Nominality
and
NewSong Church
Nominality. 1
Introduction. 2
Nominality Defined.. 3
Describing Nominality. 9
Renewing the Church. 16
Responding to the Context 22
Conclusion. 26
Bibliography. 27
“It is right, therefore, that we not just be called Christians, but that we actually be Christians.” So speaks Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, in his letter to the Magnesians, writing in the early 2nd century. The distinction he made is very noteworthy. Apparently, there were people in his church, and surrounding churches, who justified this distinction. This is still true today. There are those in the Church who can be called Christians, but in fact are not. Having appropriated the name of Christ, their actions, thoughts, and words do not reflect his presence, nor do they have the Spiritual grace and understanding which comes from being a Christian, not only in name, but in truth. This is not an easy concept to grasp hold of, for there are not clear dividing lines which clearly mark out the saved from the lost, the committed from the uncommitted, the Christ-like from the lacking Christ. Adding even more difficulty to this issue are the complications within the human soul itself. There are those who think one way and act another, those who act one way and think another, and those who want to act and think one way, but for some reason do not or cannot. As sinners we all fall into one of these situations to varying degrees no matter what our Christian life is like. What then is the nature of and solution for the issue of nominality?
It is the goal of this paper to examine this issue more closely. First of all, I will seek to discover a working definition, which will help us identify some clear distinctions and guidelines with which to pursue this topic more fully. Next, having defined it, I will then attempt to describe its various manifestations, focusing especially on its presence and evidence within my own church. Third, having examined the situation I will seek to discover remedies for the nominality which is discovered. Finally, looking at the broader context of this culture, I will identify and discuss the various trends and influences which are vital to understand in order to continually be diligent and effective in warding off pervasive nominality and to attract nominal Christians back to a church setting. It is so very important that the issue of nominality is discussed and addressed. Churches as a body suffer from having less than fully committed followers occupying the pews, while Christians themselves lose out on so much of the bounty and joy which comes from a true relationship with the Triune God. As ministers, it is our duty to look after both of these concerns, and with God’s wisdom and grace we will be able to.
Before I define the term ‘nominal’ I feel it is necessary to identify the specific situation which I am addressing. NewSong Church was first formed in 1986 by Dieter Zander. His vision was to create a church which not only had a ministry for young people, but was entirely purposed for ministering to this segment of the population. Although the term “Generation X” had not then come into vogue, it was this generation which was being addressed, with the realization that there were differences and distinctions which were very important. As this population has grown older different emphases have arisen and changes in style and form have been adjusted, but the ministry is still primarily directed towards those within “Generation X”. I began attending this church my final year in high school, and while I have spent some time away over the last seven years, it has remained the church to which I am committed to and am now a member of. My level of involvement and leadership right now is in a bit of a flux, giving me a perspective of being in the ranks, yet considering close friends the full time staff, and other leaders, past and present. It is this church, and the generation known by various designations (most of which are inadequate and disliked), which I will be keeping in mind, and specifically addressing throughout the course of this paper.
As mentioned earlier, one of the great difficulties in seeking to address the issue of nominality within our churches is that there is a lack of common understanding of what exactly nominality entails. It is a word bandied about, with multiple meanings meant by multiple people. To one person nominality might refer to a lack of regular church attendance. Some define it as the lack of evangelistic fervor and involvement in church outreach programs. To another, a nominal Christian would be one who does not spend at least a half hour in Bible study and prayer every morning before sunrise. To a fourth person, a nominal Christian is one who is not experiencing the transformative and active presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. And to even another, a nominal Christian is one who cannot adequately explain the ancient doctrine of the Trinity, or exegete fully the meaning and importance of the Nicene Creed. It must be stated, however, that nominality is not a single faceted word, but rather encompasses a rather wide range of beliefs and practices, each of which is vital, and each of which if ignored or forgotten can contribute to a growing nominality within the individual and within the church as a whole.
This wide range of dimensions has been effectively broken down into six elements which are useful for our examination.[1] The first element which impacts nominality is the “knowledge dimension.” This aspect asks of the religious person how much does that person know about one’s religion. Part of being included in a believing community is the expectation that one has an idea of what the community stands for, what the history of the community is, and an understanding of the basic rites and doctrines which define that community. Of the six dimensions of nominality, this is the least emphasized and seemingly considered the least important within modern culture and to some degree within my church as well. Part of the de-emphasization of knowledge comes from the postmodern distrust of objective knowledge. One can be debated not only on the basis of the challenge of one’s knowledge base, but rather the very idea of having knowledge which is universal for a church and community can be debated. This leads to the unusual situation of someone accepting every fact as true, yet still feeling able to disagree with a position. The sum of the parts do not equal the whole in many people’s minds.
Also, the evangelical tradition of which my church is very much a part is still overcoming the fierce anti-intellectualism of its Fundamentalist roots. While there have been some great inroads in academia by Evangelical scholars, the understanding that a firm knowledge base is essential for Christian life is still foreign to many evangelicals. It has been the mantra within Evangelical circles that one must learn enough to evangelize others, and not waste time on ingesting knowledge which does not fit directly in with the “Great Commission.” This idea was clearly demonstrated by Bill Bright’s leaving of Fuller Seminary in the early 1950’s in order to “get on with the task of evangelizing the world.”[2] While this is no longer seen as strongly today, there still is an underlying de-emphasis of knowledge within the church. NewSong itself has little or no Christian education program, very occasionally offering a short class on varied topics (sometimes Biblical). While there is an expectancy for knowledge, outside of the membership class and exhortations from the pulpit there is not a clearly defined expectation or standard for what a Christian should know within the community of faith.
