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 PrintableVersion Church family?Part 2 of an article on intergenerational tension in the churchLast month I began by introducing the problem of intergenerational tension in the church. I outlined how many churches are adopting a pattern of 'niche' services designed to suit the various groups. I argued that such strategies were based largely on pragmatic approach to 'doing' church, and this does not take the biblical model of church seriously. In the second part of the article, we will look in more detail at the intergenerational nature of the church, and we will see how disunity is a denial of our identity in Christ. The niche church?2.3 Mind the gapMany of the advocates of a niche approach suggest the challenge of bridging the gap between young and old is now too great. In a recent edition of Youthwork, John Buckeridge comments on the rise of 'Niche Church Services'. 'Growing numbers of churches appear to find the challenge of all-age meetings too tough. The early church knew no barriers between races, ages, genders or background. But that was then - what about now? I believe that if niche fosters spiritual maturity and growth significantly better than older models, why not.' I think that such opinions show a misunderstanding of the culture of the early church and the challenge that confronted it. Tensions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female were every bit as real as those that exist today between young and old. Significant sections of the New Testament deal with these tensions and the model espoused for overcoming them is very different to one many churches are adopting today. The apostles' teaching on division in the church does not advocate a solution based on establishing separate gatherings to suit the styles of the various parties. The solutions involved sacrifice, tolerance, love, and respect for others (e.g. Philippians 2.1-4; Ephesians 2.14-25) - qualities we would do well to inculcate today. Perhaps if Paul was writing Galatians 3.28 today he would need to include ageism along with racism and sexism. 'If we abandon the vision of a church without age barriers, we are discarding a part of the gospel, just as much as if we accepted there should be different churches for different classes, races or skin colours.' If true family is to be achieved in the local church, it is clear that there are no short-cuts. It needs to be worked at with long-term strategies. The status quo is not satisfactory. Much church youth work is conducted in isolation from the rest of 'church' and its various ministries. This must change. Youth work cannot expect to successfully incorporate young people into church when they reach the appropriate age if they are kept separate from it until this age. Young people need to experience, benefit from and contribute to intergenerational groups throughout their development. I believe that many of the approaches that are being adopted as solutions to the problem of intergenerational tension within churches may actually result in exacerbating these tensions and ensuring the same problems endure. Although well-intentioned they may inadvertently result in a reinforcing of the generational gap. The church needs to take the challenge seriously and develop positive solutions. If we fail to do this we are setting in place a system to ensure successful division. The church will produce congregations of people who know only how to relate to people who are the same as them. If the church is to successfully plot a course through contentious issues such as this one, it must demonstrate greater willingness to submit secular assumptions to a rigorous theological critique, rather than adopting them wholesale as seems to be the case in much current church growth writing and practice. 2.4 We need each otherTrue community is interdependent. This truth is at the heart of the NT teaching on community. The basic message of the 'Body metaphor' (1 Corinthians 12.12) is that we need each other. The Bible endorses the diversity of cultures, but maintains that the unity of church extends beyond this diversity (Ephesians 4.3-6,13-16). Christ's mission abolished the barrier between God and his people. It also abolished the barriers between his people (Galatians 3.28). We do not cease to be Jew, Gentile, male or female, but these differences no longer represent barriers to fellowship. 'Thus the church as the single new humanity or God's new society is central to the gospel. Our responsibility is both to preach it and to exhibit it before the watching world.' The church is the gospel's credibility statement to society. It is an eschatological community, called to anticipate on earth the life of heaven, and thus to develop both cultural richness and heterogeneous fellowship. God's glory is to be seen in the church as Christ's living body. Our first commitment is to Christ and then to each other - not to ourselves - our style and preferences. This love has apologetic and evangelistic value (John 13.34-35). The language of the Bible is full of indications of the intergenerational nature of the people of God, for example, 'The family of believers' (Galatians 6.10). Paul affirms the position of young Timothy, encouraging him not to be looked down upon because of his youth (1 Timothy 4.12). On the other hand, Peter appeals to the young to be submissive to elders (1 Peter 5.5) and he urges old and young alike to clothe themselves with humility toward one another (1 Peter 5.1-5). It is difficult to see how young and old who are not prepared to worship together can be united in any meaningful sense. In a very profound way, through the power of the gospel we have become one generation. We are all brothers and sisters, serving the same Father and King. Disunity is a denial of our identity. 2.5 Discovering worshipAdvocates of youth congregations and the niche approach often claim that their approach does not undermine the reality of the church family, even if it does not meet to worship together. However, this begs the question, 'If we can't worship together, what can we do together?' True worship is a profoundly unselfish activity. As such, there is little room for a preoccupation with self-gratification. We need to discover afresh the revolutionary, transforming power of the gospel. The gospel has overcome that rift between God and humanity. But what power is there in a gospel that cannot overcome personal preferences? What power is there in a gospel that cannot overcome the tensions caused by differences in musical tastes - 'worship style'? A unity based on the condition that others must be the same as me or enjoy the same music as me is no unity at all. Lastly, it is also worth noting that by providing a smorgasbord of various styles in order to keep as many people as possible 'happy', we may inadvertently be encouraging a pick-n-mix spirituality. Dave Baxter has highlighted this risk. 'We can become consumeristic about our church services to the point that we come to church choosing which of the three types of service we want. The danger is that we become selfish in our approach to worship and seek out what we want rather than what God wants... We spend our time trying to please the "consumer" rather than build something reflecting God's heart for "church".' ConclusionsWestern society is experiencing growing fragmentation, particularly at the intergenerational level. These tensions are often reflected in local church congregations Advocates of the 'niche' approach to church point out that many such churches are growing and tensions - primarily over the issue of style - are alleviated. This paper recognises these positive results but argues that many of these advocates may rely too heavily on pragmatism. It urges those considering this approach to look at the wider issues involved. I believe that the Homogenous Unit Principle may be suitable for particular evangelistic or mission settings but cannot be successfully employed as a general ecclesiological model. Maturity, discipleship and community, principles that are central to New Testament teaching on the character of the people of God, can only be fully fostered in a heterogeneous fellowship. Salvation in the Bible is never a purely individual concept. God is calling a people for himself. True community is a powerful apologetic, a credibility statement to wider society. The generation gap, although serious, is not insurmountable. The New Testament church experienced tensions of a similar magnitude between cultures and sexes and yet the teaching of the New Testament is that these barriers can and must be overcome. The church, as Christ's body, cannot function properly if its parts are separated. The people of God are an interdependent community where mutual empowerment, humility, love and sacrifice are to be exhibited. The alternative is shallow, 'pick-n-mix' spirituality and enduring division. The following are offered as basic considerations that may be helpful starting points from which to work. * There is an urgent need to discover the true meaning and motivation for church - especially worship, which has sadly often become an instrument of division rather than for glorifying God and for mutual up building. * Any strategies must begin by acknowledging the essential unity of the church. However, unity is not a passive feature, but has to be proactively sought. Strategies must not underestimate the challenge this presents on the one hand, or be resigned to defeat on the other. * Churches that are to effectively model true community and family across the generations will need clear teaching on this responsibility. True unity will require sacrifice by all church members. * Isolationist approaches to youth work need to be exchanged for integrated approaches. They cannot be left until young people 'graduate' from the youth groups. Successful intergenerational church will involve intergenerational ministries operating at every level of the church. * Youth group leadership must not be consigned to the young, but a mixed model should be explored. * Homogenous congregations must make every effort to broaden their fellowship if they are to be true expressions of the body of Christ. References Adam Sparks© Evangelicals Now - April 2004 |
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