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The Church of England has sent a missionary to deepest—Shropshire. The city of Telford, Shropshire has been identified as one of most godless in England, because fewer than one of every 100 residents goes to church regularly. Mark Berry, 36, has been sentenced charged by his home diocese of Lichfield to spend the next seven years in Telford.
Turning away from the traditional Sunday service and church culture, he aims to spread the gospel at the pub, at the football or in nightclubs.He wants to set up "chill rooms" and says there is no need to go to church.
Radically altering perceptions of the town's 150,000 residents was never going to be straightforward, but Mr Berry is full of vigour.
This is Christianity, but not as we know it.
I do hope that Mr Berry meets with much success, but this quote from him troubles me: "If we believe in God and think that a relationship with God is worthwhile then it isn't about how we get people into church, it isn't about bums on pews, it's about how we enable them to seek God and do church their own way."
I agree that missionaries must meet people where they are, be it in synagogues, by the river side, or in pubs. But at some point, new believers need to be strongly encouraged to go to church. Christianity is not an individualistic "lifestyle" in which all are absolutely free to live the Christian life "their own way". God calls his people to worship him together, to listen to the preaching of the word, and to edify each other in the faith. And then there are the sacraments, which our Lord commanded us to partake. Can't do that in a pub.
Nevertheless, I pray for Mr Berry that his efforts will prove fruitful.