This is true not only in my local church, but also in the wider community of churches leading Gibbs to say that, “The warning signs are that the knowledge base of traditional Christian beliefs is alarmingly vague and narrow.”[3] The idea which is prevalent is that knowledge itself does not produce belief, as is clearly seen within the multitude of atheist or agnostic Biblical Scholars and theologians. Thus, the reaction of this has been to de-emphasize, though no longer discouraging, an increase of knowledge. Knowledge is relegated to a lower status in both society and in the church, as being ultimately ineffective or inadequate for salvation or belief in general. Yet, “religious beliefs can be maintained on a seriously inadequate knowledge base so long as society provides adequate affirmation.”[4] Society, no longer does so. A Christian, then, can be considered nominal in this era and context if there is not a sufficient base of knowledge from which to serve as a foundation for subsequent beliefs.
What society does encourage, and holds up as the primary aspect of religious life is belief. God, himself (or herself, or itself, or ourselves), is defined not by what God tells us, not by our base of knowledge, but rather by what our own personal beliefs make God to be. This may or may not include Christian definitions. If so, great! If not, great! What is important in any religious system is the fact that someone believes in it, then the belief itself becomes the truth, at least for that person. The dimension of belief entails “expectations that the religious person will hold to a certain theological outlook, that he will acknowledge the truth of the tenets of the religion.”[5] The measure of belief is the measure of one’s religiosity and even the measure of one’s salvation. This is also the great emphasis in early Evangelical preaching and church life. The propositional theology of this teaching emphasizes the acceptance and belief in a certain set of statements, which if verbally acceded to will bring salvation and allow entrance into a body of believers. While very different from society’s understanding of belief, both of these emphasize the primary importance of a mental orientation above all other dimensions.
As an Evangelical church, NewSong does hold a great value on the importance of belief in traditional Christian doctrine. Partly, however, out of a reaction against pluralistic culture, and partly out of an awareness of the inadequacy of propositional theology, NewSong in general does not emphasize beliefs as an isolated dimension. While aware that a Christian must accept a certain set of statements, there is a realization that there must be more than this in the life of a believer. Belief, though, is indeed vital. It is the belief in Christ which spurs one to ethical awareness and standards, as well as orientates one towards an eternal understanding of this world. We are able to stand and fight, overcoming temptation and persecution because of the strength of our beliefs. A nominal Christian, then, can be one whose beliefs are not solid, whose faith is not firm, and who will waver in the midst of the storms which come.
The next dimension of religious beliefs entails the dimension of practice. This element reveals how much a person’s life is committed to developing and following the beliefs which they confess. Religious practice can be divided up into two distinct components: private practice and public practice. Private practice encompasses those activities which are done outside of a larger community setting, either with a more intimate group or by oneself. These activities may include Bible reading, prayer, fasting, and other activities designed to build up one’s soul and express a devotion to the God served. This is a very important dimension within Evangelical circles. One is expected and encouraged to participate in such activities on a daily basis. At NewSong this is receiving renewed attention in the form of encouraging members and attendees to understand and follow the classic Spiritual Disciplines.[6] It felt that it is in the private devotions that a person is renewed, and encouraged, in their beliefs and base of knowledge. The Evangelical tradition, following the tradition of the Reformation, places this dimension as being a vital part of the life of a Christian, placing the individual’s responsibility on a high level. This is true outside of the church as well, with those in other religions, or outside of religions, generally in agreement that private devotions are a great determination of the seriousness and depth of one’s religion, though not universally.
The other aspect of the dimension of practice is the element of public devotion, that is, the level of commitment to a local church. This is an area which has been dramatically re-examined over the last fifty years in the Evangelical world. It used to be that one showed a Christian faith primarily by being in attendance at or being involved with a local church, with the more participation showing the more devotion and faith. Recently, however, this has shifted, with the burden of practice being placed more on personal devotions. The idea that one does not need to be involved in a church to be a Christian is becoming more and more prevalent. Much of this has to do with the culture’s developed distrust of Church structures and leaders, some of which is earned. Public displays of any belief are less emphasized in this generation, and even dedicated Christians feel that a dedicated Christian does not need to go to church every Sunday. This is a change from my grandparent’s generation where Christians went to church twice on Sundays, once on Wednesday evenings, with the option, taken by serious Christians, to go on even another night or day. There is also the great modern emphasis on the individual rather than on community as the source of authority. It can be said, however, that Christianity is inherently a community oriented religion. A Christian can be considered nominal if they hold to the beliefs of the faith, but have been “neglecting to meet together.”[7] It is not, however, the primary way of identifying one as nominal as it was in times past.
It is an expectation of religion to contribute to an individual some feeling of encountering the Divine. This is an expected part of any religion, whether Christian or not, though with a variety of different manifestations. For some there might be a feeling a great supernatural peace, for others an emotional ecstasy, and some might see this in miraculous signs and wonders. The ways in which the divine interacts with humanity can be varied, but it is expected that he (she, it, we) would interact. Though this is a great expectation, this is also the least trusted of the dimensions. There are a variety of sociological and psychological explanations which usually can more than adequately explain away these experiences as being less than a divine encounter. The Evangelical tradition of which NewSong is a part tends toward being more cerebral in its encounter with God, though there is now more willingness to allow a great variety of experiences of varying degrees in its definition of a committed Christian. While very subjective in trying to determine, a true Christian would be expected to feel and experience that which makes Christianity unique, namely the work of God the father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit in their life. There is an expected sense that God would be felt when he is being worshiped. Feelings and experiences are easier to manipulate, however, and while a needed aspect of a definition of nominality, it may not be the most important component.
