Being authentic

Seeking to be an authentic community of disciples, becoming more like Jesus - walking in step with God, alongside each other and seeing lives transformed

Today we're starting a weekly series of Friday posts looking at our CBC Vision in more detail, exploring a bit more what each of the words means and why they've been used.

When we came together as a church in November to listen to God and to each other one of the words that came through the feedback again and again was the word 'authentic'. Some people used the word 'real' or 'genuine'. 

But what does this mean?

One of the things it means to be authentic is that church is a place where we don't feel we have to wear masks - to try to pretend to be someone that we're not.

We know that God sees us for who we are and God loves us regardless. But there is sometimes a real fear that if other people in the church saw us that way they wouldn't be so loving or forgiving or gracious. And so we wear a mask.

One of the privileges of my job is that I get to talk to a lot of different people about things that they might not talk to anyone else about. Sometimes these are things that are a real challenge - and it is surprising how often these individuals think that they are alone in facing this issue. We come to church on a Sunday morning - and obviously we know all about our 'stuff' and our 'baggage' - but then we look around at everyone else singing the hymns and we convince ourselves that everyone has life sorted - except us.

But usually life is messy. Our understanding of 'church' has to be wider than just what happens on a Sunday morning. Authentic church cannot happen in 90 minutes one day a week. Authentic church will create space for people to respond to what God is doing - whether this is after a Sunday service, or at a home group, or over coffee on a Wednesday morning.

Part of what it means to be authentic is to recognise that life is messy and to be honest about that. Part of what it means to be authentic is that when we read the Bible we're honest about the questions that it leaves us with - questions that don't necessarily have any answers - certainly not any easy answers. Part of what it means to be authentic is that people feel comfortable and able to be themselves knowing that they won't be judged but will be loved and supported.

But being an authentic church can only happen when we are centred on Jesus, and when we are obediently following him. Otherwise our faith cannot be authentic. We might be doing all kinds of great things but if we are not following Jesus then whatever else we may be we are not an authentic church.

My hope for this series of posts is that it will encourage us all to think more deeply about our vision and what it means for us to be and do church. There is more I could say here. But maybe there are things that you want to say or ask or question - feel free to comment, either in person, or here, or on the church Facebook page...

Next Friday we'll think about what it means to be 'community'.