The Bible Society’s recent report The Quiet Revival gives evidence of a significant rise in church-going in the last 6 years, most notably among younger people, ‘Gen Z’ aged 18-24.
The research provides solid data of changing behaviour which supports the anecdotal, intellectual and media-driven indicators we have seen in recent years. It backs up Justin Brierley’s prognosis that the ‘tide of faith’ is coming back in and our culture is witnessing a surprising rebirth of belief in God.
What should be our response to such a shift? And what does it mean for Christian social action?
Many Christians, battered and bruised by decades of decline and negative stories, have responded to the signs of change like those parched in desert finding fresh water.
Others have responded with some scepticism. Martin Saunders of Youthscape wrote on social media this week:
True Christian ‘revival’ will be marked by an explosion of love, action and justice for the poor and the oppressed. Beware of anything else.
Secularisation
Over the last 30 years I have worked for a series of organisations pretty much formed to deliver ‘love, action and justice for the poor and the oppressed’.
But despite almost all my employers being charities formed by Christians and churches, there has been a consistent tendency towards diluting their faith commitment and travelling in a secular direction. As they grow, many charities end up splitting from the original motivation that sparked their start and which provided the buildings, finances and volunteers for their growth.
This ‘secularising trajectory’ affects church projects and initiatives across the whole theological spectrum. It drives an unbiblical wedge between word and deed, between faith and action. It is a ‘dis-integration’ which diminishes both the church and charities it affects.
An integrated faith
I have come to believe that the key factor is integration. We need the personal commitment, theology and management practices to maintain cultures and organisations which are relentlessly committed to integrating words and deeds, prayer and action and hold together the worlds of church and charity.
We need to take seriously both the implicit and explicit demands of following Jesus. Our beliefs need to be clothed in action which implicitly share what we believe. But we must be ready to be explicit about why we do this work. Our actions should embody the gospel not replace it. Paul sums up this integration succinctly in Galatians 5:6:
‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.’
Motivating heart
Rather than ‘balancing’ the spiritual and practical, faith is best seen as the deep, motivating heart of the work. What is true in our own bodies is also true for organisations: the heart of faith needs to stay vibrant and healthy so it can pump life-giving resources around the whole body.
This is why I love working for Hope into Action because we seek to integrate faith and action in a way that I have not experienced before. Each day we are seek to embody both professional excellence and spiritual passion in our support for people who have been homeless. Both the implicitness of professional standards and the explicitness of spiritual passion are critical to fulfil our mission effectively.
Maintaining a Christian identity
I believe the signs and stories of a ‘quiet revival’ should give us increased confidence in the gospel and its relevance to transformation and social justice.
This week I led a workshop for the network Church Works on how to maintain a Christian identity. As well as Hope into Action, I also draw on my previous very different work experiences at the Shaftesbury Society, West London Mission and as a government adviser.
It will be relevant for anyone who works or volunteers in a Christian organisation or project. Please share with anyone interested in resisting the ‘secularising drift’ that affects Christian social action.
Related:
- Challenging Power, Changing Practice & Deepening Spirituality
- Mixed blessings & semi-skimmed faith
- Keeping social action salty
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Thank you Jon. The church I attend has seen an increase in attendance recently but it is very difficult to get people to volunteer for the coffee rota, welcome team, etc. the danger is that it can become a consumer church very quickly if this is not addressed.
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Thanks Pat. Yes, consumerist approaches are a massive problem in church and if the growing interest in church just leads to more ‘spiritual consumers’ then that will be tragic. All the best challenging this.
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