The final dimension of nominality is that of consequence. This element examines the extent to which a person’s faith influences the way that person lives in their daily lives. This is the dimension which those in leadership at NewSong hold as the primary element in determining nominality. Consequence combines faith and practice, requiring the person to express what they believe not only in their words, but also in their actions. Knowing is doing. It is the integration of faith in the daily experience as opposed to the tendency to compartmentalize life and religion. To be nominal is to “treat one’s Christian experience as one aspect of many parts of life, rather than the core out of which flows all the rest of life.”[8] It is this dimension which shows the extent to which one is truly committed and which is most apparent to those both within and outside of the Church in determining a level of devotion to Christ. This “consequence” of faith will show itself in terms of ethical choices, the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-33, and in all other ways of which becoming a true disciple entails.[9] A true, growing Christian is one who “would believe, and act upon such a belief,” and would “orient their life in such a way as to create an environment where one can maximally become like Jesus.”[10] This is reflected not only in personal thought and practice but also entails how we interact with the community and world around us in dealing with such issues as pain, poverty, and injustice. With this idea in mind, a person can be considered nominal if they do not allow their beliefs to interact and inform their life on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute basis.
Having explored the various dimensions of nominality, how then can we adequately define it? What is seen is that a nominal Christian is not by nature of one mold. The issue of nominality is not limited to a single issue, but rather dependent on the orientation of one’s whole life towards Christ. It is not what we do or what we know, but rather where we are directed. Every Christian experiences ebbs and flows within these elements, myself most definitely included, and none of us measure up to the call of the One who has called us. Yet, there is a distinction which can be made. Although of varying degrees of influence, the dimensions we just discussed are intertwined and inseparably interrelated. By keeping in mind these attributes we can come to an approximation of the definition of a nominal Christian, though this can be done effectively only on a case-by-case basis. The basic definition which I will assume for the rest of the paper is that a nominal Christian is one whose life, for whatever reason and however seen, is not oriented towards a growing and active relationship with Christ, and is not reflecting the work of the Spirit within their lives. Having now an understanding of what we are discussing, let us now look to see how nominality can be identified and described within church and society.
Just as nominality within Christianity has a variety of dimensions within its definition, so too are there a great number of ways in which nominality exposes and manifests itself. In attempting to describe a nominal Christian it is essential that we move past simply theoretical and look more specifically at a particular context, so that we can identify the manifestations which are most relevant to our own ministry. A nominal Christian can become such from a variety of sources, some which are not of his or her own cause or defect. There are three sources for an arising nominality within a believer: the church, the society, and the individual. It is by dealing with the multiple agents and manifestations of nominality that we can better be able to think on and work out this issue in an effective manner.[11]
Although often very resistant to admitting this, the church itself can be the primary cause for the rise of nominality within the life of a Christian. Its programs or leaders can, and sadly often do, lead a believer not only into a stronger relationship with Christ, but can lead one farther away. Or, a little less dramatic, a church can be such that there is no leading either direction, the believer is allowed to drift along under their own power and motivation. One of the strongest ways in which this is seen in my own context is in the area of small groups. Although there is a very strong emphasis from the pastoral staff on developing an effective small group ministry, the structure for doing so has not developed, and in fact has lessened over the last few years.
A group in which I was a part is an example of this. When it split from a larger group, there was no training or developing of a new leader, rather having split it was thought that a leader would emerge, or that the group would share leadership responsibilities. In addition, there was no clear reason for splitting other than the ideal that a group should divide when it reaches a certain size. This brought about a difficulty in attempting to understand what the goals and aims of the new group were, as well as bringing confusion from lack of an experienced and trained leader.[12] It is true that “when such groups are established with unclear aims, when the leadership is poorly selected and inadequately trained, and when there are no coordinating structures and accountability requirements, then they can do a great deal of damage.”[13] A well trained, and supported, leadership structure can overcome the issues and problems which are expected to arise within a small community.
The importance of an effective small group ministry for the modern church is hard to overstate. “When people are not in a primary group relationship, they seldom make significant progress in the Christian life.”[14] People begin to atrophy when gifts are not used within such a structure, and become discouraged in their spiritual growth. This is evident in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in which he addresses the issues of division, focus, and order within the Corinthian church. People were falling away, or at least losing focus, because of the lack of proper leadership within the church, and a moving away from the primary goals for meeting together.
A small group can be an unrivalled asset to a believer, or it can be a draining experience which deflates a believer’s passion and joy. What is interesting to me is that a group I was a part of seven years ago at NewSong actually had a better support structure, much better leadership strengths and development, and had clear aims to follow. Although many of the people in this group have moved on, there is still a connection and bond which will never be broken because of the level of social and spiritual intimacy which developed through this effective small group. This structure has, in many ways, deteriorated over the last several years and in some ways has contributed to the growth of nominality within the church.
