Fallen Eucalyptus

Something strange happened in my garden the other day.  There was a eucalyptus tree lying in the grass in a place where you wouldn’t normally expect a eucalyptus tree to be.  It turns out the eucalyptus tree took a disliking to the snow in December 2010.  Months later when spring arrived, the tree decided not to bother putting out leaves, preferring to remain asleep.  Eventually the tree died, and that was that.  But in the last couple of years, shoots have started to emerge from the roots bringing forth a spray of fresh silver eucalyptus leaves.  Now the old tree trunk has given way and collapsed, but new life is emerging.

As I looked through my kitchen window at the fallen tree, I sensed God speaking.  There are of course many verses in Scripture that talk of growth from nothing, and life from death.  Famously Isaiah talks about a shoot ‘from the stump of Jesse’ as he prophesies about Jesus.  In the context of his death and resurrection, Jesus says that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die in order to bear fruit.  And so it is for those who follow Christ.  To receive God’s life we must die to self, and there begins the wrestling match between our old self and the new creation.  Not only between old ways and habits and the fresh living actions of being a disciple of Jesus, but also between old experiences and ingrained emotional responses and the freedom and joy of life in Christ.

When I saw the tree on the ground I thought, ‘Oh great! More work, I’ve got a tree to saw’.  When we give our lives to Jesus, in the words of Paul, ‘the old has gone, the new is here!’ – but occasionally dead branches and sticks still poke us in the eye.  We need to deal with the debris.  Jesus breaks off the branches that bear no fruit.  This is part of God’s healing.  Healing which, I believe, we all need to one degree or another.  

Church After Christendom

Finished reading Stuart Murray's, Church After Christendom, another one of the titles in the Paternoster Post-Christendom series.  Throughout the book, Murray wrestles with the questions: Does the church have a future with the disappearance of Christendom from the cultural landscape of the modern West?  And secondly, if the church does survive, to what extent might it emerge or evolve from traditional inherited models?  Part One, addresses how the church post-Christendom might come about, and Part Two, what it might look like.

Overall Murray raises more questions than he answers, but from his careful analysis some helpful pointers emerge.  The opening chapter on 'Belonging/Believing/Behaving' is quite grounded and offers insight on how the sociological aspects of Christian community intersect with faith.  Murray acknowledges the inevitable dichotomy between expectations of inherited patterns of mission and discipleship and the mood of prevailing culture.  He writes, 'Churches - whether understood as institutions, buildings or congregations - will be culturally alien in post-Christendom' (p. 24) [...] 'Imaginative, courageous and culturally attuned churches will be needed to connect with those who are now alienated and distant from church' (p. 26)  

Murray then sets out the benefits of a 'Centre-set' model of church - clear Gospel vision and values at the core with permeable boundaries around the edges drawing people inwards (for a full definition, see p. 29. It would be interesting to see some trinitarian theological reflection on the 'Centre-set' model vis-a-vis the alternatives - cf. Robyn Greenwood (2009), p. 52ff)  Murray also addresses the issue of conversion, catechesis and discipleship stating rather provocatively, 'In a sceptical culture, faith must be lived if it is to be believed' (p. 34).

This chapter gives way to a fascinating discussion about why people join and leave churches - a good read for anyone involved in church leadership.  He suggests five 'components' are essential.  People stay in:

• Churches that cultivate an earthed spirituality where people encounter God.
• Churches that nurture authentic friendships and healthy community.
• Churches that hold deep convictions but are unfazed by questions and doubts.
• Churches that are open-edged and engage with contemporary culture.
• Churches that stimulate faith at every stage on the journey. (p. 64)

In two further chapters, Murray drills into the question of 'will the post-Christendom church emerge or will it evolve?'  Broadly, he concludes that a creative dialogue is needed between new emerging churches and inherited churches to share best practice.  Both have expertise to offer, both need each other.  He quotes Leith Anderson: '... 98% of our behaviour is rooted in one tradition or another.  Those who operate at the 99% level are considered to be old fashioned traditionalists, and those who operate at the 97% level are called avant-garde traditionalists...' (p. 112)

While I found the point of this two-fold exploration rather dull, the survey of the emerging church movement in all its forms is one of the best I have come across - it contains plenty of ideas.  Murray concludes by noting some critical issues for emerging churches such as the need for ongoing theological reflection about their life and purpose, the need to be culturally attuned and yet counter-cultural, and the question of sustainability. 

In Part Two, Murray discusses 'what kind of church can survive and flourish in post-Christendom'.  He begins with Mission, arguing that 'Mission, not church is the starting point' (p. 137), then moves onto 'community,' and lastly, 'worship', noting that Christendom churches usually tackle these subjects the other way round.  

In the chapter on Mission, Murray flags the need for a view of mission that permeates every aspect of church life including structures and finances (pp. 139-144).  There is then an interesting discussion about mission and contemporary culture, and whether the so-called post-modern world-view offers a legitimate lens through which to understand the task.  Last, he considers the path of process evangelism and the challenge of 'Evangelism' as a church activity.  The chapter on Community and building healthy churches and a harmonious Church is helpful.  I like the sound of the Fit4Life resource produced by the Baptist Union in Victoria (p. 173).  

Continuing the notion that a multi-voiced ecclessiology is need post-Christendom,  Murray tackles the subject of worship (cf. also Kreider & Kreider (2009).  He notes, in future, worship needs to be 'authentic': 

• embracing the unity and diversity of styles; 
• centred and de-centred - by this he means an appropriate balance between being led from the front and led from within);
• culturally attuned and counter cultural (My favourite quote from the book: 'The path to counter cultural worship runs through culturally-attuned worship' (p. 199); and
• creative and sustainable.

With a complex matrix of considerations and concerns mapped out, Murray, argues in a final chapter that in order to negotiate the paradigm-shift represented by the disappearance of Christendom, the church needs to be simple, sustainable and hopeful for the future.  This he argues is the eschatological hope of the Church in Jesus Christ.  For now, it might seem easier said than done!