Communities of Hope and Life
Communities of Hope and Life
I’ve been working on a lecture about “What’s So Great about the Church.” It is part of a series of lectures for 18-year-old adults on the core, incontrovertible ideas and practices that are baked into Christian faith. This specific assignment, on the surface, seems daunting for two obvious reasons:
Two-thirds of 18-22 year-old-adults have dropped out of church and have not returned to church a single time for at least an entire year. On the surface, the content could set up a snooze-fest!
It is much easier to post articles about what’s not so great about the church. There is a lot of that going on. It’s not hard to see why. In the contemporary church, there is lots of bad news, not great news. Past all the headlines, the American church has been unduly fascinated with size of crowds and platforms, celebrity leaders, and secular political issues. Additionally, pastors are struggling with emotional and spiritual health. Pete Scazzero speaks often about the unhealthy commandments of contemporary church, one being this: superficial spirituality is O.K. The plain truth is there are not enough communities where one can learn how to become an apprentice of Jesus and find help in following His ways. The lecture content could seem quite unbelievable.
As I pondered this assignment, I found my own heart warming to what church is. Here is what I wrote:
At its finest, the church acts as a visible outpost of the kingdom of heaven. In this sacred heaven-on-earth station, individuals encounter the life-altering Presence and power of God, fostering a vibrant community and awakening cultural transformation.
These three elements — the life-altering Presence of God that does not keave us clinging to our fallenness, vibrant community in a time of epidemic loneliness, and cultural reformation in a time of social chaos and inhumanity — seem to me to be what is so great about the church. Stories emerged about each element. I can’t wait to share them with the class of 18-year-olds — and with you. They thrill my soul. I’m looking forward to your reaction.