Our whimsical Theological College Principal, EW Hames, in talking about Heaven and Hell used to say, “a saint would manage to find something good about being in hell, and the devil would absolutely hate being in heaven – he wouldn’t know the tunes or how to hold his harp.”
If the leaders of the rural community church Bev and I attended yesterday knew me, they’d probably have concluded – as others have done before them – that I had horns and a tail. But in their little bit of evangelical heaven I didn’t know the tunes, I frankly disbelieved that the pus which flowed from a man’s arm was liquified cancer and I didn’t care for taking communion with no confession/absolution, no Eucharistic prayer, no words of institution but a just a couple of prayers that were "given for" the bread and the cup.
No doubt the faithful were confirmed in their faith but – again in the words of EW Hames, I think it's likely that “an unbeliever would have been confirmed in unbelief.” Well, that’s OK - worship is for the faithful. And we all have different tastes.
If the leaders of the rural community church Bev and I attended yesterday knew me, they’d probably have concluded – as others have done before them – that I had horns and a tail. But in their little bit of evangelical heaven I didn’t know the tunes, I frankly disbelieved that the pus which flowed from a man’s arm was liquified cancer and I didn’t care for taking communion with no confession/absolution, no Eucharistic prayer, no words of institution but a just a couple of prayers that were "given for" the bread and the cup.
No doubt the faithful were confirmed in their faith but – again in the words of EW Hames, I think it's likely that “an unbeliever would have been confirmed in unbelief.” Well, that’s OK - worship is for the faithful. And we all have different tastes.
I think I was prepared for something that wasn’t my style. I was not surprised to encounter a very conservative theology. I didn’t count on a personal welcome from a remote church which probably never sees a visitor. But if what we experienced yesterday were the only outcome of trusting lay people to minister to the worship needs of the community the Christian cause would be at some risk in today's world.
There is a better way: Local Shared Ministry takes up the challenge, but with a structure, a strategy and support that enables faith and competence in ministry to grow together.
There is a better way: Local Shared Ministry takes up the challenge, but with a structure, a strategy and support that enables faith and competence in ministry to grow together.
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