This morning I read a post titled Are We Wasting the COVID Crisis? by Steve McAlpine. It is a lengthy and helpful article that confronts church leaders to consider what life might be like in the future for churches in Australia. McAlpine sounds a warning for us to consider - that the measures used against all groups in society during the pandemic might become the norm for churches in the future.
While that sounds melodramatic, there might well be truth behind it. In my life in ministry, I have seen opportunities for Christian witness that were once considered normal now become extinct. Some ladies in our church who were nurses talked about receiving a small, white New Testament in their training. I remember all year 7 students receiving a small New Testament in their first year at a state high school. In more recent times, some local government Councils have worked to stop land being avaliable for any new churches to be built in their jurisdiction. Churches are no longer welcomed to teach Christian values and stories in state schools, and Chaplains are no longer seen as necessary in hospitals.
Oh, what a difference those chaplains could have been in this crisis time. But that's another story.
Read the article. It's worth your time.
This morning I also read Psalm 62, and couldn't help but see the connection between these two pieces of writing that are separated by thousands of years.
The Psalm writer, King David, begins by focussing his hope on God alone as his source of rest, salvation, and strength. And in verses 3-4, there is a phrase which seems to describe the attitude of Western society to the church as a whole
How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse. Psalms 62:3-4
The Christian Church has been a part of Australia as long as white people have been a part of Australia. Has the church caused some problems? Absolutely. Should the church suffer for that? Of course. Is the church the cause for all the social problems in our country? Not at all. In fact, as you probably know, the church in various forms has done - and continues to do - a lot of work to alleviate the problems in society at all levels.
I'm not going to offer any commentary on what we can do. McAlpine does that much better than I could. Let's be wise in our actions. Let's be careful in our planning. Let's consider a world where church practices are not only unwelcome, but consistently undermined by people who don't know what the church is actually doing.
And let's put our trust in the One who actually matters; the One who can actually help us when we are tottering or toppled.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. Psalms 62:5-8
