Liquid Church

Having just finished Liquid Church, by Pete Ward, my head is spinning. I think it's a good thing. It's a tiny book that packs a big punch; part theology, part sociology, and part dream...I'm amazed at the sheer amount of new ideas Ward crams into 98 pages. As Ward future-casts the church, many of his ideas are admittedly speculative, which leads to an ethereal journey on what the body of Christ could be. Here's what I mean. Ward clearly and coherently articulates the pulse of our Western culture's shift from modernity (solid) to postmodernity (liquid). Often, he refers to the present as 'liquid modernity'. The solid ice of modernity is melting away, resulting in some big ice chunks left floating about an increasingly fluid culture. It's a helpful metaphor that effectively frames his thoughts throughout the book. Ward's recommendation is that the church must become liquid in order to reach a liquid culture. Solid church (aka, Church as we've always known it), centered on a weekly congregational gathering, is completely irrelevant to a liquid culture that no longer utilizes a regular, weekly, social gathering as its primary method of communication and community formation. Instead, liquid culture relies on networks, communication processes based on hubs (affinity-based gathering beyond a Sunday morning service) and connecting nodes (methods of communication/participation in the network). So how do we be the church given postmodernity's fluidity. The fundamentalist will inevitably claim: Stay firm. Keep doing the things we've been doing. The 'liquid' believer will see what God is doing in the waters of culture and seek to engage it. One other point worth noting: Ward has an interesting take on need vs. desire and the church's role in the debate. Solid church, according to Ward, has focused on trying to show culture what it truly 'needs'. All the while, they ignore postdmodern humanity's desires. Postmodernity is less interested in being told what it 'needs'. Postmoderns are more interested in quenching their spiritual thirst. Solid church responds, "Well, this is what you need." Postmodernity's response: "But this is what I desire." Liquid church seeks to cater to the good, life-giving desires of postmodernity, while upholding the central, core tenets of the Christian faith. I'm still working through a few of Ward's prescriptions, trying to determine what my response should be. For example: He proposes embracing spiritual consumerism, and redeeming it. I'm having trouble with this, as I believe one of the main weaknesses of churches today is their blatant consumerist orientation. In spite of a few questions, I'd highly recommend this book. Ward brings that British perspective on Western culture that is desperately needed in the U.S.

Pete Ward demostrates remarkable insight into the dynmaics of doing and being church effectively in the midst of post-modern realities. His analysis is penetratingly accurate and sure to challenge long-held assumptions about the nature and mission of the Church. I would strongly encourage every pastor and congregational leader in North America to give this book an honest and open-minded reading. It will take you outside the box of limiting views of church as primarily meetings, buidlings and programs, to rediscover the dynamism of God's orginal trinitarian, relational design for all of life and our good work throughout creation. It compliments and resonates with exisiting works on this subject matter written by James Thwaites "Church Beyond the Congregation" and "Renegotiating the Church Contract". If you liked those books, you'll appreciate the insights and integrative thinking that Pete Ward demonstrates in "Liquid Church". Dare to read it, and you'll never be able to look at the exisitng landscape of church again in the same light. This book will dramatically impact your mindset and understanding of the mission of the Church.