“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:18–19 (ESV)

What is it – this change that God is leading us into – in our setting, with our people; and what is it in the wider church? If we cant identify something of what it is about with any clarity, it is difficult to know how to move towards it or encourage others to do so.

Some general thoughts may make a start:

• Brick-Making – In Egypt the people were burdened by brick-making, which was becoming harder as their resources were diminished – we need to release the church from brick-making to the ministry Jesus has given us.
• Change is to do with us – the people who are the church now. God may add others, but the fundamental change is in us and from us – these actual people
• Change means Leaving – Leaving behind (i.e. Ending) some of the things and ways we have been used to. It probably means leaving, before what replaces these things and ways is apparent
• Change involves Grieving – as things and ways die there will be grief and a sense of loss. We need to recognise this, allow space for it and understand that people will feel this differently
• Change involves Discovery – we are being called to discover (or rediscover) some important thin
  • God’s real purpose in gathering us to himself as church
  • God’s particular grace in each one of us – every part of the building/body is important and plays a part.
  • The power of God in each of us (Holy Spirit) to be and make what God is calling forth
  • What Membership of Christ’s body means
  • New ways of Leadership – the priesthood of all the saints

This is both new-Church and not new. There is a sense that church needs to be re-formed in every generation. Times and people change and we need to present the gospel afresh in each generation. However, there is also something fundamental and ancient in the Gospel which is unchanging. Se we read:

“Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ “

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV)

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.”

Isaiah 51:1 (ESV)

But we also read

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Mark 2:21–22 (ESV)

Perhaps Church can thought of as like an old house that has been built up, converted and changed until we can’t simple carry on renovating but must go down to the foundations to build anew. Or its walls have been papered and painted again and again, and we need to scrape back to the solid original.

This is not only true of traditional forms of church. It can also be true of modern congregational churches; seeker friendly; offering worship experiences; run like business. Francis Chan has observed recently that such churches have become too expensive to maintain

Do you realize how volatile our system is of our church gatherings? How much money it requires?

Francis Chan, from: Premier Christian Magazine

In a smaller way, our parish churches have become too expensive to maintain; both in terms of the buildings, legal structures and the cost of stipendiary ministry (which is in reality beyond most small congregations).

In the Church of England (and in other churches e.g. The Methodist Church) this is now rapidly approaching a crisis as churches and parishes will be left with fewer clergy to look after them. And the increasing stress on clergy may accelerate retirements. There is evidence that such reductions has a depressing affect on church life and congregational numbers. So, some worry about a race to the bottom.

But there is an alternative. It is the transformation of church from something external and provided … to something organic and grown. Each church is the gathering of a particular group of people together in Christ. What that church looks like and what it does, then flows from that relationship rather than attempting to fit into a ‘one size fits all’ model of church.

Ministry is not restricted to a licensed few (let alone to just ordained clergy), but is expressed in a broader variety of ways, recognising and releasing the gifts of all the people. It is possible that this will allow the continuation of a worshiping community in each town and village (along the lines of the Parish system), but in a more flexible  and dynamic way.

Such a transformation is a real challenge. It goes against a great deal of tradition, history and expectations. But, something is going to happen, and it is better to plan than face a crisis. And, it is closer to the church that scripture speaks of – more like the sort of church that God has promised to bless and Jesus has promised to build