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Rev Gav
A fabulous model of church
In my local supermarket is a section called ‘free from’ and it contains the products that are free from additives, animal products, gluten, and allergens such as nuts and lactose — all things that can make people unwell or disturb their conscience. What if there are aspects of our models of church that make our members ‘unwell’ or disturb their consciences? What if there was a church model that was ‘free from’ these things?
Being objective, if we were to describe the mission of a specific church community, we would identify how they spend the bulk of their time and money, and for many churches their time is spent raising funds for and maintaining two things: clergy and buildings. The life of the church is centred around these two things (and the bureaucracy, red tape, and endless committees that come with them!)
Church is not meant to be like this, and I feel a deep empathy with churches that are struggling with finances and ancient monuments, but what if a church did not spend their time raising funds to pay for professional ministry or using all their time and energy maintaining infrastructure? What if a church was free from committees, with no building to maintain, and… wait for it… no professionally paid priest or pastor?
Churches should be free to be themselves — to gather around food, be inspired by the scriptures, worship collectively, and be Jesus to their communities — blessing the poor, marginalised, and needy in whatever context they find themselves. And so, I’m asking these fundamental questions. Do we need a building? Do we need a priest? Both can be a millstone around the necks of a community — drawing down those precious resources of time and money. We need much simpler forms of church — ones that are agile and adaptable to the communities in which they live and serve.
If you think about it, what does a professionally paid priest or pastor do? Well, speaking from experience, we do two things! We lead worship (writing sermons, being a celebrant, etc.) and we do pastoral care (listening, visits, etc.). Let me tell you that most of us are only ‘trained’ in the former! Very few of us receive any formal training in counselling or care — we just learn on the job.
Times have changed. We do not ‘need’ a local priest to write a sermon each week. We now have access to millions (literally) of sermons on every scripture in the Bible. We also have access to millions of hymns and worship songs.
Sure, the priest provides a focal point for the church — but our focal point should be Jesus, and a priest does provide leadership, but does that person have to be an ordained priest or ‘professional’? Of course, any ‘local’ gathered community needs someone to co-ordinate stuff. i.e. “We’re meeting at my place at 5pm, bring a plate of nosh!” but Bible, music, and possibly pastoral resouces can be sourced online. We need administrators and gatherers!
The problem is that because our model of church is leader-focused, most Christians cannot imagine a church without a priest or pastor. For example, in the Anglican Church, churches cannot be church without a priest. In the UK, because numbers are dwindling and local congregations cannot afford a priest, parishes are sharing priests. The evidence has clearly shown that where this has taken place those parishes’ numbers have dropped even more sharply. And worse… those local congregations are still burdened with maintaining ancient monuments. To this end, some dioceses and deaneries are trying to put priests back into each parish, drawing on retired priests and house-for-duty positions, but is this really the answer? It does feel like it’s a sticking plaster solution.
I am not suggesting we try to change that which cannot be changed. Some denominations and churches are so locked in to models of church that they are immovable and, well, we just have to let them be. After all, God can and does work through them, but there is plenty of room for something to grow without financial or physical constraints.
So… where does FAB fit in to this?
I have sensed, increasingly, that we are building FAB, not only as an online community but a church resource for local expressions of Fab — churches where its members can be fabulous to their local communities. For a local co-ordinator, Fab provides a weekly Bible-based ‘sermon’ or podcast that can be read, prayers and liturgies (words), and worship music resources. For local members, we provide a network, something people can sign up to, where they get pastoral support (if required) and access to daily devotions designed to build up community. We also provide our online weekly social and worship gatherings.
If you are reading this and you feel your heart leap at the idea of a local, radically inclusive church — one where people gather around food, one focused around Christ, and one that is ‘free from’ the things that hold communities back from blessing the poor, marginalised, and needy, then get in touch.
and then
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Radical and fab!
ATM…. I am witnessing exactly what you describe- re- what happens when we have no “leader” in the “traditional” way of doing church: attendance declines, people don’t show up for meetings and events, the bulk of the work falls on a few people. Maintenance is still a necessity. And the bills keep coming.
Oh to have a “Free-Dom”- Free-From- church! Where we all play a role!!! Community! Social gatherings (can’t believe my anti-social self said that); meet where we please…. And serve those in need.