CHURCHES in the CANADIAN CULTURE

Hebrews 13:1-25 contains the concluding exhortations in a book in which the author is concerned enough to restate fundamental doctrinal truths out of concern that believers may fall away. (Read)

From this 13th chapter of warnings and recommendations, I am extracting the 8th verse because it pertains to a Conference theme, 'Changing Culture, Changeless Christ.’  As a Conference participant, it strikes me that verse 8 is the support for the 2nd part of the title, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. What then can be understood about the first part, the Changing Culture?

Canada's culture is defined by behaviours and beliefs of innumerable social, ethnic and age groups. We understand culture as consisting of foods, clothing, special holidays, distinctive music, modes or forums for interaction. Foundationally Canadian culture has been influenced by Aboriginal and European cultures and traditions and has now become a mosaic comprised of an integration of numerous global cultures introduced by immigrants whom we encourage to retain their cultures.  This multi-cultural attitude is unique in that it promotes both exclusivity and compatibility. There is also a sense in which we have been culturally colonized by America whose influence is impossible to ignore because it's the other country in our two-nation continent and its media and Internet contact influences and impacts.

Christians recognize the benefits derived from some of our cultural changes, yet we frequently speak out of concern for the change factors that may adversely influence and affect children, youth, young adults and young parents and inevitably our churches. Attitudes, ethical and sexual mores are communicated in society through music, theatre, film, television productions, literature and conversation. Christians are apprehensive that faith foundations and principles for holy living and character and values will be eroded by a virtual God-free culture. The church desires not only to protect followers of Christ from slippage but also aspires to present Christ's good news to others. Congregants need to interact with the question of whether their church should be changing what it does and how it does it? 

Within an ever-changing societal culture, how should churches speak to people about a human condition that has not changed, and about the Saviour whom it is impossible to change, and about his gospel that must not be changed? Reasonably, if the subject and content are unchangeable, conceivably the communication method(s) we use can be altered, changed, improved to suit an audience.

Consider these contrasts:

1.     One person conducting serious hymns sung from a hymnal and a choir wearing robes, contrasted with choruses led by a worship band of singers, keyboard, guitars and drums and lyrics on a screen.

2.     Solemnity, silence and a Bible in hand contrasted with informality, a coffee cup and an iPhone.

3.     Ties and jackets and dresses contrasted with causal cotton pants for men and women.

4.     Tradition, regularity, consistency, predictability contrasted with innovation, novelty, originality, and surprise.

5.     Small local churches with one pastor and where everyone knows your name contrasted with colossal mega church enterprises or villages with multi staffs.

6.     Pastors preaching through Bible books mornings and evenings contrasted with preaching themes and topics and majoring on application rather than exegesis.

7.     Long churches with pews for everyone facing the pulpit contrasted with round or wide halls and theatre seating directed at a stage.

8.     Old and holy smells contrasted with love and airy.

9.     Words read publicly, responsively, words sung and heard contrasted with images, cartoons, lyrics with landscapes, the pastor's faces up close. 

10. Restrictive rules for living, for church membership, rules pronounced and preached contrasted with ubiquitous freedom and autonomy.

11. Church loyalty to brand and to congregation contrasted with relocating to a different congregation and denomination.

The church in Canada has already changed a great deal within two or three generations?

It's a waste of time to debate whether those shifts and changes to church practice have been progressive or damaging? Furthermore, those changes are not the discussion in which to engage. Rather, since Jesus the LORD is unchanging, how then do Christians fit into this changing Canadian cultural mosaic? Is it possible for Christians to practice their commitment faithfully while accommodating changes that are relevant to their time and culture?

Of greater alarm should be the other changes that parts of the church are advocating, such as panning the trustworthiness of scripture, or the validity of hell, or the exclusivity of Christianity, or the importance of corporate worship, or the necessity of conversion, or the mandate for evangelism.

Here is a fundamental premise statement. The Christian living amidst a community whose mores, ethics and standards change, is herself or himself indwelt by the changeless Spirit of the unchanging Christ who is changing female and male believers into the likeness of Christ using standards that Christ taught ages ago, and that will continue to be the Christian's guidance system within a God-free culture. 

Churches must consider doing things differently? Perhaps because the way people process information has changed. Perhaps because of people's education, or occupations, or conveniences, or interests, or lifestyles or walls of protection or the economy.  Perhaps because society's self-perception is one of progress, advancement, values superiority, and its perception of Christian standards deems them obsolete, archaic and invalid. Perhaps the church can then recognize that it is not imperative to practice faith in the same personal or corporate way as its been done. Churches must embrace the change. How?