Another dimension in which a church can play a role in encouraging the growth of nominality is in the lack of effective procedures for incorporating newcomers. This is especially true in a large church, where a newcomer may not be as obvious, and can easily be anonymous. While this anonymity may in some cases be desired, it is generally the case that people desire to be known, sought after, and made to feel a part. People need to be needed, and a church which does not express this, often imparts that a person is not needed. This is not only the case for newcomers, but also for those who have been attending for a while. NewSong is, in general, a very friendly place, fairly devoid of the social cliques which can arise in churches. Yet, there is no systematic way of searching out and incorporating the variety of gifts and talents which each person who attends NewSong brings. While excellent in helping people identify their Spiritual gifts, there is a noticeable lack of follow-through on finding ways in which those gifts could enrich the community in practice.
Incorporation is more than just greeting and accepting new and established members and attendees, rather it “includes active involvement in terms of relationships that hold a person accountable and ministry contribution.”[15] I might add that “ministry contribution” does not mean trying to fit a person in any position, just in order to get them involved. A person can be active, but it might be in a way which does not utilize their gifts or give them a sense of unique importance to the community. A sad indicator of this being true at NewSong is the comment of a friend of mine who has recently left the church after several years of attendance and membership. She, herself, was part of the “greeting team” yet still could say with hurt in her voice that she does not think she will be missed. The church can fail in its responsibilities to search out and incorporate new and established believers within its life, thereby encouraging the growth of nominality. The importance of the imagery of the church as “the body” is vital for the modern church.[16] Not only does every person have a vital part to play, but if even one person is not contributing, then the whole body suffers for it (though it might be unaware of this fact). Everyone who steps through the door of the church has an important role, and to allow this to not be seen or encouraged is to impoverish the life of the community. My friend will be missed by the church, her gifts and talents which could have been used to build up this body do not have a replacement, and so the Church is poorer for her absence, though everyone may not realize this.
Society can also be a source for the growth of nominality within the life of a believer and in a church. The first influence that society has is in the way of hedonism. This is no longer a “Christian world” in which we live, but rather one which encourages and entices believers through a wide variety of temptations to abandon their first love and follow their desires. Although, our society has in general been one which has encouraged Christian ideals, this is not now, nor has it always been the case. The Old Testament is full of accounts of Israel’s enticement by foreign nations, with their idols and morality leading the Hebrews away from God and the Law.[17] This is seen also in the New Testament, where Paul is continually warning his churches not to fall into sinful practices and temptations.[18] These enticements in our era and society are seen in two primary ways: the sexual ethics of our community and the great emphasis on prosperity and materialism. One only needs to turn on the television for five minutes to discover a major difference between Christian standards and non-Christian in this country. It is striking to think that only the “highly spiritually committed” can be seen to be differing from the community at large when dealing with these issues of morality and ethics.[19] These attitudes and influences are in sharp contrast to the teachings and life of Christ, and thus can entice a Christian away from a vital Christianity into nominality, and eventually into apostasy.
The pressure of the society emerges not only in ethics, but also in religious pressures themselves. This society is increasingly characterized by religious pluralism, in which there is no single accepted religious truth, but rather all religions are seen as equally valid and worthy. In the lives of Christians, this pluralism can bring confusion and bewilderment in dealing with what does seem to be valid ways of expressing faith. This is especially true when the Christianity which is presented to the people is itself indistinct from other ways of thinking. In prior eras, the homogeneity of the culture did not challenge or expose people to other belief systems, leading to a great confidence in the uniqueness and power of the Christian faith. However, once exposed to the true strengths of other religions, as well as exposed to the commonality that religions share, one can be dulled in their appreciation and passion for Christianity. This was true in the Old and New Testaments, was true in the early Church, and is now true in our era and context. Religions do have much in common, and yet there are unique aspects to each, yet these can get lost in a pluralistic society which values breadth more than depth.[20]
Though Society and the Church can influence and induce nominality, it is still ultimately the individual who is most responsible for a developing nominal stance. This can arise from numerous sources and attitudes. One reason a Christian can become, or stay, nominal is that he or she simply does not know that there is more to Christianity to strive for. They are unaware of the claims of Christ on their lives, and so they do not seek to grow or develop into what we could consider a full Christian life. This may be a controversial and argued point, but I think that it is relevant for our context. While the name of Christianity is well-known, the specifics are a little less clear. Part of this is due to those, purportedly, within the community of Christ itself. Scholars over the last several hundred years have debated, deconstructed, and attempted to redefine standard Christian beliefs. Tom Wright, in his book Who is Jesus? deals with some of the more recent re-examinations of who Jesus is or was. The result of the last several hundred years of critical examination is that there is a tremendous misunderstanding of the role of Jesus in the life of the community and the world. A recent Readers Digest article in their December issue reflects on the life of Jesus, saying that his mission was to re-establish the role of love and unity within society. We do not read of this being an argued, or in fact discredited, position. Rather, the readers of the Digest are misinformed without their knowing it as to the radical claims that Jesus did in fact make. In Acts 18, we find that Apollos, although a great teacher, needed to be instructed as to the full message of Christ. This can also take the form of well meaning, but peripheral messages. After a year of attending a church following my college graduation, I came to the realization that I had not once heard a message on Jesus, or the Gospel at all. The messages were about raising children, relationships, finances, pop psychology, but not necessarily Christianity. While well meaning, these are not the reason that we gather. Oprah is usually a better source of information than a pastor on many of these issues. Nominality can then come about not by deliberate choices, but rather by ignorance about who Christ wants us to become.
