Among secular headlines heralding the demise of the church and internal Christian survey’s indicating that church decline has spread from the mainline denominations to the evangelical milieu, why do we believe in the future of the historic churches in North America? Why do we believe that it is these ‘mainline’ historic Congregational, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal/Anglican, Lutheran, Christian, Reformed and Brethren congregations are a key to God’s future work in our time? Why for instance do we believe that it is the historic church, which will lead the way in such post Christian regions as New England?
Some of our hope is rooted in the revelation of God’s word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Some is based on observable assets. The Bible reveals that God is historic in every dimension of his work. The hope for his people in the Old Testament is rooted in their memory of his provision and revelation in times before they were born. In Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of literally hundreds of specific prophecies from Psalms, Isaiah, and the other prophets that unfolded visually several hundred years after they were given. In Daniel we learn that God has empires and epic historic eras designed into his great unfolding purpose. In the opening chapters of Revelation we learn that specific churches have distinctive character, strengths and weaknesses with historic significance. We live in the promise to the church at Philippi, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”, and the affirmation that “God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.”
Even while many of us as renewalists confront the most bleak evidence of decline and apostasy, we are also keenly aware that the Holy Spirit is at work in the historic church. In the very liberal United Church of Christ, for instance we have yet to find a congregation that does not have some small remnant of praying believers. Among the 100 largest and most influential congregations in North America, a large percentage are historic churches. Movements such as the Anglican Awakening are emerging from the historic setting. The growing spiritual authority and missionary movement from the church of the global south is penetrating the spiritual resistance of the west through the historic churches to whom they are related. It is no mistake that the ALPHA movement emerged from a Victorian Anglican Church called Holy Trinity Brompton.
At the corner of Main St. in villages, towns and cities across No. America, the historic church offers these opportunities.
Ø We own buildings and other facilities, often strategically located, and sometimes endowed.
Ø We have natural relationships and connections throughout the people groups in our setting, often with significant historic credibility, that offer tremendous possibilities to make disciples.
Ø Historic churches that have been the home of elected officials, youth programs, and social services for generations are more difficult to marginalize, demonize and exclude from community life.
Ø Historic churches can survive in circumstances that will close more recently planted congregations.
Ø There is DNA in the original call, covenants, and mission of the historic church that provides a blueprint for a dynamic, spirit filled future.
So whether God is calling you to pray your church to life with a small remaining remnant, or to respond to his call to ministry, or to bring renewed life to a church willing to seek God’s purpose, or to replant a new church from the roots of the old, we invite you to join with us in a great adventure of the Holy Spirit. Renewal from the roots is a call to God’s future forged from the past in order that he might “do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,” (Ephesians 3:20,21)
