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In 1993, United Methodist Bishop Richard Wilke (of the Arkansas Area) identified three distinct problems that beset the postmodern (contemporary) church. Where these problems are confronted and dealt with, churches thrive. When congregations ignore these problems, they undermine the vitality of the church and doom it to a kind of marginalized existence:
1. We live in a biblically illiterate society. Take an informal poll and see how many people you can find that can name five of the Ten Commandments correctly, or four of the eight Beatitudes. Too many congregants have only the haziest, mixed-up understanding of what is actually contained in the Bible. Bishop Wilke demonstrated this problem by telling of a man who was asked what he thought of Lot's wife. The man answered, "She was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire at night!" Growing, vital churches don't just snicker at this ignorance; they address it with Bible studies for adults and children that don't take for granted some working knowledge of the text.
2. We live in a society where the gulf between the "haves" and the "have- nots" is growing wider and darker every day. Instead of clinging to memberships composed only of those with safe, secure status, successful postmodern churches must open themselves up to the lonely, forgotten, marginalized people crowding our sidewalks and parks, our hospitals and nursing homes.
3. Despite our addiction to youthfulness, we live in a society that is blatantly hostile to children. "Childhood" as a time when youngsters are specially protected and carefully nurtured is fast becoming extinct. The postmodern church that recognizes this and takes seriously its responsibility to its children, their spiritual and mental education, their moral and physical well- being, is the congregation that will thrive and grow, even as its youth does. Each of these cultural deficiencies should get the church "whip- cracking" mad -- but we must then go on to DO something about them.
How might you do something about them?
First, pray - ask God how you might be a part of his plan in the church and in the world. There are enough loose-cannons in the church to arm an army.
Second, find out where your church is already active in these areas. Listen to the story of how much work has gone into getting the church where it is today.
Third, ask how you can be a part of that story. Offer to help out by sharing your prayers, presence, gifts, and service for on-going existing ministries at your church.
Lastly, once you have helped the church bear fruit in a ministry thank God for the harvest and ask God which field needs planting next.
(Adapted from www.sermonillustrations.com)