Paradigm Shifts for The Declining Church

I have heard this lament over and over again, especially here in the San Francisco Bay Area where a mere 3% attend church on Sundays. But there is a small yet growing contingent that claims a brighter future. They recognize that this narrative of decline comes largely from pastors and church leaders who are inclined to cling to old systems and structures of faith, who are unable to engage meaningfully with the rapidly shifting culture in which we find ourselves. This post-Christian context has changed everything. The church cannot simply carry on, as is, and expect to remain relevant in this landscape of competing isms.

To be totally transparent, I have found myself in this very position, lamenting the decline of the church. Church analysts predict the closure of 30-40% of congregations in the U.S. within 30 years. The fastest-growing demographic claim no affiliation to any religious category. A high majority of young people define Christians as being anti-homosexual, hypocritical, judgmental, too political, and out-of-touch. The reputation of the church is fast eroding. We are no longer considered credible witnesses.

These are all reasons to lament, yes, but we are a people of hope. Rather than allowing this exilic status to deter the work of God’s people, we must instead give a long hard look at the condition of our witness and, through the Spirit, discern the ways we need to be transformed and sanctified to remain faithful to God’s call. As Christians, we must ask, “How are we being “unchristian?” Only then will we see how God is purifying the Bride of Christ. Only then, would we realize that the church is not dying? How could it? The church was built on Christ Jesus Himself!

The narrative then is not that the church is dying – it is changing. The church is changing.

I have attempted to identify some of the paradigm shifts critical for churches and practitioners of the ministry who are leading the way into this inevitable change. It is an attempt using large brushstrokes because anything else would demand whole chapters, if not books, to be written on each paradigm – and indeed, books have been written. I pray this list of paradigms would cause you to research further. If so, let me know and I will forward you a book list.

Paradigm Shift #1: The church must not view evangelism as collecting converts in order to build empire, but as an incarnational way of life to reflect God’s Kingdom. Evangelism must be about the people of God bearing the faithful witness of Christ’s love, individually, and the community of believers, collectively, where actions, words, attitudes, and passions reflect the beauty of the coming Kingdom of God – where all of creation is being restored to God’s good design. Only when we demonstrate a faithful commitment to the emptying of ourselves for the sake of the other as patterned in the life of Jesus, can evangelism transcend beyond peddling a religious paradigm that merely promises a better life steeped in consumeristic practices. Evangelism is not a sporadic transfer of knowledge from one who is enlightened to one who is in the dark. It is a relational endeavor of neighboring well where our loving deeds and a life laid down for others point to Jesus.

Paradigm Shift #2: The church must be willing not only to love the stranger but to be the stranger. We must avoid the temptation to stay within the safety of our own walls. Sadly, many churches rarely venture out into the community, avoiding the discomfort that comes with co-mingling with those they're unfamiliar with, those that are different – those who are the very people we are called to love. We are to step out of our own preferences, comfort zones, and places of safety, into places where we are “the other,” to stand in solidarity with those on the edges. When we see God working beyond the church walls and when we participate in that work, it is a divine, faith-building experience difficult to match from the safety of our church pews. When we journey to places that are alien to us, where we are the stranger, we see God move in new and fresh ways. We see people in their own habitats where God is already present and at work.

Paradigm Shift #3: The church must move from being the school-yard bully to reflecting the gentleness and compassion of Jesus.

Historically, the church has been known to take violent measures when imposing its beliefs on others. Even today, Christians can be aggressive in their witness. The incentive to share the gospel has become rooted in an ethos of conquest, acquisition, and self-preservation. Rather than being intellectually persuasive or aggressively defensive, Christ ambassadors need to communicate the message of the gospel by being peoples of peace, where we show up, stand alongside, faithfully abide, radically love, and generously give grace. Christ’s way is to draw close and extend a compassionate invitation. Likewise, we must be as gentle and transparent, avoiding tactics of manipulation and intimidation. Actions of peace and reconciliation speak louder and clearer than coercive measures.

