Lama's log

I’ve just started reading ‘Exiles – living missionally in a post-Christian culture’. It’s too early to tell how we’re going to get on together but Frost starts off with points about how we (read the church) are a minority now and how this minority status will force us into radical steps.

I don’t think I agree with this. I’ve been a part of one church or another for the last 20 years and for all of that time the church has been a minority. For all of that time I have heard about and read about the dangerous and steep decline. I remember the feeling of being one of the few youth in my then church and being prized because of my rarity.

I have not felt though that this gave rise to my community/ies every really and radically stepping out of the box. Sure we got rid of pews, we got some more upbeat music and we press ganged everyone into mission. It always felt a bit like we were doing these things though so that we could self sustain. The aim was to get bigger churches more people in. Then we would be successful. The church would live on.

But what’s that all about?

Frost says that the more towards the margins we are pushed to, the more we will start to remember dangerous stories and then become risk takers. Maybe. Even hopefully. I’m not sure though. I’m not sure we really own many of ‘our stories’ how much do we own Babel, the exodus, the denial, the crucifixion. We do own, as Frost points out, stories of when buildings were packed and when church had power. They’re the wrong stories though.

As for being pushed through minority into a place where we can start to engage in a much more dangerous and meaning full way…. well… I can't be the only minister who either heads up or has visited a tiny church that is failing, only to find that the main function seems to be maintaining the status quo ?

You know the type, you go, between 5-20 people are there. They have rotas for who will pray with the minister in the vestry, they sing badly and without feeling, there is a set pattern for everything and frankly it's odd and very ridiculous. But you know what my reaction has been to this situation on arrival? 10/10 I've colluded with it. I've delivered to expectation I've justified the insanity instead of holding up the mirror and declaring the whole thing bonkers. These communities are not reflecting on their Biblical heritage and treading a dangerous path. They're opting instead for the freakish and ridiculous. I will journey with Frost some more but I think I'm not really going to feel that hopeful after it.