The Origin Of The NPChurch
TLDR:
Many young people are questioning and returning to scripture, exposing short-term solutions the Western Church improvised through history.
The decline of the Western Church post-WW1/WW2 revealed weaknesses in its structures. As society moved on, the Church remained stuck in familiar traditions versus staying relevant.
True reform requires humbly returning to God, not just tackling surface problems. We must align with Him first before taking care of His body the Church.
Deconstruction
In recent years there has been a wave of "deconstruction" of the Western Church.
Many young people are challenging what it really means to be a Christian, pushing back against traditions and practices, and returning to scripture.
Things we take for granted like worship sessions, sermons, smoke machines; young people are asking: are these really the form of the Church?
Short-term measures of the Church
If we look at church history, the Western Church was largely improvised.
As the first nations to establish Christianity in governments and society, they had to deal with problems as they came, leading to short-term solutions.
For example, Christians needed teaching, so they implemented pulpit sermons to make teaching efficient. Churches who felt they needed more personal connection, formed 'cell groups'.
As a result, the church has built centuries worth of layers of practices that all have an expiry date.
The decline in the West
Perhaps it was not clear before, but after the whole of the Western world was stricken with trauma from two successive world wars, the church froze.
Just like Covid surfaced so many issues in society and church, the wars also brought to light many structural weaknesses.
After the wars, people wanted something different. They dissociated from the past and started to challenge tradition.
“Many young people are challenging what it really means to be a Christian...”
But churches could not remain relevant, because they stayed with whatever they were familiar with, while the rest of the world moved faster and faster away from them.
I do not bring this up to blame the Western Church, but we must acknowledge our history if we are to move past it.
Church growth mirroring societies
In a recent adventure to Bangkok, I noticed a truth hidden under the workings of society. I was on my way to my accommodation, and I saw on Google Maps the whole area covered in small roads.
The side roads had side roads, and those side roads had alleyways, and those alleys had driveways. They love roads so much, they were even building an overhead expressway that travelled parallel to the main road I was on.
I could guess the thought process behind the city's urban development. They probably initially experienced traffic congestion. Solution? Build more roads.
“...the church has built centuries worth of layers of practices that all have an expiry date.”
Sunk-cost fallacy
There will be a time when Bangkok will have no more space to build roads, but still suffer from congestion. Likewise, we can keep "planting churches", but still have no impact on the Church's overall spiritual health.
We are faced with a choice. The first option is to reform, which is utterly disruptive, overhauling everything we've already built. The second option is to tolerate it unto death.
I have come to realise the Protestant Reformation was not very good. It cannot be denied that God worked through it, but it was so disruptive that it caused the church to fracture.
But to tolerate it is still a sunk-cost fallacy. There is only one way to successfully reform, by willingly returning to God and work through what needs to be done, no matter how painful.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
That is the essence of revival.
Aligned with God
A lot of us young people see many problems in the church. But we cannot stop at the problems and start making solutions.
We must first abide in Jesus. What does God think about these problems? It may not even be a battle He wants us to fight.
He might be bringing certain things to our attention, not for us to solve, but to draw us nearer as we converse and struggle with Him, to uncover more hidden secrets.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Perhaps there are deeper issues God wants you to discover. Maybe there is an aspect of Himself that He wishes to make known to you.
We all have a first conclusion bias, but don't just take the first problem you see and run away from God, thinking you're doing His work.
We must learn to think beyond just what we see. True godly wisdom takes into account even the factors unknown to us, and the only way to grow in that is to walk closely with our Lord.
Only then will He trust us with how to take care of His body.
Reflect:
What are the pillars (non-negotiables) of Christianity that will produce true followers of Jesus?
Some traditions are mostly harmless, but what traditions are you keeping that you need to let go of? Think about this in your personal walk with God or in your capacity as a leader in church.
What is something new you can do with God in or for the church?
