The 2025 Church: A ‘C’ for Community

In New Zealand, only 9% of the population now practises Christianity. Across Europe, it’s closer to 2%. These aren’t just statistics—they are funeral bells. The Church has moved from shaping society to ‘banging on the table’ in frustration, no longer invited to speak into the nation’s soul. Our voice has grown faint. Our witness has become thin. And we must face it honestly: something isn’t working.

The 2025 Church, as it stands, gets a ‘C’—a barely passing grade—for its sense of community. That’s not to say our services aren’t sincere, our music well-produced, or our theology sound. But the heart of Christian witness is not in performance or production. It’s in people. More specifically, it’s in people who live differently—so radically and beautifully differently—that the world takes notice.

I came to faith during the 1970s Jesus Revolution. It was electric. We believed we could see nations changed. There was a rawness, a fervour, a hunger for transformation. But something happened when that grassroots movement was absorbed into the mainstream Church. The energy was institutionalised. The fire became a format. Hope was quietly replaced with hierarchy. Somewhere in the mix, community was traded for Sunday services.

Yes, relevance matters. Form matters. But neither were ever meant to be the destination for the Church. They are the doorway—not the home.

For 2,000 years, the Church has longed to return to the purity and power of the early Acts Church. The good news is—we still can. And we must. In Acts 2 and 4, we’re given a blueprint—not a nostalgic fairytale that “could never work now” as the naysayers chant, but a Spirit-inspired framework that still speaks today.

If we are to move from a C to an A—an A for Acts—we must rediscover four essential principles of Christian community. These are the road signs to a future where the Church is not just surviving, but thriving in authenticity, generosity, and mission.

1. Relational Devotion Over Religious Programming

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

The early Church wasn’t centred around services—it was centred around devotion. They gathered daily, not just weekly. They shared life, not just liturgy. Their fellowship wasn’t programmed or professional—it was personal. There was depth, authenticity, and vulnerability. Faith didn’t live on a stage; it lived around tables.

Today, we are drowning in content but starved of connection. Many churches prioritise performance over presence. We need to flip the model. Discipleship must move from classrooms to living rooms. If people can’t find real spiritual friendships in our churches, they will eventually find community elsewhere.

Next steps:

• Pivot from event-based church to rhythm-based community—shared meals, testimony, Scripture, and prayer.

• Cultivate spiritual intimacy and accountability through small, diverse, intergenerational groups, not self-selected ones.

2. Radical Generosity and Shared Responsibility

“No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had... there were no needy persons among them.” (Acts 4:32–34)

This was not socialism. It was Spirit-fuelled sacrifice. In the early Church, believers didn’t just give out of obligation—they gave out of belonging. Their wallets followed their hearts. They didn’t ‘outsource’ love to government programmes or pastoral staff. They were the support network.

In contrast, many of today’s Christians live individualistic, materially comfortable lives while fellow believers suffer in silence. The concept of community has become passive. “Tithing” is treated as a finish line rather than a starting point for whole-life stewardship.

Next steps:

• Teach that 100% of what we have belongs to God—not just the 10%.

• Appoint “Community Deacons” who actively identify needs and discreetly coordinate assistance, ensuring no one falls through the cracks.

• Create a culture where people expect to receive support—and are ready to give sacrificially.

3. Unity of Purpose, Heart, and Mission

“All the believers were one in heart and mind.” (Acts 4:32)
“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

The early believers were united by something far deeper than worship style or denominational identity—they were united in Christ and His mission. Their unity was spiritual, not just structural. And the fruit of that unity? People joined them daily.

In our current landscape, division and competition plague the Church. Churches often function more like brands than bodies. The pursuit of growth, reputation, or “relevance” subtly displaces the simplicity of the Gospel. This isn’t just tragic—it’s lethal to our witness.

Next steps:

• Refocus around a shared rule of life—unity in spiritual rhythms and purpose.

• Train leaders in emotional maturity, conflict resolution, and collaborative leadership across denominational lines.

• Keep the Great Commission and Great Commandment at the centre of every vision statement.

4. Spirit-Fuelled Courage and Witness

“With great power the apostles continued to testify... And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.” (Acts 4:33)

Let’s not forget that the early Church didn’t just care for one another—they testified boldly. Their witness wasn’t cultural commentary or political ranting—it was Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, shared with love and courage. Their community was powered by the Holy Spirit, not by clever branding or strategic growth plans.

Today, our churches are often afraid of being “too much” or “too different.” But safe Christianity does not transform culture. A Spirit-empowered, courageous Church will always be “too much” for the status quo—and exactly what the broken-hearted are looking for.

Next steps:

• Rediscover the gifts of the Spirit—not as performance but as power for mission, healing, and insight.

• Encourage testimonies of bold, faithful action in workplaces, schools, and communities.

• Reframe evangelism not as awkward apologetics, but as radical hospitality and sacrificial love.

From a ‘C’ to an ‘A’ for Acts

I’ve worked in community development and leadership consulting for decades. One of my key learnings, particularly from Australian community development expert Peter Kenyon, is this: community is not about size or structure. It’s about culture. And it can be cultivated anywhere—from a church of 6,000 to a rural home church of 60.

If I had my way, churches would prioritise hiring a Community Transformation Pastor before a Discipleship Pastor. Because true discipleship is inseparable from authentic belonging. The kind of community we’re talking about is not nostalgic. It’s subversive. It undermines materialism. It exposes individualism. And it offers something our society is desperately craving: identity, purpose, and real human connection.

And before we say, “We already do that,” let’s be honest. If we did, our nation would not be at 9%.

We may need more relevance, but we need more ‘resemblance’ even more. Resemblance to Christ. Resemblance to Acts. Resemblance to a community so engaged, so loving, so Spirit-led, that society begins to take notice once more.

Let’s stop trying to get back to the table of culture. Let’s become the kind of people who set the table—and where our neighbours look in and become so inspired by our authentic difference to Western society that they daily join our numbers..