In anticipation of 2019, we wrote a letter to the church* to call those who claim Christianity to a higher standard of living and a better communal life: one that is less judgmental, more kind, less exclusive, more hospitable, less inward focused and more community minded. If the church wants to have a positive impact on 2019, some things must change.
*The word church here is used to refer to the larger community of Christians worldwide. This does not mean one particular church or tradition, simply the people who call themselves Christians.
Dear Church,
New year, new you, right? As we reflect on 2018, it is important for us to be honest: 2018 was pretty bad. There were mass shootings, major deaths, sexual abuse scandals, and so much more. During all of this, many Christians’ best response was to put “thoughts and prayers” on their Facebook status and mindlessly move on. In 2019, we need you to do better, church. We need you to be present and engaged in the world. We need you to truly be a refuge for people and to equip them to deal with the crazy world we live in today. We want to be involved in your communities, but we need you to make some changes before we can commit to being all in.
We need you to, above all, be nice. Gandhi is famously quoted saying, “I love your Christ” but critiqued Christians for not actually acting like the one they followed. Part of that is because Christians have lost sight of the simple act of being nice, much less being loving. It was Jesus who revolutionized love. But it’s Christians who can’t seem to replicate that love. Beloved church, we need you to be a love school in 2019. Be a place that teaches your people how to truly love. Be a place that models acceptance and welcome for your community. Don’t be a place that looks with suspicion at people. It begins with each person committing to putting self-interest aside for the sake of the community because at the heart of all of the issues within the church that prevent it from being loving, is selfishness. By committing to being a love school, the church can commit to edging selfish ways out of its life. It’s past time.
Speaking of selfishness, churches tend toward self-preservation. This year, we need you to not focus so much on your numbers. It is mind-numbing to build up the courage to come only to hear you talk about how many guests you have or how you need everyone to give sacrificially. We want to be a part of a movement. We want to be a part of transformation. When you focus on your numbers, you aren’t focusing on the work of the Spirit. It makes us feel like you only want us for our potential giving impact or to make it look like you are growing. We really think that as you turn your focus outward to your community, the numbers will come because it will become something that people want to be a part of organically.
We desperately need you to be creative. We’re tired of being bored in church. Gatherings on Sunday mornings should not feel like funeral dirges. That doesn’t mean that we want to be entertained. We’re not talking about smoke machines and lights here. Nor are we talking about adding a guitar every now and then. We are talking about a creativity overhaul. We want to participate more actively in the service. We want to be invited to truly be a part, not just be unmoved observers.
Finally, we need you to not get caught up in determining who should be in and who should be out (unless it means that we’re all in). We have been seen as being “out” for so long. What do we mean by that? We have different beliefs than some of the older, more faithful Sunday school attenders, so we are said to be “non-believers” or “new agey.” Cast out. We are seeing our friends who identify as LGBTQ be objectified. Cast out. We hear people say we are too young to be a key leader in the church. Cast out.
We want to love you. We want to make it a better year for both of us. We will commit to doing our best and hope that you will commit to that too. Who knows? It might just make all of us better.
With love and hope,
Spiritual-and-sometimes-religious millennials crafting our own faith