Sometimes, however, it is not ignorance but ignoring which causes nominality. A person can be quite aware of what God requires, yet for whatever reason decide that the cost or effort of becoming a true disciple is too great. This is seen in the reaction of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16ff. where he asked what it would take to enter the kingdom, and up to a certain point was willing to follow what Jesus required. However, there was a point at which he was unwilling to go past, so ending up turning away. We also see disciples of Jesus feeling that his teachings were too difficult and walking away from him in John 6. It was the lot of the prophets to have their messages generally rejected by the people, because what they said was far too challenging to be followed. In our society, there is not the demand that one totally accepts or totally rejects the Christian message, so nominality can arise when a person is unwilling to fully pursue a true Christian life, even though they know what this entails. The draw of the here and now overcomes their eternal expectations. NewSong has recently been very diligent about challenging its members to fully pursue a Christian life, yet with the many conflicting demands and desires which assail a person in this modern generation, there will be people who simply ignore the challenge and are content to be nominal for the time being.
Another cause of nominality which can affect the individual is a lack of fulfillment. That is, a person can earnestly seek the cause of Christ, seeking to join and be a part, but failing because either they do not know, or they do not use, their gifts within the church. These people see the value of the Christian life, but over time, they become discouraged about their own efforts and activities, and their passion for their faith slowly deteriorates. This is a state of inactivity, where a passion is lost do to inactivity, eventually atrophying and becoming harder and harder to revive as time goes by.
Another aspect of nominality is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Some in the church can become so caught up with “ministry” or involvement that there is no longer a viable personal relationship with Christ in their own lives. The ministry, or works of good service, becomes their focus and so their nominality is masked by what seems to be holy living and Godly service. Jesus foresaw this when in Matthew 7:21-23 he says that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter heaven, but only he who does the will of my father in heaven.” Another aspect of this to watch out for are those who are using the Church for their own gain, which could be social, economic, or simply to bolster their pride. This was the attitude of many of the Pharisees who Jesus came across during his ministry. Thus, we find nominality arising both from not doing enough and from doing too much in the life of the Church.
One aspect of the postmodern generation which needs to be addressed is that there is developing a greater distance between those who are Christians and those who are not. The societal pressures to attend Church are lessening, if in fact they still exist at all, thus for one in the Baby Buster generation to make the effort to even attend and involve themselves within a church speaks of a level of commitment which should be noted. It is no longer cultural to be a Christian, so we find that there is a level of interest and at least a seed of passion within the congregation which can be found. With this idea, however, comes the negative fact that there is a much briefer time span in which to reach out and re-inspire a Christian who becomes nominal. Those who become nominal simply will be voting with their feet about the church, and Church in general. So, while the issue of nominality is not as prevalent and pervasive within the church, the time span between becoming nominal and leaving the church has greatly shortened, leading the church to devise strategies which must be first preventative, and second quick in identifying and responding to those who are, or are becoming, nominal.
It is also worth noting that a curious phenomenon is occurring within the life of NewSong. There are a lot of children these days. Only a few years ago, the primary ministry and outreach was directed towards singles, with over 50% of the church fitting in this category. Now, however, the constituency of the attendees is increasingly young couples, and young families. The church has responded to this by creating a phenomenal children’s ministry. The attraction to a children’s ministry is great, both for committed Christians and for those who, while nominal themselves, realize the great social and moral benefits to raising a child within a church structure. The nominal parents of Generation X, will come and stay at NewSong as long as it is teaching the children and modeling good parenting techniques to the parents, but may not themselves find a reason to grow in their own faith. As a church we must find a way to break through this barrier, and through the children’s ministry, and ministries for the parents, draw the entire family into a close, thriving relationship with Christ. Having noted these two interesting aspects of New Song’s intended congregation, let us now look to find ways and approaches to battle and overcome the issue of nominality within this postmodern generation.
The first area which must be dealt with is that there must be an affirmation of the direction setting of the leadership of the Church. This is a very relevant issue for the life of NewSong. Coming out of an Evangelical/Fundamentalist culture, and now relating to a strongly individualistic society, there is a tendency to lose sight of the God anointed leadership within the church. Within this area of leadership, there are two factors involved. The first is that the leaders must lead. The second is that they must be followed. A leader assumes followers. If one is not being followed then one is not leading.
There is also a need to continually interact with other church models, identifying those which might enhance the life of our community. What is essential, however, is that in looking at a model the local context must be kept in mind. Models of other churches very rarely transfer, leading to the loss of local uniqueness and value, as well as causing discouragement when the congregation does not follow the lead. There must be creativity within the models, which reflect the life and influence of the local congregation. It is only by keeping in mind the makeup of the congregation and by understanding the community at large, that a successful adjustment of models can be made. Gibbs states, “the adopting of a statement crafted elsewhere means that there is not the sense of ownership that comes when a congregation has worked hard to develop a statement which accurately describes where they are, who they are, and the direction they want to go.”[21]
In order to maintain a strong leadership quality, not only among the full-time staff, but also increasingly among the lay leaders of the church, there must developed a strong mentoring system within the church which not only identifies those with a gift for leadership, but also follows through on developing these people into true leaders. NewSong, at this point has a great emphasis on identifying possible leaders, but does not have the necessary structure in place in order to continually encourage, motivate, and develop both emerging leaders and those who have or do hold leadership positions in the church. A few years ago there was a system, but this has fallen since then by the wayside, as staff have taken up new responsibilities without grooming adequate replacements. With this idea comes the need to identify areas within the church which do require leadership, and to actively seek out and develop those people who God has brought to the church in ways which benefit the person and the community, and more than develop, but stand by them, encouraging them in their position of responsibility.
