We Christians Are So Good At Forgetting
We Christians Are So Good At Forgetting
by Guest Host, Kassandra Matthews
When Melinda asked me why I’ve chosen pastoral work as my vocation, the truth is I ask myself that question all the time! It isn’t the easiest path to choose. That being said, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. More than a choice, I believe my ministry has been a calling that has come as a slow dawning over time. In simple terms, I understand my call as helping people to “remember”. We live in a broken world in need of Jesus and in need of community. We Christians are so good at forgetting. We need to hear over and over again who we are, and that God is gracious and abounding in mercy and steadfast love.
I love how Nadia Bolz-Weber calls church a “deprogramming station”, a place where we come to undo the lies of what society tells us we are, and be re-reminded of who we are in God’s eyes. That’s powerful, because there’s a lot of stuff trying to tell us who we are – media, family, peers, your boss – that’s why we need Christian community, that’s why we need church, to speak Jesus to one another. To help one another to “remember”.
Right now, I’m living this out at a long term care home in St. Catharines where I provide spiritual care, and at St. Andrew’s United Church in Niagara Falls where I plan the worship experience.
I don’t know what church is going to look like in the future, how it will need to change for millennials (I am technically one!). I really don’t have “the” answer about what church and worship should look like – some would say we need to change radically to reach this generation, others might caution change out of a desire to be countercultural and stick to traditions. What I can be certain of is that my hope is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and if we will continue to proclaim it to this next generation, we can trust God will use it as light to any path ahead. I think the onus is on boomers and older millennials to identify gifts, speak affirmation and exhort, mentor and teach us. Millennials don’t need to be preached at – we can google any sermon on any topic anywhere in the world. Invest in us. LEAD us. Teach us. Equip the saints. Bring us on board. Be patient. Disciple us. Trust that God will use us, too, and don’t assume that you know better.