We had a great Leaders Day recently with Justin Brierley, exploring what he’s described as ‘the surprising rebirth of belief in God’. If you’re not familiar with Justin’s thesis he’s raising the question whether Matthew Arnolds’s ‘melancholy, long, withdrawing roar’ of the ‘Sea of Faith’ may become the hopeful roar of a tide that is on its way in again? You could do worse than starting here if you want to know more: www.justinbrierley.com
As an observer I find this a fascinating question and I find the analogy with tides a fascinating one. I’m transported back to being a small boy on the beach – is the tide still going out, or is it coming in dad? I’d draw a line in the sand at the point the waves had reached. If the next wave didn’t come in as far, I’d cry: ‘it’s still going out’! But a few waves later when one came in further: ‘no it’s not’! It’s no easier today, even with a few more decades under my belt, watching the cultural tides and especially the ‘sea of faith’.
Today I’m thinking about the cultural tide of expressive individualism and how powerful this unseen force is. My question is what on earth can I, or we do about it, or am I simply a piece of flotsam on the tide? Again, my mind goes back to being a young boy, trying to swim against the current, losing strength and were it not for my dad coming to rescue me I don’t know what would have happened next, but I was out of my depth and struggling. I know that’s how so many of us feel as we observe what appears to be the relentless tide, which sweeps sandcastles of hope aside. Here’s where I’ve reached (so far):
- I must live out of the reality: Jesus Christ is my living hope. It’s not enough to be able to quote this, or know where in the Bible it’s found, it needs to be my lived experience. Of all the crises we are facing, as a nation, I believe the deepest one is what I’d describe as ‘the meaning crisis’. One element why people are more open to Jesus Christ being the hope they’ve been longing for, but never previously considered, might be arising out of their growing awareness their every other hope has been dashed. Whether the pandemic burst the bubble of denial, or merely brought the unconscious fears into the light, it has certainly changed the landscape. Conversation starters previously ignored are now grasped at. In other words, I must be ready and ‘prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have’. (1 Peter 3:15)
- I must allow my identity to be shaped ‘in Christ’. ‘You do you’ & ‘my truth is my truth’ is one of the mantras of today. However, the Christian reality is I will only discover the best of myself when I uncover my identity in Christ. My sense is we must address our learning frameworks for new believers. The first century church adopted a year-long catechumen quite soon into its existence. One of the big drivers for this was the need. Transferring one’s citizenship from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light required re-orientation and re-alignment for the whole of life. The danger for the church not paying attention to the incorporation of new believers joining the local expression of the ekklesia is of huge significance. There is a crisis of discipleship across the UK church. Expressive individualism won’t necessarily empty the rows of people, but it might fill them with people who are there to express their own identity and fulfil their own desires. I must admit it, this is me, unchecked and unaccountable. What doesn’t when I’m in that place, is to look around me in the church and witness everyone else doing the same. When we lift this from a one-to-one level into the church, as an institution, not solely a collection of individuals, it becomes much clearer why my, or anyone else’s, reference point for being shaped ‘in Christ’ must be rooted in an authority greater than one of the individual’s making. Those of us who carry some element of responsibility for the spiritual care of God’s people need to be keenly aware of the present impact of cultural influences in-play today. Any attempt to drive a wedge between the incarnate Word of God (Jesus Christ) and the written word of God (the Bible) will be an alarm bell. Ignored, as is the case with a fire alarm, the results will be catastrophic.
- I must live as a servant of Jesus Christ. Expressive individualism creates what someone has described as “apatheists”. Unlike traditional atheists who can be passionately opposed to a Christian belief system, apatheists see no reason to argue, because God is just one choice people can pick themselves, not the authority which demands our whole lives. This is my truth; tell me yours. You may well have come encountered this with a friend in conversation, where they appear to agree with the content of the gospel, but then have a take-or-leave attitude to the implications. Then it dawns: the gospel to them isn’t intrinsically true, it’s only true if they decide it to be true. Living in a day when truth is individualised this seems to be the default starting place within the cultural landscape today – to be a Christian is a matter of personal preference, not life-altering truth about God claiming their lives. I was reminded recently; God is not primarily in the business of changing bad people into good people, but in bringing the dead to life. Transformed lives remain the best publicity for the God of transformation.
- If I am to be shaped by Jesus Christ, I need to take responsibility to invest in my spiritual formation. I can’t speak highly enough of John Mark Comer’s contribution. The focus and rationale of Practicing the Way is summed up when he says: “If we’re not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it’s highly likely we are being unintentionally formed by someone or something else” (xiii). He goes on make the point “The problem is, in the West, we have created a cultural milieu where you can be a Christian but not an apprentice of Jesus” (p16). The question is whose responsibility is this? The truth is it can only be mine. Only I can declare Jesus is Lord of my life. That’s true for you too. At the end of the day, the only antidote to expressive individualism is in our hands in radical obedience.