Paradigm Shift #4: The church must move from insisting one believes before they belong, to inviting people into belonging before they believe. The church is often perceived as being judgmental. To others, it seems Christians are more preoccupied with who to keep out rather than how to invite everyone in. Outsiders are sized up and judged whether their behaviors warrant them a pass to belong, and a statement of faith is mandatory before participating in church life. Rather, churches must emanate the alluring love of God and trust that those yet to know Jesus will be compelled to draw closer and closer into the family of God. Jesus is the center and Jesus wills all to come and be saved. This is the difference between a bounded-set versus a centered-set model of church. The bounded-set uses a criteria that defines boundaries between who is in and who is out. A centered set recognizes the dynamics of movement where people are drawing closer or farther away from the center. It is not necessarily a criterion of right action, but rather our relational proximity to Christ. Are we moving toward Jesus? Are we falling deeper and deeper in love with him?

Paradigm Shift #5: The church must eradicate practices of classism, sexism, and racism, and embrace diversity. Statistics show that homogenous congregations are not thriving. The congregations that are growing in numbers and vitality are those that reflect a diverse demographic. Diversity is not the latest fad. It is the biblical understanding that for the body of Christ, a deeply symbiotic engagement between its diverse members is key for the community’s ability to thrive and be fruitful. Racial reconciliation is not a political agenda, it is God’s will. A faithful witness in our society calls us to address America’s original sin of racism and to build greater racial diversity in our life. Gender egalitarianism is not a feminist conspiracy, it is God’s design. Suppressing a woman’s God-given calling impedes half the church from realizing their full identity in Christ and the other half from benefitting from the gifts and graces of their ministry. Empowering the disenfranchised is not a foolhardy idea, it is God’s command. Some Christians have made advocates for social justice the enemy of the church.

Living out our unity in diversity means tearing down power dynamics and not settling for less than equitable structures that invite all voices to be heard and valued.

Paradigm Shift #6: The church must move from an exclusive model of personal salvation to a holistic model of salvation where all of creation is being restored and reconciled to God. The representation of salvation heard most in our churches is the one of personal salvation: If we believe Jesus died for our sins, we will be with him in heaven and have eternal life. This partial description has caused tunnel vision in too many Christians. They consider earthly things to be of little consequence and concern themselves only with remaining pure and uncontaminated from the evils of this world until Jesus returns to take them away. In truth, God is redeeming all of creation and we are to partner with him to see his kingdom come – here on earth. We have been mandated to care for creation. To be good stewards of the earth is to actively protect our earth and every living creature in it, from being exploited and abused. The church has done very poorly at this and the world knows it. Unfortunately, our lack of faithfulness in the stewardship of the earth has affected the church’s witness. It is heartbreaking to hear some Christians say that creation care is not a concern for them. They do not realize our irresponsible actions cause devastating environmental consequences where the victims most at risk are disenfranchised beyond our shores. Creation care is a fundamental task of God’s redeemed people, where we reflect the same care and respect God gives to his creation.

Paradigm Shift #7: The church must embrace the legitimacy of alternative forms of church that look very different than the traditional model. Research shows that the church as we know it is changing and changing quickly. Alternative forms of church are emerging and proving to thrive amongst the very demographic that traditional church is failing to reach. It is incredibly difficult to die to our “sacred cows” but unless we hold our traditions loosely in our hands and consider what is kingdom-minded, we will not survive the cultural shift that is upon us. What are the values and practices of our traditions that we need to hold on into the future? And what structures and systems must be changed? At the very least, we need to explore these emerging church forms and see them as reasons to celebrate. God is moving in these places. Here are some websites worth perusing to the stories of these communities that reveal God’s goodness and favor. Here are some to start:

· Heirloom East Bay: https://www.heirloomeastbay.com/

· Missional Wisdom Foundation: www.missionalwisdom.com

· Spring Forest: www.thegardenatspringforest.com

· How We Gather: https://www.howwegather.org/

· Community First, Austin (3.5m): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27XDnHnzdck

· The Story of Allen Graham, founder of Community First and Mobile Loaves and Fishes (7.5m): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X44I_8Kbp9g

· Dinner Church Collective: https://dinnerchurch.com/