The Commentary

Changing the nation?

Though in their manifestos for the 2005 general election, all three political parties had promised a referendum on the European Constitution, yet the voters were given no say as, in March, Parliament adopted a document which is 90% the same.

William Hague for the Tories spoke of yet more powers going to Brussels. Labour rebel Frank Field said that this kind of thing leads to a real ‘falling out of love with democracy’. The present government came to power with only 31% of electorate behind them, and now clear promises made to voters had simply been ignored.

Whatever we think of all this, the truth is that if the government had allowed a referendum they would have lost. The country is split on the matter. But it is not just on Europe that there is no shared vision. It is becoming increasingly obvious that there is no shared vision in our land on many issues. The furore, which arose concerning servicemen and servicewomen in uniform being jeered in Peterborough by sections of the population who are against our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, tells the same story.

Can a multi-cultural society suffused with postmodernism, which denies objective truth and morality, do anything other than splinter? How can we expect shared values and a shared vision for our land? Citizenship ceremonies for school-leavers?

Recent statistics

With the old Bible text, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish’ (Proverbs 29.18) ringing in our ears, this should stir us afresh to try to change our nation for Christ. Let us be clear, we live in a decaying society, where the church is in decline. The latest statistics do show glimmers of hope. 34% of churches in England grew between 1998 and 2005, a considerable improvement on the 21% in the previous period. Again, an estimated 150,000 people came to faith between 1998 and 2005 through Alpha, Christianity Explored and similar courses. However, there is still decline, but the rate of decline has slowed.

Making a difference

How can things be different? One way of thinking about this is the use of a formula much beloved by change management gurus in previous years. It goes Change= f ( D + V + L) > costs. It tells us that change is a function (f) of dissatisfaction (D), vision (V) and trust in the leadership (L). People are ready for change when they are dissatisfied with the way things are at present, when there is a clear and viable vision presented as an alternative and when the leaders associated with this vision command respect and trust. When the combination of these factors is greater than the cost of change (not just financial), things begin to happen.

Applying this to our country and its need of Christ is interesting. People are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with secularism and its collateral social breakdown. But are the churches presenting a clear and attractive vision of what new life in Christ could be like? Are we joyful, holy, confident people united in Christ? Are we at one working together for the Bible’s gospel? We should be if the gospel is true. Then there is the question of leadership. What kind of impression does someone like the present Archbishop of Canterbury honestly make with the public? And all this must weigh more than the cost of becoming a Christian: turning from sin, taking up the cross and following Jesus.

Putting it like this makes us Christians realise we have a lot of work to do. It should drive us to prayer as we see the absolute necessity of the revival power of the Spirit to visit our churches and country again.

Changing the nation?

Changing the nation?

Recent statistics

Making a difference

John Benton

Main Articles

Other articles