As mentioned, leaders require followers. For a church to be its healthiest, the commitment level of the church must be maximized. If the leadership is motivated, yet there is difficulty in enlivening the congregation, then there must be other areas which need to be addressed. It is vital to seek out and identify those areas which are causing a low motivation. The key way of doing this is by taking the thoughts and opinions of the congregation seriously. There will be people within the ranks who voice concerns and possible problem areas, as well as possible solutions. It is vital that there is a regular and known forum in which this is possible, as well as it being understood that this is truly valuable to the leadership. Within churches there develops a tendency for leaders to be inflexible in the ministries, not allowing the needs and situation to shape how these are shaped and run, but rather imposing a preset structure upon the church.[22] A valuable lesson from the military is that generals are most effective in developing strategy when they listen to the advice and ideas of the man in the trench. Not only are strong and effective methods and ministries developed, but there is also a sense of ownership which is given to the congregation when they know that they do have a voice and influence within the community. It is vital to the life of a community, and to its leaders, that those who are not leaders per se are given a voice and allowed influence. At NewSong there is a willingness and desire to listen to the thoughts of the community, but there does need to be an expansion of this even further, to actually elicit thoughts and ideas which might otherwise be left silent.
In addition, in a larger church especially, there must be a developed and maintained strong small group network. It is here that a majority of people will be able to use their gifts in a way which most directly impacts others. It is also the place where relationships are built, where specific issues can be addressed, and where edification directed towards specific needs and circumstances can happen. This is where “church” really happens, that is the style of church which we read of in the New Testament and early Christian writings. A church was never meant to be a spectator activity, and while in a Sunday Morning worship service active involvement by everyone may be difficult, this is possible and likely to occur in a well-led small group. I say the term “well led”, because there is a tendency within even a small group to have some who dominate or steer the group in their preferred direction, which alienates and ignores the gifts of everyone. A group can have a variety of purposes, tasks, and styles, but it is vital that everyone in a group is encouraged and allowed to influence the group as a whole in the way that only they can. This does require strong leadership skills and development, as well as strong following skills and development.[23] After a decline of the care group structure at NewSong, there is a slow resurgence of this very important aspect of a church. There needs to be an even stronger emphasis made, and the requisite structures put in place in order to support the growth and maintenance of an effective small group ministry.
Along with this comes the idea of a teaching structure which exists outside of the Sunday morning service and small groups. Historically, this is an idea which has been found in virtually every tradition. There is a base of knowledge and interpretation which simply cannot usually be gained without instruction by one who is well-trained in such a field. To ignore this is to impoverish the congregation, and to allow a languishing of spiritual development. The tricky question, however, is how to most effectively accomplish this in the generation which NewSong focuses on. It should be apparent that if even committed Christians do not feel a need to attend every Sunday service, that there will be some difficulty in attracting these people to other classes or seminars. The first thing which must be done in this area, as well as with small groups, is to continually set and re-set the expectation for involvement. There should be the sense that as these are essential for Christian life and growth, involvement is part of being a part of the church. It must be said that the old models of Sunday School classes, or eight week evening classes, may require an initial commitment which turns many people off to starting. The solution for this is flexibility, offering a great variety of topics, formats and time-frames,[24] on various evenings and days, so as to find a space which everyone can feel able and willing to join in. This requires a church which operates on a daily, rather than weekly, basis, and a large number of leaders who can facilitate this flexibility without being overwhelmed.
If there is one area in which NewSong shines it is in the Sunday morning celebration service. Being one of the first churches in the nation to realize and act upon the need for a specific ministry for the postmodern generation, NewSong has a great deal of experience in trying to determine what is most effective and important in putting together a worship experience. Having gone to the edge of contemporary, an interesting phenomenon is taking place. There is an increased realization of the wealth of wisdom and worship from throughout the ages. Hymns are being dusted off, and sung once again, albeit with updated, re-written music. The Nicene Creed is once again being recited within a congregation. This past week in addition to two songs written by the worship team at NewSong, there was a hymn, a recitation of the Creed, and a reading of 10th century Irish poetry. The motive for worship is no longer to be simply contemporary in order to meet people in a modern format, so that they can see that church is “cool” and relevant, but rather there is a growing tendency to recover the reverence, to seek out and offer up songs and other forms of worship which are most communicative of God’s glory and majesty whether new or old, helping the congregation to focus and re-focus on the God who calls us together, and which fits in and emphasizes the message being spoken. The messages, themselves, are increasingly Christ focused, and both challenging and encouraging to Christians of all stages to affirm and grow in their own relationship with Christ.
There needs to be a continued development of this, seeking out even a greater expanse of material and influences from which to draw in order to create the most worshipful and celebratory experience as possible. The Sunday morning service is essential in helping to inspire and remind those in the church of the nature of God, and their responsibilities and place before him. This is a time of encouragement, and bonding as a community, so as to give strength and vitality to every member of the congregation who attends. It is important, however, that this is not simply a spectator event, with only a few leading and everyone else passively accepting. More and more, there will need to be a greater number of people involved, though with many behind the scenes offering support in numerous ways. There is also the need to devise appropriate response opportunities for those in the congregation. This is not simply having them raise hands or “turn to the person next to them” but rather by allowing and encouraging more personal response to the service, and by encouraging them to affirm and celebrate their status in the kingdom.
