A 2013 survey by McCrindle Research, revealed that just 8% of Christians attend church at least once a month in Australia.
That’s not many.
In the 1980s, the prominent historian Manning Clark, defined Australian spirituality as:
a shy hope in the heart …. (It is) understated, wary of enthusiasm, anti-authoritarian, optimistic, open to others, self-deprecating and ultimately characterized by a serious quiet reverence, a deliberate silence, an inarticulate awe and a serious distaste for glib wordiness.[1]
But things have changed in recent years. Australian society is now more selfish, secular and atheistic. Hedonism has trumped humility and God is increasingly being seen to be: “irrelevant to my life” or “inconvenient to my lifestyle.”
Australia received its Christian heritage from England. It was colonised at a time when to be a good Englishman meant attending the Church of England. All of England was at least nominally Christian, and this gave some credence to the practice of baptising infants. It was taken for granted that a baby would be Christian because it was growing up in a Christian society. Now, of course, it is significantly unfashionable to be a Christian… and being a follower of Jesus requires a deliberate counter-cultural choice.
This prompts the question: Should Christians be worried at now being in a minority?
I don’t think so.
If the Bible teaches us anything it is this: God’s people will always be in a minority. I suspect this has been the case even when a nation has been “institutionally” Christian. Now, however, as the West is lurches drunkenly towards atheism, it is now particularly so. But as I’ve said, being in a minority is nothing new for Christians. It is “situation normal.”
Helpfully, the Bible gives instructions on how Christians should live in such times. Christians are to allow persecution to refine them of institutional abuse, unbiblical practices and unfaithfulness (Ps 66:10-12; Jas 1:2-4; 1 Pet 1:6-7). The Bible goes on to instruct Christians to live lives of such quality that it prompts people to honour God and ask about him (Mt 5:16; 1 Pet 2:12). And when people do ask, the Apostle Peter tells Christians to: Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:15). These are great words.
One of the shortest parables Jesus told was about people choosing either to enter a wide gate and follow the broad road that leads to destruction, or enter a narrow gate and follow the narrow road that leads to life (Mt 7:13-14). It is an uncomfortable parable. It prompts us to ask: If most people are going to miss the mark with God, what exceptional thing am I doing to ensure that I don’t?
So let me ask: Are you lazily following the secular “don’t know, don’t care, God’s not convenient to my lifestyle” path of most in society… or are you seeking out Jesus, who said: I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (Jn 14:6)?
Which path are you on?
Which destiny are you heading towards?
[1] Manning Clark, “Heroes,” in Australia: The Daedalus Symposium, ed. S. Graubard (London: Angus and Robertson, 1985), pp.77-78.
