The New Church: A Potluck Where Weird is Wonderful

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

The Church is at a pivotal moment in its history. In the face of division, decline, and irrelevance, it has the opportunity to adapt in new and exciting ways…if we as the church people let it. I believe that the future of the Church isn’t about perfectly polished sermons or meticulously planned programs. It won’t be about a bigger and louder VBS curriculum or whether or not there’s a projector in the sanctuary. My vision of the future of our Church will be about embracing the mess, the weirdness, and the beauty of the human experience in deep community. It will be all about showing up with our whole selves—flaws, quirks, and all—and offering them to God and to each other. It’s chaotic, weird, and – if we let it – it will be wonderful.

Imagine for a moment, a potluck dinner. But this isn't your typical church potluck with casseroles and Jell-O molds. This is a potluck where everyone is encouraged to bring their weirdest favorite dish.

One person brings a vegan curry made with jackfruit that tastes surprisingly like pulled pork. Another brings a kimchi fried rice that's so spicy it makes your eyes water. There's a gluten-free cake made with almond flour and coconut sugar that's so moist and delicious, you'd never guess it wasn't the "real" thing. At first glance, it might look like a thematic disaster. A complete mishmash of flavors and textures that have no business being on the same menu. But as you start to take a bite here and a spoonful there, something magical happens. The flavors start to complement each other. The spicy kimchi cuts through the richness of the jackfruit curry. The almond cake provides a sweet counterpoint to the savory dishes. They weave together in a way that is unexpectedly delicious. Somehow, it all works. It's messy, it's weird, but it's also beautiful and satisfying.

This is what the future of ministry can look like if we're willing to let go of our fears and embrace the unknown. It's a place where we welcome the diversity of our experiences and perspectives, and where we don't shy away from the messy or the uncomfortable. It's a place where we recognize that God's love is big enough to hold all of us—the vegans and the meat-eaters, the liberals and the conservatives, the introverts and the extroverts. It's a place where we celebrate our differences and learn from each other, even (and perhaps especially) when we disagree.

It's a place where we're not afraid to experiment, to try new things, to fail and try again. It's a place where we recognize that the church isn't a finished product, but a living, breathing organism that's constantly evolving and growing.

So, what does this look like in practice?

Variety is the Spice of Life. It looks like churches that offer a variety of worship styles and programs, recognizing that not everyone connects with God in the same way. With the ever-changing landscape of technology, it will look like leveraging our tech to bridge the gaps between us so that we can connect across all of those worship styles and program types. The emerging generations are more ethnically and racially diverse, so we will need to be a space that embraces and celebrates all that unites us and all that makes us beautifully unique at the same time.

Everybody is Invited. Inclusion will be the truest mark of the new Church. Where the past has been marked with layers of lines in the sand, the future will hold a space for all those who desire to be connected to do so. All genders, ethnicities, abilities, and sexualities will connect in their creation and legacy as children of God.

Raise Voices and Silence. It looks like congregations that are intentional about creating space for marginalized voices and perspectives. A space where some voices are centered and elevated while others listen and validate. This future church will be a space where we understand the inequities of the system and work together to fix it, and this starts with a dialog with those who have experienced the flaws personally.

Own Its Mistakes. leaders will welcome the opportunity to admit their mistakes and learn from their failures. The measure of the Church will come in its collective ability to apologize for the harm done in the past and to move forward to reconciliation. Instead of covering up indiscretion, it will call it out, even within itself. And, even though the people within the church are far from perfect, we will approach all situations as an opportunity to better love one another and the world through honesty and self-improvement.

Get Your Hands Dirty. It looks like a church that's not afraid to get its hands dirty, to roll up its sleeves and engage with the messy realities of the world. It looks like a community that's committed to loving its neighbors, no matter who they are or what they believe. Social justice, missional outreach, service to the least, last, and lost…these are the everyday actions of the new faith communities that will thrive.

My vision of the new Church is messy, beautiful, and full of grace. It's a potluck where everyone is welcome, where every dish is valued, and where the unexpected is celebrated. You can consider this as an invitation to that potluck, to host an extension of it at your own church. Use these hopes for the future as your party plan and begin the good work of creation as you build a new Church. And in doing so, a Kingdom of God.

Licensed Local Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck serves Stoughton UMC in the Wisconsin Annual Conference and teaches Evangelism and Discipleship at the Iowa Conference Licensing School.