The church must be active in renewing and maintaining itself in order to provide the best possible environment for the growth and birth of Christians. There must be active involvement by everyone who is willing, and there must be a continual focus on Christ as the source and reason for meeting. Although in some ways I have focused on what NewSong needs to adjust, I am continually encouraged by the attitudes and actions of those in leadership and in the congregation. There is a fire burning, which yearns for growth and vitality, and there is a willingness to do whatever it takes in order to facilitate the active Christian life among those who attend. This, I feel, is maybe the most important aspect in order to combat a pervasive nominality. It is vital, however, that structures and methods are put into place that maintain, encourage, and even further develop this passion which now exists. There are ways in which NewSong is needing improvement in order to fully meet its own criteria of developing love, worship and discipleship within the body, but the attitudes are there in order to adjust and seek out the best ways in order to do this. I am excited about being a part of this church, and am eager to see what God will do with his people here.
Having looked at the church from within, let us know look at to the context of the surrounding culture in which the church operates. The cultural context is now in a state of flux. Over this past century, the domination of Christianity as a belief, and cultural force, has withered and lost much of its former glory. The 1960s were a time of rebellion, with the youth of this era realizing that the faith of their parents during this time was not worth the effort to follow. So they left the church in droves. Faith was considered irrelevant in both social and academic circles. This secularization of society fought for the removal of religious thinking from all public spheres and sought to move beyond the religious tyranny which had bound society for so long. The response to this by churches was to develop a so-called “seeker sensitive” approach which played down the specifically religious aspects of Christianity, and encouraged those who were turned off by the Church in their youth to return and experience the vital aspects of the Christian life.[25] This did work, inspiring many to return to the fold, and embrace what is true about Christianity. Although, it must be said that there are dangers of sanitizing and commercializing the Gospel within this model. A well-trained and devoted staff, however, can usually find the balance.[26]
This is, truth be told, no longer a secularized society. The decline of the social strength of the American church has continued, leading to further movement along the cultural spectrum in this post-Christian society. Although far from being either irreligious or totally pagan, the current generation and society in which it operates can be called secularized pluralism. That is, there is still a strong vestige of the desire to keep religion and belief out of the public spectrum, and to one’s own self in general, but there is a definite increase of interest in Spirituality and Religion which is shaping and guiding my generation. There is a renewal of interest in the transcendent, but not necessarily in Christianity. Thus, there is a multiplicity of viable belief systems in our society, which has not been seen in the western world since the Roman Empire thrived on this planet. This great exposure arises from the massive immigration into this country, especially in our era from non-western countries. It also arises from the modern media’s ability to bring the world to our home in ways which were never possible to such an extent prior to this generation. Secularization left a gap in the hearts and minds of the people who rejected the religion of their youth. So, the disenchantment with traditional forms of Christianity, coupled with a new and almost overwhelming exposure to other sources of ‘truth’ have brought about a new pluralism which pervades our society.
The thought which guides this pluralistic mindset is that God has revealed himself to all religions. To assume, then, a position of knowing absolute and universal truth to the exclusion of a great number of those who do not assume this position is now generally thought of as abhorrent and arrogant in the extreme. With this idea comes the conclusion of the unethical dimension of proselytizing. If all religions and philosophies are equal and lead to God, or gods, than there is no reason to convince others of one’s own correct stance. The true goal of the missionary enterprise is to convince all peoples of the importance of global unity and peace, to transcend mere religious form and thought, and realize that we need to help each other become better people no matter what philosophy or religion we pursue in order to accomplish this.
There are some definite challenges to overcome in combating this pervasive pluralism, but what is less thought about are the possibilities and gains that can occur in a pluralistic society. The challenges and opportunities oddly tend to go together. The first challenge comes in the aspect of “truth” itself. As Christians who believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life for all people we are placed under attack for not accepting the viability of other religions. This, of course, is not a new challenge, as few things are anymore. The early church was persecuted not so much for believing in Jesus as God, but rather more for believing in Jesus as God in exclusion to every other religion. The magistrates did not mind their meeting together as long as they would offer the requisite sacrifices to the emperor. How did the early church respond to the crisis? The strongest Christians stood and continued to stand up for the exclusivity of Christ, even facing excruciating tortures and executions. There were those who did sacrifice, who did turn away, who did become nominal. But, those who stood up against the charge of being arrogant for claiming Christ as God alone, attracted positive attention and drew interest in what they were claiming, leading Tertullian to say what initially appears to be a paradoxical statement, “Martyrs are the seed of the Church.”
In our era, the challenge of being accused of arrogance seems daunting. Even committed Christians see the attractiveness and vestiges of truth to be found in other religions, the similarities that they share with Christianity, and the seeming source of spiritual satisfaction which these religions provide. It might be well, oddly, to embrace these similarities. C.S. Lewis states, “I couldn’t believe that nine-hundred and ninety-nine religions were completely false, and the remaining one true.”[27] It is not an “us versus them” mentality that we must acquire, but rather we must embrace and even learn from what other religions have to teach and remind us. In fact, “every missionary knows that it is impossible to communicate the gospel without acknowledging in practice that there is some continuity between the Gospel and the experience of the hearer outside the Christian Church.”[28] Yet, it must be kept in mind that where Christianity and other religions differ, that is the view of Christ, we claim exclusive knowledge.
