‘As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God’. (Psalm 42:1)There was a news report out this week titled ‘Adapt or die’. It was about environmental change, but it could easily have been about the Christian church. Another news item that caught my eye was about St Michael’s church in Bournemouth that is changing its name to St Mike’s.
This church was built in 1875 to seat 1,000 people, but now has a regular attendance of just 20. Their vicar has been thinking about something all churches need to consider: how can the church be more welcoming, friendly, and accessible to people in the community who walk straight past and have no contact with it?
By creatively adopting a more informal and friendly name the hope is people will be encouraged to start asking questions and think maybe this is a place where they could belong. As the vicar said, ‘If we don’t take steps now to draw in people from younger generations, we will be lamenting what we have missed in years to come.’
It’s a challenge for every Christian church to present the gospel afresh to a new generation, without compromising the gospel message, in a world that is constantly changing. We must adapt for the church to be relevant and not die.
In being a beacon of light and hope in our communities let’s think of creative ways we can shine the light of Jesus that presents the gospel and our church in an attractive way.
Have a good week being creative for the gospel.
Pastor Barry
