This year I have been struggling with the question, "how to be 'church' other than Sunday morning". This is primarily a question for engaging what we have arrogantly called the "unchurched". I suppose my evangelical friends would call these people "unsaved". I keep running into very spiritual people who don't attend church. My question is not meant to lament that reality, but to find ways to engage people who are already spiritual.
I do question where Christian education fits into the lives of spiritual-but-unchurched people. It is a rare person who takes the time to educated themselves theologically. Some do though. Setting that aside for another post, how do congregation members connect with these people (even then I resisted the temptation to call them "other") outside the church but spiritually engaged?
Since I am typing on my new iPad (mostly to see if I can) I suggest that pad & smartphone technology hold a partial answer. Our church publishes a weekly e-bulletin which is mostly for insiders. It lists the weekly announcements from the Sunday bulletin, updated with additions from Sunday morning. It is a great reminder of upcoming events & a catch up for this who missed church. But does nothing for spiritual nurture. Our newsletter (monthly hardcopy with portions on the web) has a brief article from me but otherwise is a more detailed announcement and information bulletin. What if we published an e-news that was more devotional in nature? Should it be monthly, weekly, daily? DayOne.org has a daily devotional and a weekly push for sermon-writers/readers. Is there an answer in this? Should it be purchased content or part of the pastor's job? All good questions I hope to struggle with along with the idea of streaming our worship service for anyone who is interested.
I appreciate comments, but be warned, I will use your ideas. Blessings to all who are searching..
2 comments:
coming to the end of day three of my new call I am thinking about much the same. I am not yet ready to come up with ideas....but eventually....
My sense is that too few Christians appreciate what God's love offers to those who return that love with obedience. Too often, the church fails to challenge people to truly be holy as a true child of Holy God, light and salt, as Jesus said.
It's the church's failure that so many Christians find this 'boring'.
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