JWs attract 20,000. Could we, and does it matter?

JWs attract 20,000. Could we, and does it matter?

With thanks to a NZ Herald article (read here), someone emailed me the link to highlight that an amazing 20,000 had attended a recent JW international gathering in Auckland – with many hotels booked out as a result.

With 3,500 delegates, and this claimed 20,000 attendance – which I see no reason to question – it has to be said that it’s impressive.

Did they just ‘show the rest of us up’?

(I suspect the person who sent me the article felt they had.)

Also, how important are big gatherings? (How do we measure success?)

 

1. If big gatherings is the point, the wider NZ Church has some comparable events

I’d define the NZ Church as being comprised of 3000+ churches, united around various simple statements of faith like the Nicean Creed. (We then have our various denominations, the JWs being comparable to one denomination.)

The ‘Open Heaven’ prayer and worship event in Auckland alone has maybe 10,000 at it. It is concurrently primarily attended by the more lively / ‘charismatic’ wing of the Christian Church – which is far from everyone. It is, therefore, a small reflection of our numbers. Were event just the attendances of the same event in other cities added, 20,000 would be surpassed.

So, were we ‘shown up’?

I would comment that, as Christians, we are unwise to place too much value on having ‘everyone gather in one location at one point in time’. It’s not what we’re about – and it runs the danger of a human control system, pridefully establishing ‘one ring to rule them all’.

Of course, this isn’t to say that bigger gatherings don’t have value. Finding ways to be present and seen is a part of our witness to our nation. Conversations have to start somewhere. ‘Presence’ (being seen / noticeably present) is a first step.

To summarise:

• Was their event big? Yes!
• Was it impressive? Yes!
• Might their unity shown in this be admirable? I suggest it is. They are like one denomination – and have a high level of allegiance to their movement from their adherents. That takes leadership!

However, that comes with challenges too.

And while the world applauds a large crowd – Jesus retreated to spend time with individuals.

Big events have their place, but they aren’t our goal, and they aren’t the measure.

 

2. The strength of the Christian Church is in the fact that it is NOT under a centralised leadership structure on Earth

This is where the Roman Catholics got it wrong in history – creating a control structure.

Jesus is the head of the Church – and he’s somewhere up there in the heavens with God the Father.

The Holy Spirit is the guide of the Church – through whom Jesus’ instructions come to us – and the Holy Spirit is within the hearts of 2 billion Christians on Earth, including a likely 800,000 here in NZ.

> The strength of ‘us’ – as the Church – is our decentralised leadership structure! This is how we have changed the world!

Consider: It is only because millions of Christians studied and applied Jesus’ teachings to their various arenas like justice, government, law, charity, education, science, technology, labour laws and more… that our culture, politics, law and values were shaped as they are, producing the daily benefit we all enjoy as New Zealanders. (Centralised church structures didn’t achieve this. The actions of thousands of unseen Christians who were imitating Jesus did it.)

Our decentralised character as the Church is therefore our strength. The evidence is in the charity, love, equality and care of our nation. To note it, this evidence is also, therefore, within the non-church public! Our values are their values – even while many are unaware of their own cultural history. That’s a better measure of our significance!

 

In summary: We must understand what ‘the Church’ is

So, hold your head high, Christians. Despite the fallible nature of every one of us, Christ within us is the glue and power of the Church – which he leads and guides through us – and it really has changed the world!

Leadership – on Earth: Yes, there is human leadership. This is just sensible. This is needed. The key is in understanding the values by which that human leadership (of God’s Church) is to operate.

Leadership – from above: Jesus said of his church that ‘the gates of Hades would not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:18). ‘The Church’ is a winning strategy only because God is behind it. Despite human failings, God himself is leading it – through his people. The Church is ‘the great mystery of the ages past’ (Ephesians 3 and 5) – it is God’s strategy for changing our world – and it has been successful!

A bottom-up leadership structure on earth; To consider its wonder, the true Church has this crazy ‘bottom up’ leadership structure, with leaders called to serve rather than rule…

A resounding success: …and if we now study our history, we will see how this crazy strategy has worked! (Who would ever have imagined the impact of the Christian faith on our planet – despite its corruption by way of power structures that were created – with this influence yet succeeding in bringing changes through everyday Christians engaging in their spheres of work).

A timeline: And so it will continue until Jesus returns. The ‘wheat and the weeds’ (A parable of Jesus, Matthew 13:24-30) will grow together.

• True Christians – and cultural Christians who surrender to the pursuit of power and wealth – will work side by side.
• The Church will shape culture by way of individuals who engage within every sector of society, bringing good, freedom, charity, equality, care as they go… even while human nature will concurrently pursue power, to corrupt, control, divide and hurt.

 

In closing – “Love”: Consider, then, what a miracle the Church is – surviving even the most viscous and focused of attacks and triumphing – because it is rooted in the hearts of men and women who have adhered to the command to love.

This is our measure – and if even just the charities we run or catalysed were to be considered we’d see we’re doing brilliantly at it!

 

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:35