It is widely known that far fewer people are in any sort of church community today than the middle of last century. In church planting it is important to understand the culture change of which this is part. In the UK we must acknowledge that the nation has seen the end of the era of Christendom that had flourished for centuries, bringing Christian values into government, education and the arts. The time in which going to church was the norm is past and now most people consider any ‘belief' system as equally valid.
This is part of another change in society, from Modernism to Postmodernism. Postmodern thinking sees the world as a much more uncertain place, with all truth relative to one's viewpoint rather than absolute. This dismisses the over-arching story of God's dealings with the created world and has encouraged the lack of long-term commitment to anything that we see around us. For many Christians this fast-changing world has even knocked their confidence in the gospel.
These major changes in the culture and many sub-cultures in which we move need to be understood, but do not need to be feared. Postmodernism has raised up renewed interest in the spiritual aspects of humanity that is even reflected in the National Curriculum; whilst Post-Christendom places the church at the margins of society again as in New Testament times and in the early centuries of Baptist life. Evangelism today will mean rediscovering the gospel of the kingdom and a re-appraisal of what good news looks like for each generation.
What's next?1. Introduction |
