Church in Scotland

As we see the the slow lingering death of Christendom in Scotland what will we see take its place.?How will our nation be effected by this?and will it be a good thing for the church?



I guess Christendom was on its last legs as I entered this world 45 years ago what we have now is that slow lingering death brought about by the use of modern medicine .Drugs to kill the pain and life support machines to keep it going .But nothing can stave of the inevitable.Christendom has tried in vain to keep any hold it has on our society for years now .From trying to be trendy and hip with the young team .To getting all righteous about the evils of this world .The charismatics gave us Godly entertainment while to proddies just said yes to everything .The RC church stuck to its guns on most things like the fundamentals eg abortion ,marriage.And nobody but nobody could prevent the death that will surely come.



Sometimes we have to admit that death has won and rejoice and give thanks for what was good.What was good about Christendom in Scotland was the reform to our society that we gained from it .Reform to the way we treated the poor the reform that set free the slaves not only literal but the slaves in the mines and mills.Reform that demanded care or those in most need which led to a social care system and health care system.I know that not all of these things came about directly because of Christendom but it does take some credit.Christendom sent out mission people all over the world with the good news but on that one we have to take the good with the bad.



So where do we go now?I believe its a chance for new wine skins and when I say new I mean new .Not refurbished wine skins but brand new ones.Church can once again become church .A body a community that puts Jesus at its centre and mission as its goal.Church where the value of "one another" replaces the value of me.A community of people able to be honest about there victories as well as there defeats.A community that could not care less about church growth a community that is passionate about healing and the poor.A place where those crazy dreams and visions are welcomed and a community where power is exposed for what it is.



This is a place that will take great courage to be part of it.It s shape will be unknown its ways will be fluid and its people will need to be brave.This is the church the community of the post-modern world and its coming to Scotland like it or not.Gods new thing will I believe shock those of us familiar with the old but excite those who have no knowledge of it.And for me that's the generation that is now coming through.I don't mourn the passing of Christendom I rejoice in it.Being in bed with the enemy made us compromise to much lets stay free from that and see what God can do.This new community must have at its core the kingdom of god no other way will work for us.The modern world was not fluid enough for the kingdom it struggled with the great generosity that the kingdom demands.I believe the post-modern emergent world is much better placed to see what God has in store for us and to be willing to take the risks needed to make it happen.