St Peter’s Goes Beyond Church… Our New Online Church July 4th, 2009
This is my very first blog and I write it just as our website goes on line for the first time.
I really do believe that this is a very significant time for our church in all sorts of ways. God is doing so many new things, there are signs of new life everywhere and this website is just a part of that – and I hope it gives everyone a taste of what is going on here.
Some people, across the country and here in Morley I know struggle with developments in the church as a whole. New ways of worshipping, new ways of being community, new ways of being church for the good of the world around us can be threatening to some.
So, why a website at all?
Well, the church must always be reflective, we must always be discerning what is essential to our life together and to the mission God has given us; and also what is not essential: What we cannot change and what needs to change will inevitably focus some of our reflection together.
Let me make a few suggestions on this, see what you think:
The gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ will never change, what may change is how we communicate the truths of God.
There is a fundamental need in all of us to worship (and we all worship something) and it’s a need to worship God himself. This will never change; the way we worship will most certainly change: The truest worship should reflect the majesty and grace of God but also who we are. Different cultures will express worship in different ways.
The need for relationship, the need for community is wired into all of us; what may change is the way that community is expressed.
The church is called to make disciples of all peoples and to be signs of and agents for God’s Kingdom here and now. How this is done and what it will look like will depend on where our church is and what the local community (or communities) is/are like.
I believe this website will be a tool which God will use to communicate the unchanging good news about Jesus in truly effective way.
As the world changes, and as it changes quickly so must we, whilst holding fast to the eternal truths and purposes of God.
What is your response? What do you think is negotiable? What is non – negotiable?