really do have newcomers showing up at our church, attending our worship services, or maybe attending some other class(es), they will not necessarily know much about Christian teaching. Phrases like “We all know about the story of the woman at the well.” immediately makes an outsider feel even more of an outsider because they don’t know anything about a story of a woman at some well. It would be better to say “Some of you may have heard of the story of Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman at a well. If not, I’ll summarize…” Or on communion Sundays, consider the language we use. A not-yet-Christian may not know what to do when the invitation is expressed for people to come forward (to “all person,” to “all baptized Christians,” “an open table for all” …) It is easy for them to really feel like an “outsider” even though that is not our intent.
- Don’t assume you know someone based on your preconceived notions of who they are and what “demographic” they fit within. Are they of a different age, or racial, or socio-economic demographic? Are they from a different country or have English as their second language? Are they homeless? Are they a member of the LGBTQ+ community? Are they married, single, divorced, widowed, etc.? Were they recently released from prison? The ONLY way you can know someone is to talk to them, listen to them, care about them. When you make assumptions about them, you are allowing your own prejudices cloud your view of them. Jesus saw past all that, and saw each person for who they are.
- Don’t assume you are in a position to judge or condemn anyone. Jesus made that clear SO many times in Scripture. The only One who would be justified in condemning anyone chose to not condemn, but instead to show mercy and forgive. Jesus did not come into this world to condemn it. He came to save it, through Him.
- Don’t assume when people come to our church that they are all doing “fine.” They may put on their church happy face, but inside you never know what their struggles might be. Show grace, mercy, compassion.
- Don’t assume or buy into any notion that Jesus is best aligned with any political party. Unity through striving to love like Jesus inherently brings people together through compassion and empathy and love. Politics, by its very nature in how it is practiced is designed as an “us vs. them” pursuit where in order to “win” one must make the other side lose. This win-lose way we do politics has pushed our society to be extremely polarized. Jesus pointed to a better way.
- Don’t assume that your clever post on social media about how great Christians are while putting down others who you label as “sinners” is really making a bold stand for Jesus. Jesus would have spent most of His time with those “sinners” you were/are so ready to condemn.
- Don’t assume your work of reaching out beyond the walls of our church to know and love our neighbors is a difficult task. Quite to the contrary, put more trust that if you prayerfully are doing this, the Holy Spirit is at work in the midst of all this. It’s not all up to you.
- Don’t assume we don’t have the resources needed to pursue various new ways of being the church to the people in the community around us. We need to open our minds, our hearts, and sometimes maybe our wallets to open up new possibilities. And for things we can’t do, perhaps there are others we know who can step in to help, bringing their own talents and resources. Thinking small closes the door on a wide range of possibilities that are just waiting to be explored.
Don’t Assume… Listen. Learn. Love.