What the Unchurched Need! A dynamic movement to join

The way we do church is culturally distant, separate and foreign from the majority of unbelievers in the West today. Our church services, even of those large and ‘successful’ churches are unlikely to be attractive to the unchurched, in fact they are likely to put off potential believers. The focus of church life is generally on a Sunday service. The problem with this is that the number of the congregation becomes the measure of the health of the church. And members get the message Sunday attendance is the most important thing. If the number is declining tweaking the service to make it more attractive is not the solution. What many younger unbelievers want is to be welcomed into a group of believers who genuinely care about them and give them a place to fit and feel at home. They will appreciate opportunities to express doubts, fears and weaknesses as well as develop gifts and take risks. They want to feel useful and part of something. They may not fit into a rigid programme or a “we always do it this way” group. Instead they want to join an exciting and dynamic movement which adapts and changes to incorporate each new member. Unbelievers are not looking for perfection but do want authenticity. They don’t need controlling or directive leadership telling them how to live but facilitators encouraging and listening rather than judging or ignoring them.  The other problem with most church services is that they don’t do much in the way of transforming lives. Challenges are quickly forgotten as there is often little follow up or accountability. Services for the majority are passive affairs where most do little more than sing, listen and stand up from time to time, they may get an opportunity to pray but normally only a few use their gifts sometimes more about performance than building up of the body. What is attractive to unbelievers will actually be tremendously satisfying and liberation for believers. The solution is not entertainment and performance through a passive seeker service where discipleship is missing but participatory meetings where Jesus is firmly in charge and the Holy Spirit is free to use anyone to build up the group. 

Father help us not get stuck in a rut but be sensitive to your Spirit