Church in the 21st century

Introducting smb.org.uk

From Institution to community

Yesterday’s church was an institution used by God and steeped in tradition. Much of that has crumbled over recent decades as society has changed.

Yet the church in many ways has remained the same; unchanging and worshiping an unchanging God. We can no longer remain just an unchanging institution that fails to reach out but must become a community that is alive with the presence of God.

a community that is alive with the presence of God

From Priests to a Kingdom of priests

The old model of one priest one church no longer works everywhere. We have to move to a different model where everyone in the church participates in the work of building God's church. From a class of priests to a kingdom of priests.

"Change? Over my dead body"

Change is what we engage in; removing the obstacles that stop people meeting with God. We are to become a welcoming community; if you missed Paul Kirby’s recent talk on this subject then I encourage you to listen here.

What are we to do?

Growing the small as well as the big

Small groups are key to the life of the church; they should be the place of corporately meeting with God and one another. At the same time we seek to make our worship services, welcoming to both people and the Holy Spirit.

Using the best of technology

The world just got smaller. With the rise of the Internet we have both a challenge and an opportunity.

into the deep of the Net

“The Internet is certainly a new “forum” understood in the ancient Roman sense of that public space where politics and business were transacted, where religious duties were fulfilled where much of the social life of the city took place… This is no less true of cyberspace… I dare to summon the whole Church bravely to cross this new threshold, to put out into the deep of the Net, so that now as in the past the great engagement of the Gospel and culture may show to the world "the glory of God in the face of Christ” JOHN PAUL II, 24 January 2002

The new smb uses the best available technology to provide a community space rather that just a static brochure type website. On this site you can:

• share opinions
• get up to date information
• listen to talks
• connect with the community
• View member's address book
• Submit your article

The new site provides the ultimate shop window through which smb can share itself with the world.

Neighbourhood and networks

Further more (given that most us no longer live in traditional neighbourhoods) the new site provides the hub through which we can connect.

But what about those not online? The new site provides a collection point for everything that's going on at SMB but we will continue to provide hard copies and magazines etc to those groups where that is the best form of communication.

we will continue to provide hard copies and magazines etc

It not about technology but about people. This site aims to help people connect with each other and with God.

Engaging and Alive

We hope you will engage with the community you find online. The idea is that we have a space for an alive community. In that way we will have begun to journey out into the deep.

Why not begin now by adding your comment onto the bottom of this article.