Leading the 21st Century Church

Tell me if you’ve done this before. When facing a problem in ministry, you ask, “Well, what would the 1st century church do?”

It’s a common impulse for evangelicals. When we think about how to use our time, how our churches should operate through the week, or what our worship gatherings could look like, we turn to the New Testament churches to see what they did. We go back to God’s word to understand the staples of ministry. We see they “devoted themselves” to teaching, so we teach. We see that they cared for the poor, so we care for the poor. We see that they sang and prayed together, so we sing and pray together. We see that they evangelized, so we evangelize.

It’s always good to go back to Scripture. But only considering what the early church did can result in what I call a “desert island hermeneutic.” We end up skipping over 2,000 years of church history—with all the liturgy, apostolic succession, and sacramental practices (whatever all that means)—and act like the Holy Spirit has been on vacation since the book of Acts. Call it historical cessationism.

Many of us are realizing that there’s something wrong with this approach. Perhaps that’s why we’re starting to see a liturgical renaissance among evangelicals. The Anglican Church (a liturgical, historical church) is reporting a record number of new congregations in the United States. Both Willow Creek and New Life Church—two large, influential evangelical congregations—are now instructing people in a sacramental/historical worship experience. Just 15 years ago we were planting churches in living rooms or gymnasiums, spaces that looked nothing like a church on purpose. Now we’re seeking out old church buildings to rent precisely because they look like churches.

I celebrate this shift. And yet I wonder if it’s enough. Whether we’re turning to the 1st century church or the 16th century church, it’s easy to forget that God has called us to lead the 21st century church.

Looking forward

A pastor I work with has a ready response for anyone who says we should be more like the 1st century church. “Really,” he says. “Be more like Corinth? Or the Galatians?” He makes a good point. In many ways, the 21st century church is better than the 1st century church. God has moved through our history and given us insights, wisdom, and knowledge in how to lead his church today.

We’re quick to criticize “the modern church” and we pine for the church of yesteryear, but what about now? What about our future? God has not given us the 1st century church to preserve, but the 21st century church to lead.

I am not arguing for a dismissal of all things historical or biblical. Our faith is based on the historical event of the Resurrection. And we constantly look to Scripture for guidance. But our reflection on the cross and our study of Scripture should inform our decision-making in the modern world, not distract us from it. The reality is that many of the issues facing modern non-believing people are simply not addressed in the Bible or church tradition. The more we try to “be like the first century church,” the more we seem to forget the complex realities of the world in which we’ve been called to shepherd.

As pastors we cannot dismiss technology or ignore the complex questions of our day regarding nuclear weapons, Wall Street, global poverty, or science—all things the 1st century church never dealt with. We must also not shame churches that spend money on videos, social media, or branding—all things that were not available to the 1st century church, but can (in many ways) support and help the 21st century church reach more people. Smartphones, videos, and the Internet are our printing press. This is the world you and I lead in. These are the issues the 21st century church must face.

Modern people, modern questions

Part of my job is leading our church’s youth group for high school students. Each August, we do a series on dating. I’ve been criticized for this. In fact I have heard from some seminary professors that this subject isn’t needed. “They need more knowledge about God,” said one, “not knowledge about dating.”

Why can’t they have both?

The truth is, the typical teenager at my youth group near Portland, Oregon, walks in with little interest in God, but great interest in girls or boys. I’m learning to use their areas of interest to communicate the faith to them. “Dating” is not a subject in the Bible because it was not a subject for the 1st century church. You will not find anything about it in a lectionary either. You won’t find it in those places because it didn’t matter in those times. But it matters now, and young people need wisdom—answers, actually—about how to relate to one another today.

The early apostles’ sermons were filled with the language of the Hebrew Scriptures because their early audience, according to Luke, was “in the synagogue” and “among the Jews.” The Scripture was something the audience was familiar with and cherished. That’s why Paul didn’t use it as much when talking with the Greeks. The average person in our increasingly post-Christian world is not steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures. Instead of spending time “in the synagogue,” they are on the Internet.

I often get tired of social media and will back away at times, becoming cynical and jaded. But then I’ll check Twitter and see someone I know—in the church or not—post something serious, something that matters to them. I’m reminded: this is where they all are. My students live online. Whether that is good or bad is a different discussion. God has called me to lead within this modern church, and I’m learning to use social media as a way to speak into the world as opposed to avoiding it.

Our church is learning to respond to the questions our community is asking, and answer them with Scriptural truth delivered with grace. I’m learning to take seriously the questions my leaders and students have in a one-on-one meeting about sexuality, technology, and politics, instead of retreating into my safe box of Christian theology. There are issues we face that the first century church did not—and God has equipped us with his Holy Spirit and Scripture to tackle them. It’s our ministry.

What are the questions we must answer for the modern world? And how do we boldly lead the modern church in our time, not shying away from all the complexities?

Paul had to answer questions about diet, sexual practices, and various philosophies. Luther had to speak against buying indulgences, among many other things. Scripture is always our foundation. History is a great guide. But ultimately God has called us to grapple with contemporary issues, to minister to modern people, and to lead the church today.

Chris Nye is a pastor and a writer living in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Ali. Connect with him on Twitter @chrisnye