|
In April Synod I tore up the sermon I had prepared to focus on the week’s lectionary reading - the story of the fig tree recorded in Luke 13. Jesus told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.' Luke 13:6-9
The tree, barren of fruit, should have been cut down, as it was taking up valuable soil and the resources of the gardener’s time. But out of love for the tree, the gardener pleaded for it to be given one more year - and for him to give it special care to nurture it back to life to bear fruit again. It is a lovely picture and I felt God was speaking to us - as we look at the state of the United Reformed Churches in Yorkshire with many now looking weak and wobbly, even vulnerable to closing - with too few members and too little money, too big buildings and too expensive bills! But God intercedes for the people He loves and pleads for one more year for God to nurture us with love, and breathe back life into the churches. This felt so right when this is the year of prayer, getting ready for next year’s Year of Evangelism. God is showing us divine patience, and divine preparation for the task of mission ahead - underlining the truth that God does not call us to anything without preparing and equipping us. Surely God is saying - “Here is my Son, Jesus, receive my love.” Jesus has given us all we need to be His body on earth. However, there is a requirement on us - the gift of Life is there, but have we responded to this offer and reached out to God in prayer? When Jesus teaches about prayer, Luke also records:
So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10
This is the Faith we need in our churches just to be the Church, and then to be the witness to that love of God we see in Jesus. We shall be bearing fruit once we discover prayer is simply drawing close enough to God to hear God’s will for us and receive the Spiritual gifts we need, to have the strength to follow Jesus, hear God’s will for us and be equipped to do what is asked of us. What answer may we hear from God?
REMAINING AS WE ARE IS NOT AN OPTION. CLOSURE IS! NEW LIFE IS!
The parable of the fig tree shows the loving patience of God, but also the challenge and urgency of discipleship. The tree was given only one more year. We do not know the end of the story - it may not have produced fruit, and been chopped down. It may have fruited in abundance! The key to understanding what God is saying is that remaining as we are is not an option!
Closure today is something everyone seems to want - for our disputes, and our grief, our problems and our struggles - people seek closure - to be able to finally put things behind us and move on. However, not with our churches - members can fight terribly hard to keep a church from closing, and struggle on to keep it open. But Closure is an option - we may hear from God that the time is right to put aside the way we have been - that our local church has completed its task in the community - we now need to pick up our tent and move on! That isn’t about failure but obedience to die to self that the kingdom might live! Closing churches isn’t a new challenge - during the heyday of 19th Century non-conformity churches were closing all the time, and new ones opening in new communities.
If our congregation has shrunk to a handful of elderly folk, there is no earthly way there will be new growth - for many reasons younger folk are just not going to be attracted to our churches and certainly not to Sunday morning worship. I passionately believe that the Holy Spirit can revitalise the weakest of churches - I have seen it during my ministry - BUT and it is a huge BUT, the church has to be willing to completely change, and that is where the miracle is needed, because it has often been our unwillingness to change that has led to the decline of the church. If we are not prepared to die to self, our likes and what we are used to, then it is the right time to close. I also believe in the ministry of presence, and simply having a church building can be a witness. Again there is a BUT - a building that looks neglected, old fashioned, unused is no witness at all. How many times have I heard people in our communities surprised to learn that a church still meets in some of our buildings! It is time to close. So closure with dignity, and in obedience to God’s Spirit is a good option.
But closure to the way we have done things may not mean closing the doors. Where a church can no longer find office bearers, it might mean uniting with a neighbouring church but remaining in two places. This has happened successfully in my first pastorate where there is one Elders meeting but still two worship sites. If the building is the headache, then it could mean walking away from it and joining another church, giving members new life as they are freed from all the responsibilities of looking after demanding premises. The members of Ravensthorpe will testify to the new life that Hopton members brought. It may be the building is no longer appropriate for traditional church, but could become a new Christian Centre. I had the privilege of seeing the newly refitted church in Windermere. This would seem the solution if there is still a community around the church needing a new witness for Christ. We must also look at sister churches around us, of whatever denomination, and really question the stewardship of keeping all these buildings going, especially as a divided witness does not speak to this generation. Even our church members can no longer understand why we are separate. We can say why we like our local church, but not particularly why it is United Reformed. That is why we are launching an advertising and Identity Campaign - “All are Welcome” to build up our own confidence about who we are, what we stand for, and to have a renewed confidence to open our doors and our hearts for all to receive the Gospel! I hope many churches will embrace this, as a sign that we embrace our communities - with all their mix of folk, every one different, and yet all in need of the one good news of Jesus Christ.
I think that in a very real way Closure is the only option we have - to close down all those things that have got in the way of us hearing the Spirit speak to our generation and then giving ourselves wholeheartedly to God’s Mission today. Anything less is not discipleship. Being a disciple of Jesus, is the only option for a Christian, and then making disciples Jesus main command to us! In Luke 13 Jesus continues… What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.
OH, YES, NEW LIFE IS CLEARLY THE BEST OPTION In Christ’s love, Kevin, Moderator
|
