Yin and Yang!
Dear Pastors
Today’s blog is about my church experience last Sunday. I wanted to title this blog ‘polar opposites’ which is definitely true but I opted for ‘Yin and Yang’ because it reflects more accurately what I want to share with you.
Let’s start with a definition:- “Yin and Yang is a concept of dualism in ancient Chinese philosophy, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another”.
So Here is the Yin
I arrived two minutes late at the 7.30am Mass (please note 7.30am and that’s NOT a typo) at the Catholic Cathedral in Hamilton expecting to join perhaps another 20 or so of the Faithful and instead couldn’t believe my eyes. About 120 adults in attendance and within the next 3-5 minutes another 30 or so people walked in. Total 150-180. This was one of four services every weekend at this local church. I had a brief chat to the Priest afterwards and he told me that at the 10.30am Mass it would be standing room only meaning more than 600 people. WHAT….REALLY? Yes really. I sneaked back at 10.40am to fact check the Priest. He was right, standing room only. Goodness, when have we seen that in a protestant church on a regular Sunday and what’s more on the middle weekend of the school holidays and an overcast rainy day? Never! For some time I’ve wanted to check out the Catholic scene because I have been reading about a Catholic Renaissance in NZ. Total in worship at the Cathedral every weekend is in excess of 1000 people. A nearby Catholic Parish north of the city a bit has about 600 in attendance every weekend. I stand amazed!
Here is a summary of my observations. No Greeters and pick up your own notice sheet. A 40 minute service, liturgical, no music – just unaccompanied singing started by a lady in the front row (apparently the scheduled pianist couldn’t make it). Ten minute homily about the Good Samaritan with Jesus as our supreme example of loving totally hostile people, 15minutes around The Eucharist, Christ centred, bible based and no reference to Mary. And did I say liturgical? Average age about 60. Really nice building, good heating and no notices or offering announcement….it just happened as we sang a short ‘offering song’.
Now the Yang
The 9.15am service at Hamilton Arise Church, the first of 4 services of the day (9.15am, 11.00am, 5.00pm and 7.00pm). This local independent Pentecostal church has been going for about 8 years. It meets at a flash Performing Arts Theatre at Waikato University. It is one of nine campuses (and growing) under the senior leadership of John Cameron who is based in Wellington. From my observation and reading it is now the fastest growing church in NZ and probably the second largest church in NZ. In Hamilton the total attendance most Sundays is 800-1000. I worshipped with about 150 or so mostly hip folks under 40 years of age and super enthusiastic.
Here is a summary of my observations. Warmly greeted, about 5 lap-tops stationed on bar tables to record children’s attendance, new people and who knows what else. Huge screen in main room with video playing, no natural light, 10 musicians and vocalists on the big stage, loud music with the pentecostal two step enjoyed by the 5 vocalists. Fairly standard liturgy of fast songs, slow songs, welcome, say Hi to the person next to you, video announcements and then whoa and behold the smoothest of transitions to the Wellington Campus where John Cameron introduced the guest speaker, Chris Hodges. All 8 other campuses were watching real time without a hitch. And Chris Hodges preached an excellent sermon of about 30minutes. At the end of his sermon we were lead straight into a song as the screen ‘transitioned’ to the words of the song. This was followed by a call for salvation by the local campus pastor and it appeared 2 people responded. They do a call at all their services every week without fail apparently. A few more notices, a 2-3 minute offering talk, another song and we are done. All up a 70minute service. And did I say a standard liturgy?
My goodness you want to talk about contrast, difference, polar opposites, yin and yang? That was my experience. And yet both churches make up The Christian Church (with a big ‘C’) in NZ and around the world. Yes somehow we are ‘complementary, interconnected and interdependent’. Both the Catholics and the Pentecostals are growing world-wide while most others are in decline.
And that gives me pause for some serious thought.
Blessings
Alan
Let Justice Roll Down. Friday 6th September 2019 in Hamilton. A one day symposium convened by LeadershipWorx and Te Whānau Pūtahi to learn and discuss how we can address some of the issues of injustice from a Biblical worldview. How to build a fence at the top of the cliff and reduce the ambulance work at the bottom.
Speaker details and registrations here.
Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.
