There’s a growing sound across all media platforms and I don’t like it! It’s loud, belligerent, and in my opinion often offensive. We need a new sound.
Radio 1 was the soundtrack of my youth, but today…I’m a Radio 2 listener. I turned back to Radio 1 while driving the other day, but I didn’t last 5 minutes. The sound didn’t relate to me. I didn’t know the music, the artist, or what the DJ was talking about! So, I turned back to where I felt comfortable, to a sound that reminded me of days gone by, my beloved Radio 2.
Sound is powerful and can change the way we feel in an instant. A recording sent to us by our daughter of our grandchildren giggling and laughing stirs so much joy, but when I hear the drill as the dentist leans over and says, “open wide”, all joy leaves!
So, if sound is powerful, let me ask you a question: what sound is the Church making in the media today? The Church isn’t silent, its sound can be heard, just take a look across social media. How does this sound make our listeners feel? The sound of the Church permeates every sphere of life, but does it stir the joy of a giggling child or the anxiety of the dentist drill? Do our listeners find help in a complex world, or forced to change channels, or turn off completely?
According to the Bible, Jesus came to be the exact representation of God on earth. Fully God, yet fully human! But since Jesus ascended into heaven, the Church now takes on the responsibility of representing Jesus on earth. To make a sound that reflects and points to Jesus. The sound of His love, grace, humility, power, wisdom and authority, to name just a few of His characteristics. But is this the sound the world is hearing?
Perhaps we should take a moment, look across all media platforms and take an audit of the sound the Church is making? To consider the message the listening remnant is hearing. If we measured this against the sound Jesus made when He walked on earth, the sound that drew crowds, transformed lives and challenged injustice, how does the sound of the Church today compare?
There was a time when the sound of the Church, although imperfect, brought comfort and clarity. It was the voice of reason, a moral compass to navigate life. A sound defining our individual and national identity, communicating love and value, and giving meaning and purpose. But has it become the sound of a bygone age, irrelevant to the world today? Do listeners hear love and acceptance, or accusation and judgement?
It’s time for a new sound. The revived authentic sound of Jesus. A clarion call that rises above the noise and grabs our attention and captivates our lives again. The sound that heralds’ good news. A sound that drowns out the fake, the woke, and the intolerant. The sound of a King, in a world where leaders, politicians and all who hold authority are distrusted. The sound of a revolutionary, in a world where once trusted systems and institutions are seen as irrelevant. We need the true sound of Jesus to resonate from His people again. It is too easy to try to make a point on social media, to post a meme, to quote a scripture without a concern for those who are listening. All we do is alienate, build walls and promote partisan thinking. The message Jesus came to share is too important and too weighty to be reduced to a couple of sentences. It’s time to begin the hard work of building bridges again with those who have never heard the voice of Jesus. Relational bridges strong enough to take the full weight of the gospel. Bridges built with humility and respect. Bridges supported by foundations that enable healthy debate of opposing ideas. It’s time to stop shouting and listen. It’s time to take a step back and learn. It’s time deal with the plank in our own eye, rather than the speck of sawdust in the eye of our neighbour. It’s time for the Church to make a new sound.
Featured photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
