The Christian Community

Over the past couple of weeks I have been visiting some of the Churches in the Deanery. It’s part of my new work as Area Dean and is known as the Archdeacon’s Visitation – except that in this Diocese the Archdeacon doesn’t do it.

The purpose of the visits is to see how the Churches are getting on. There is an examination of the ‘books’ and there is a questionnaire about Church life which the Churchwardens complete and we then discuss.

It is the discussions with the Churchwardens which are the most enriching and informative because it allows us to talk about the good things that are happening in their Church and also share  areas of concern.

What has struck me is that each of the Churches in our Deanery is very different from any other. There are obvious distinctions which include the approach to worship and to theological stance. In the old days it was easier to attach labels to Churches – High Church, Middle Church, Low Church – or to emphasise a theological stance – Evangelical, Liberal,. Anglo-Catholic. New labels have emerged – Charismatic, Forward in Faith, Reform.

On the whole, though, labels do not tell us very much and are not always accurate. They may describe the clergy more than they describe the Laity. Many Churches reflect their communities which are a mixture of all stances though there are some which toe the party line. In places like London it is perfectly easy to find a church which reflects a particular view – All Soul’s, Langham Place and its neighbour, All Saints’, Margaret Street, for example are distinctively at two opposite ends of the Anglican spectrum. Others are more Roman than Rome or more Protestant than Geneva – and, in our consumer-led society it’s possible to choose whatever you feel is you this week. If you want smells and bells, Incense and ritual – then try St. Albans, Holborn. If you want to dance in the aisles and wave your hands about, try Holy Trinity, Brompton. For the Social Gospel go to St. Martin’s in the Field. If you want a feast of music, then St. Paul’s Cathedral beckons. The Central Line is the gateway to theological satisfaction of every shade and hue.

And of course, if that doesn’t satisfy, there are many other denominations to choose from. Every one offers something different – and, inevitably, every one believes that they – and possibly they alone – have the grasp of Christian truth.

As in the story of the Church set up in a town which proclaimed itself as ‘The Church of God’ . Eventually, however, it failed to satisfy some and they broke away and formed a new Church a little further down the road. The sign outside their Church read ‘ THE TRUE Church of God.’ Again all went well with them for a time but once again there were factions and another breakaway occurred. The new Church put up its sign. THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH OF GOD!

Small wonder that those who look at us from outside turn an early Church acclamation into one of condemnation – ‘See how these Christians love one another.!

Choice, differing emphasis, are not in themselves bad – the beauty of the Anglican Church (until recently) and of the Church of England in particular is that it is what has been called a ‘Broad Church’ which embraces theological views across a wide spectrum, believing that the Gospel has no real boundaries except the boundary of God’s love and that is as wide as eternity.

Another of the descriptions given to the Church of England is that it is the Church of the Via Media – the Church which takes a middle course and which is therefore a ‘Bridge’ Church linking all the Christian churches to each other. It may be a fanciful idea but it has long been held. I sometimes think that if you threw all the Christian churches into a bag and shook them up, what you would come up with is the Church of England!  That may worry some of the denomination but it is an immense satisfaction to Anglicans!

In the midst of all this divergence, choice, and difference, how do we measure the quality of what we believe and how do we decide what are the distinctive marks of a Christian Community that shows it to be a Church?  We might think that the answer lies in the Creeds – those statements of common belief which were argued over and worked through over three or four centuries (The Church has never been a quick worker!) or it may be that we look for other confessions of faith but there is so  much to choose from.

So, where then are we to look for something that describes the Christian Way of Life?  Thankfully, not too far.  Today’s New Testament reading from the Acts of the Apostles gives us the blueprint for a Christian Community.  Acts 2:42  is a summary of what should happen when Christians gather together.  They are to be Faithful to the Apostles’ Teaching; to the Fellowship; to the Breaking of Bread and to the Prayers.

