What is the purpose of the Church?
The Church of the 1970’s is over (social-gospel, mainline Protestantism); the Church of the 1990’s is over (Evangelical Seeker); the Church of the 2000’s is ending (GenX Emergent).
The late 20-Century Church model is over, even as the formal structures try in desperation to maintain it.
The culture is no longer with us. What are we to become in this day and this context? That which has endured will continue to endure!
Church is boring. I’ve had root canal done three times and each time was less boring than church and I was much less embarrassed to be at the dentist’s office than standing around pretending to talk to someone invisible.
Of course, you get out of Church what you put in it. A cliche, but nevertheless true. The Christian Faith is relationship with God. A church service is a time of engage with God – set aside from the profoundly busyness we face and the constant drone noise we are confronted with. I’m sorry you don’t understand the concept or reality of God. Regardless of what you may think or assert, we are not standing around “pretending to talk to someone invisible.” We are talking to God, however.
Well, you still usually paint your doors red. Of course, many of these building will now have to be sold to pay debts and legal costs or be sold because you can’t afford to maintain and heat a building designed for over 300 members with under 75 old people and a few homeless schizophrenics and alcoholics.
Fred – Considering the previous posts, please know that I am in the U.S. and not England – still Anglican, but not in England. The Christian Faith is knowing God, plain and simple. There is much built up around that concept – liturgies, hymns, traditions, buildings, creeds, etc., that are supposed to help in one’s understanding and connection with God. These things, part of the “religion”, suit the preferences of people differently and they will chose (or not) to participate in the form of worship and formation that best suits them. Much is done in the name of God, in the name of the Christian Religion that has been wonderfully good and terribly bad. People who have come to know God and engage in the Faith and who practice the religion do so because understanding (as best we can) and knowing God (as we can know another person) is quite an adventure and enables a abiding peace.