Community
Five pastors discuss the changing nature of community and how it affects a church's life and mission.
Watch/Listen on:
Early in 2018, Ray Evans (Church Leadership Consultant and Pastor of Grace Community Church, Bedford) gathered a small group together to talk about crucial topics affecting church leaders. The group are (from left to right)...
- Eric Harmer (Pastor, Barton Evangelical Church)
- Gareth Russell (Pastor, Westgate Chapel, Bury St Edmunds)
- Al Gooderham (Pastor, Grace Church Doncaster)
- Ray Evans
- Mark Howson (Pastor, Mickfield Evangelical Church, Suffolk)
We decided to be a fly on the wall as these five pastors discussed church attendance; the effect of internal migration on church life; and the changing face of our communities.
In this final of three parts, they chat about the changing nature of our communities, especially with regards to mission.
We’d suggest watching this with your leadership team and then considering the questions below.
Questions for Discussion
- How has technology – cars, phones, sound systems, etc. – changed the ways in which ‘community’ and ‘church’ are shaped where you are?
- How do people network where your church is located? Mainly through ‘nearest neighbour’ such as an estate, or a mums and toddlers’ group, or a factory which employs lots of locals, or around ‘common interest’ such as sports? Or are there other ways?
- How do young people interconnect? How can you help them make connections with people outside of their circle of ‘Facebook friends’?
- How is the changing nature of community affecting a) outreach? b) church membership? c) a sense of ‘belonging’ where your church is?
- What ways does your church find to strengthen community amongst Christians so that the family of God shines as an attractive beacon into a needy world where so many are lonely?
