How Churches Might Face the Coming Crises

Here is what Chuck Warnock a Baptist pastor see "How Churches Might Face the Coming Crises" by adapting to the three interrelated crises--energy, economy and environment



--Redefinition of "church." Church will no longer be the place we go. Church will be the people we share faith with. Churches will still meet together for worship at a central time and location, but that will become secondary to the ministry performed during the week. Church buildings will become the resource hub in community ministry, like the old Celtic Christian abbeys. Church impact will replace church attendance as the new metric.



--Restructuring of church operations. Due to the high cost of fuel and a struggling economy, churches will become smaller, more agile and less expensive to operate than in the past. Churches will need to provide direct relief to individuals and families with meal programs, shelters, clothing, job training, and more.



In the not-distant future, we will live in a world where government is increasingly unable to fund and provide those services. Church buildings will become increasingly more expensive to maintain, and churches with unused weekday space will consider partnerships with businesses, other ministries, and helping agencies.



Or churches will sell their conventional buildings and reestablish in storefronts that operate as retail businesses six days a week, and gathering places on Sunday (or Thursday or whenever).



Churches will focus outwardly on their "parish" more than inwardly on their members. Church staff will become more community-focused rather than church-program focused and become team leaders in new missional ventures.



--Repackaging of "sermons" and Christian education. With fewer people "attending" church, fewer will also attend Christian education classes. Churches will deliver Christian education content via mobile devices. Short video clips accessible from iPhones (and other smart devices) will be the primary content carriers for church and culture.



Church "members" (if that quaint term actually survives) will still gather, but more for monthly celebrations, fellowship and sharing than weekly meetings, worship or learning. Of course, there may be several monthly celebrations geared to different lifestyles (tribes), schedules and preferences. Again, the abbey concept of the church as hub with many smaller groups revolving around the resource center.



--Refocus from institution to inspiration. Okay, so I went for the easy alliteration there. Restated, less emphasis on the "church" and more on how the church enables its adherents to live their faith.



Declining church attendance is not a crisis of faith. It's a crisis of delivery. We can bemoan the fact that fewer people come to church, but ballgames are not suffering from declining attendance. People go to what they want to go to.



Church ministry has to focus on engaging people in meaningful ways that enable their spiritual journeys.



In a world in crisis, people are looking for something to believe in as institution after institution crumbles. If banks, businesses, and whole countries fail, where can we put our trust? Church should have the answer 24/7, delivered like everything else is delivered now--when people want it, at their convenience, and in a way that resonates with them.

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http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=10855
Chuck Warnock
08-08-08