Where is the modern-day church?

Was thinking about this on Wednesday out in Newport, and the thought just came back to me so I thought I'd blog it.

I remember reading somewhere, maybe on a blog or in a book – I can't remember where – about the NT Greek word "ekklesia" usually translated "church" in the bible, and how its 1^st century meaning is really "a group of people assembled together for a particular cause or purpose", rather than anything religious.

The author told the story of being on a trip to visit a church in Greece. He was with some theologically minded friends who cleverly directed their taxi driver to the "ekklesia". The driver casually drove them straight to the local marketplace, where the local people gathered to meet.

So, I've had that in the back of my mind for a while, thinking "where would the modern-day church be?" For my generation, where is it that society comes together?  But it only really hit me last Wednesday:

The Clubs

For my generation the church is the nightclubs, bars and pubs where everyone gets together on a Wednesday/Friday/Saturday night to go out. Society comes together, we meet new people, friends of friends make friends for themselves. The dedication of friendship is tested as the less drunk look after the slightly more drunk. Church is in the clubs.

And there's so much worship going on on a Wednesday night as well. The music, fashion, the female body (or male body), alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sexual desire are all normal objects of worship for my generation.

Maybe the future of the church of God is somehow linked to the 21st century church I'm talking about. One question remains, though:

How do we subvert the modern-day church back to its original focus?

Think I can see myself coming back to that question in another blog. On a lighter note, Student Alpha – organised by the CU – starts tomorrow. I'm really excited. :-)