Interview: Jeff Lucas on Intelligent Church

|PIC1|Christian organisation Faithworks held its annual conference last weekend, 4–6 November, in Eastbourne under the theme ‘iChurch: Intelligent Church in the 21st Century’.

International speakers at the event included Faithworks founder, the Rev. Steve Chalke MBE, Dr Tony Campolo, Tim Costello, the Rev. Joel Edwards, Cardinal Cormac-O’Murphy and the Rev. Nims Obunge.

The conference explored how the church in the 21st century “can be intelligent – motivated by an active and relevant faith” and challenged members of the Christian community to a more Christ-centred engagement with the community

We asked Jeff Lucas, Pastor at the 9000 strong Timberline Church, Colarado, for his views on Intelligent Church and Christianity within the community and youth of today.


Christian Today: What does Intelligent Church mean to you?

I think that the main thing that comes to me is a thoughtful and reflective Church rather than busy and reactive. I am part of a Church in the States of about 9,000 people - the danger is that we have this engine room of activity that is going on all the time - so Intelligent Church for me is a Church that is active yet rooted in Spirituality.

It means intelligent leadership who are doing life well themselves.


Christian Today: Do you think that Christians are too subdued in the community today?

|QUOTE|I feel that about the Church generally. I celebrate the development of ‘Friendship Evangelism’ where we realised that Mission is about relationships and not just about shouting at people. I welcome the works that Faithworks and many other organisations have done is to make sure that we put our works beside our words and also process-developed strategies like Alpha. Thank God for all of those!

However, from my own life and hearing of the life of others, I don’t hear much about people having conversations about Jesus Christ with their neighbours and friends. It’s almost as if in today’s politically correct culture, we are afraid to make statements that might potentially offend.

I think that this is perhaps the this is a time, not to put the clock back and go back to obnoxious evangelism, but to live with compassion but also clarity.


Christian Today: How can we make non-believers see the faith that is embedded within our various ministries and activities?

That is only surely going to happen with relationships and through authentic living.

It seems that biblically, mission is always about having an event that demands an explanation, eg. The day of Pentecost which is followed by Peter’s Sermon or a mission project followed by an explanation.

However, the world won’t become one by efficiently fantastic projects. There is always a danger we can start thinking about the Church institutionally rather than organically.

I am the Church – you are the Church. Sometimes mission needs to be brought back down to ‘giving a cup of cold water in his name’ – that is what turns on the light for some people rather than some big things that is not supported by all ordinary people living well.


Christian Today: Do you think there is fear within Christian leadership?

I remember fifteen to twenty years ago, when Clive Calver headed up the Evangelical Alliance, and said that there would come a time in Britain, where no one would mind if we said that Jesus was A Way, but that people would get very upset if we said that Jesus was THE Way.

Why can’t we make our truth claims about Christ by the uniqueness of Jesus Christ by his own words? Then, with kindness and compassion, stand up and be counted. It seems we are nervous to offend – we may well offend.


Christian Today: How can the Intelligent Church capture back the hearts of the youth?

I think we have to make sure that the brand we are offering is consistent with our advertising. Youth culture today is ‘sloganed’ to death. It was the first culture born with the word ‘spin’ living over it, and therefore cynicism abounds.

Whatever claims we make about Christianity, we have got to make sure we can deliver. The way we describe, it is easy to describe the life of faith in a way that sounds great but isn’t true. I would like to call for rugged, honest and authentic Christianity.

I think people will respond to that. We don’t do well when we try and give young people what they need. I welcome innovative Church. We can be guilty about making assumptions about what they want, rather than really asking questions to them.

I have spoken to some people who are not impressed with high-tech Church – they are bored with it. I am not saying, ‘Let’s not revert to antique models’.

Let’s give them substance – something authentic and true. Should we offer more foundation-stone and boundaries and markers? Should we offer Liturgy?

Perhaps young people should bump into drama in the liturgical sense – giving a proclamation of faith that doesn’t rely on a red-hot worship band. Something that is substantial rather than about how high we can jump nor how loud we can shout.

From my experience in Colorado, it is best to try and do what we do well, rather than impersonating others and making assumptions about what young people would like.


Jeff Lucas directs 'Equipped to Lead', a leadership training course with over 2,000 graduates. He is on the leadership team of Spring Harvest as well as as serving on the Pioneer Team. Jeff holds a pastoral teaching position at Timberline Church in Colorado, a church that has grown to 9,000 in the past eleven years.