The message of the truth of Christ himself, not the ethics, not the encouragement, not the spiritual satisfaction, must be proclaimed, asserted and defended at every step. Newbiggin sums up the situation nicely in saying that “in a pluralist society such as ours, any confident statement of ultimate belief, any claim to announce the truth about God and his purpose for the world, is liable to be dismissed as ignorant, arrogant, dogmatic. We have no reason to be frightened of this accusation.” [29] The fact is that pluralism is essentially correct, world religions are fairly equal in their ability to convey truth and life, with one exception. They are equal, because they all leave out one crucial fact, that it is only in Christ that the whole truth is found. We must be confident in maintaining this truth, and in doing so may induce people to inquire into the arrogant claims of Christ and his church.
The next challenge is in the area of evangelism. It might be suggested that in part, the huge emphasis on evangelism within the Evangelical church has been widely unsuccessful.[30] The evangelism of the world has not and will not happen in this generation, rather the emphasis has seemingly resulted in a loss of territory within the west. There are two reasons I think this controversial point is true. The first is the loss of depth which an emphasis on evangelism has unfortunately enacted. With the exclusive emphasis on the saving of other’s souls, we in the Evangelical community have forgotten to continue to work out our own salvation with “fear and trembling.” It is interesting to note the great lack of emphasis on evangelism in the New Testament letters. There is no exhortation, no “tricks”, no warnings, or direction to evangelize. While the missionary efforts were expansive, the discussion seems to be minimal. Considering that the New Testament and Early church are excellent models of the ideals and tactics for our modern church, it would behoove us to adopt their missionary attitude.
The first thing which must be kept in mind is that in the early church, everyone was a missionary. That is, everyone operated in a culture which was not particularly receptive of the Gospel, and in which the great majority of their interactions were with non-Christians. Evangelism, however, was not a task which needed instruction or training for itself, rather at this time it was “more like the fallout from a vast explosion, a radioactive fallout which is not lethal but life-giving.”[31] Peter and Paul could not help themselves from preaching the Gospel. The important fact which needs to be noted here is that there was not an emphasis on the individual Christian’s duty to save souls. It is not seen as the responsibility of the Church to direct itself to evangelism. Rather, evangelism occurred when those outside of the church, prompted initially by the Holy Spirit, saw the amazing works which the Church exhibited. The question of “what is going on?” sparked the evangelism, rather than a person seeking out and trying to convince. People were attracted to the church because of the love it showed to Christians and non-Christians, its willingness to die before denying the essential doctrines, and in the works of power that were exhibited.
We in this era must seek to restore this tradition, and to reaffirm the role of the Spirit in our community. “It is impossible to stress too strongly that the beginning of mission is not an action of ours, but the presence of a new reality, the presence of the Spirit of God in power. The whole New Testament bears witness to this, and so does the missionary experience of the Church through the ages.”[32] In an age of pluralism we simply cannot trust ourselves to be proper interpreters of the best methods, right words, and correct models which would bring to people an awareness of the truth. By focusing our efforts on God, by prayer, and by seeking the power of the Spirit within our lives we will be able to evangelize by instinct, proclaiming the truth of the life of Christ not simply through our words, t-shirts, or bumper stickers, but through our lives with a depth of Spirituality which not only competes with other religions, but through power, not words, shows the reality of the Truth. We must adopt the Christian story as our own, adding to our own subjective experiences the wisdom and experiences which encompass a wide variety of thought, cultures, and emphases from throughout the ages. With this in our hearts and minds, people will be drawn to ask questions seeking out what we have, rather than becoming defensive on account of thinking that we are imposing our thoughts upon them. We must become not only declaratory in our lives, but performatory.[33] It through actions and being, not words, that the message of Christ will become distinct and attractive in an age of pluralism. So while we “weigh carefully the times” we look “for Him who is above time”[34] to help us in this modern age.
The issue of nominality will never be solved. There will always be men and women who are in the church with mixed motives, wavering hearts, and weak souls. Jesus warned us about this in his discussion of the weeds in Matthew 13. This warning, however, does not absolve us of a responsibility. It is the part of a farmer to tend his fields, to make sure that his crop is healthy and will be at its maximum potential at harvest time. By ignoring the weeds, plants may be choked which would otherwise thrive. More weeds beget more weeds, as the seeds of these plants are sent aloft to land nearby in the field. By maintaining vigilance, by seeking out the wisdom which has been passed down as to proper care of the fields, a farmer can minimize the amount of weeds which arise, as well as the damage they will cause in the crop. In this class, and in the reading, we have been reminded of the need for such diligence in the life of the church, and the ways in which the seeds of life can be crushed, ignored, or stolen from the lives of Christians. We are all crushed and beaten in some ways, but it is “the part of a good athlete to be beaten and still prevail.”[35] In many ways, the lessons which have been discussed in this class are just the introduction to a life of battle, which can only be won by the Spirit in our lives. Having learned the tools and techniques of the battle, I feel better prepared in wisdom and vitality to participate at NewSong in such a way that helps to restore life, to encourage those who are discouraged, and to help bring back those who have gone. May God be with us in this task.
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Gibbs, Eddie. In Name Only: Tackling the Problem of Nominal Christianity. Wheaton:
Bridgepoint, 1994
Newbiggin, Lesslie. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989
Wraight, Heather, ed. They Call Themselves Christians. London: Christian Research,
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Wright, Tom. Who was Jesus? Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.
