Church Morphing

There is a definite morphing of churches today, and in some ways it is led by the younger generation. It has to do with what is expected both of a church and at a church. Allow me the imprecision in language, but this is what I see:

Of a church. Many today see themselves more as “followers of Jesus” or “Christ followers” and less as “Christians.” That is, they also see their primary marching orders in the Gospels and in the kingdom vision of Jesus. They expect a church to be composed of followers of Jesus and that churches ought to get wrapped up in a kingdom-shaped vision of what a church ought to be and do.

At a church. Here’s my imprecision, but you’ll be fine once I make the point. For many “church” is a building and what takes place in that building, and particularly what takes place on Sunday morning between 11AM and noon. The word “church” has come to mean just that. The younger generation that is absorbed with what I said in the “of a church” paragraph thinks what goes on “at” a church could be better and different. Instead of just doing what’s customary — enter the church, take a seat, sing some songs, listen to the sermon, say hello and pass the peace and say goodbye — many today think what takes place “at a church” could be more shaped by the kingdom vision of Jesus.

Today I spoke at a church where the adult class had read One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow . What I observed, both during the teaching time and in private conversations (not to mention many similar conversations over the years), is that the older generation doesn’t comprehend why the younger generation thinks “at” church is so uninteresting, and the younger generation can’t quite comprehend why the older generation thinks what the younger generation is saying is so dadgum important that they aren’t “at” church.

Here’s my recommendation: parents with 20somethings who are not “at” church, get this book and read it and you might see what they are interested in; 20somethings get this book and read it and tell your parents about it. And now I’d like to see this — and I am encouraged by the number of readers who’ve told me this — read this book together, 20somethings and parents and ask yourselves this one question: What would “at” church look like if we began to implement more of the kingdom vision of Jesus?