The effect of that faithfulness is that Christians live out a common life in which they respond to the needs of people within their community and beyond by a sharing of material things with each other. In that bracket you can put the Family Purse by which we maintain the ministry of the Church both here and throughout the Diocese and also the Appeals like Send-A Cow which shares our plenty with those who have nothing. And, of course, such a Church is attractive: as our lesson said at the end, the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Acts 2: 42 then, lays down the 4 marks of a true Church and it is worth pondering briefly on each one of them:

• The Apostles’ Teaching. This is the received teaching about Jesus Christ that we find in the Scriptures which is handed on from generation to generation but it is a little bit more than that because it is also about seeking a living relationship with the Risen Christ as the Apostles themselves did. To this we can add the experience of that relationship  by other Christians since New Testament times as well as sharing the insights of that living relationship we each have today within the Community of faith to which we belong.  Because the revelation of God’s love and action in the lives of individuals is a continuous one through which we develop as Christians, we each have unique insights of Scripture, Jesus Christ, the Christian life that we can share with others.
  The Apostles’ Teaching is something we try to live by and we are helped in that living through the shared experience of others.

• This sharing together is the second mark of a Church –The Fellowship  or, to give it the word Luke used – the Koinonia. It’s a difficult word to translate into English . It literally means ‘sharing something with someone’ . In the Christian context it is best described as Holy Fellowship which includes sharing a common life with each other  but within the context of a Christ-centred relationship. The true Koinonia  is the relationship of love which binds together the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit and which they draw us into. It is a relationship of love we have with God and because of that, with each other.  Churches which practice Koinonia are communities where everyone matters and where we develop friendship with each other. At the same time we are to be open hearted to the stranger, the newcomer and the visitor as we welcome all into our joyful relationship with God.  The Peace is an important breaker down of barriers within the service and a sign of this fellowship but of equal importance is the coffee after the service or the smile of welcome.

• The Third mark of a Church is meeting together for the breaking of bread.  There is clear reference to the importance of the Eucharist here and from its early days the Christian community met to break the bread of the Eucharist in which, as the Emmaus story of last week’s Gospel reminds us, we meet the Risen Christ.  But it goes beyond this. The meals we share with each other in our homes (or at things like tonight’s Seder Passover celebration) are extensions of the Eucharist. We break the bread of friendship and share our table, our homes, our love with others.  In this way we build up loving relationships and provide a forum for, hopefully, godly conversation which is a mixture of the first three marks of a Church – sharing teaching, fellowship and food.

• Which leads to the Fourth mark – The Prayers.  St. Luke may be hinting here that even from its early days the Church was beginning to form what we call the Liturgy – or formal prayers which Christians say when they meet together. He uses the definite article the.  But Praying together as Christians takes many forms from set liturgy to informal prayer groups through to the prayer we might say in home groups or with friends. Prayer is centred on God and ultimately a conversation not with each other but with God and it is part of a continually growing and open relationship.  Prayer grows out of thankfulness for all God means to us and is a delightful encounter. It is, as my guru, Mother Mary Clare puts it, a Love affair with God.  By extension it is what binds us together with each other and the Lord.  A prayerful Church is a Church constantly in touch with God  and as a result seeks to do His Will and build itself up in Trust and in the Confident knowledge that God is in our midst.

I hope you see why St. Luke, early in his story of the Church’s common life, highlighted these four things as the important ones and why, above all other things, it is these which are the marks of a true Church.  I am in no doubt that these four things are being practiced here but as we all know it is easy to get sidetracked into less important things and sometimes into things which can destroy our Christian community life. The devil is never happier than when we waver or turn away from the Way of Christ.  So we must be vigilant and we must be determined.

In many ways what St Luke lays down is an Ideal. Sometimes, even in New Testament times, the Church behaves very differently.  We must not let that happen here so, above all else let us take to heart Acts 2:42 and make it our constant measure and guide. There is one word that will help us in today’s lesson – devoted-  They devoted themselves  which is also translated They continued steadfastly-  In these 4 things without wavering.  May that be true of us.