Stephen Lindridge warns us to mind our language.
Digging into wide-ranging research from the last few decades to look at how people are coming to faith in Jesus in fresh expressions of church, it has become clear to me that it's important to understand an individual's previous background influences.
Though most people encountered have had little or no previous involvement with any form of church, that doesn't mean their spiritual radar is not switched on. Nor does it mean that they are antagonistic or not interested in spiritual dynamics that will help them in life.
A woman quoted in one such piece of research reflects this desire for 'something more'; a paraphrase of her comments read,
I want to believe there's something after death, a place of comfort and someone loving to meet me there. I hope there's something out there that hears my prayers uttered on the wind and in some way will help me…
She may well have been the type of person to run a mile at any mention of Christian language but, whatever her background, her words could similarly be those of many people born and raised in a Britain which still has much of its cultural and judicial system based on Christian morals and ethics.
Though fewer people seem to be engaging with the established denominations (especially outside of London) it is clear from decades of recent research that their spiritual hunger is not any the less vibrant. David Hay makes the comment in his book Why Spirituality is Difficult for Westerners, (Societas, 2007),
Critics of religion say we are born little atheists and in the process of being socialised we acquire a set of religious beliefs. I say the evidence points almost in exactly the opposite direction.
Abbey Day's social anthropological research into 'Believing in Belonging' – though not exclusive or exhaustive – reframes religious belief in a seven part heuristic of: content, sources, practice, salience, function, place and time. All this arising from inductive empirical research conducted initially in the UK and then expanded for cross-cultural comparisons. This work ostensibly lays the foundation for exploring the question 'is anyone in the British context not de-churched, to some degree?' David Hay sees 'nominalism' as far from an empty category but loaded with cultural meaning towards Christianity in the European and American contexts.
Thousands of fresh expressions of church all across these islands have just begun to connect and reconnect with some of this latent 'nominalism', but we should be far from complacent about how much has already been achieved. So, if we in Christian ministry take this very seriously, it means 'what we do and how we do it' matters a great deal. Sharing the Good News of God's love come to us in Jesus, in ways and language that are apt for our time and place is an opportunity not to be squandered.
Christmas is coming and, with it, many opportunities – including HOPE's Silent Night Carols initiative in sports stadia across the country as well as traditional carol singing in pubs or shopping centres. Whatever we do, let's think about our words during the Christmas season; will they resonate and connect with those not used to church language? In what ways can we say 'God loves you' so that it makes sense to those of our time and place? What can we do that sparks their intrigue so that they might ask, 'Who is this Jesus that you want to live and give, act, and follow his way?'
What's right in your place and time, among those God is reaching out to? Find the salient things that will have a resonance for them; the things that will chime with what's happening in their lives; the things will help draw them closer to Christ at Christmas – and forever.