An issue that comes to mind would be the decrease in church population and ensuing it, a dearth in leadership in the church. The causes of a decrease in church population can be internal (Christians choosing to leave church) and external (society placing pressure on the church).
An internal cause would be that Christians of this generation are brought up very differently from Christians of the previous generations. Presently, entertainment has pervaded children from a very young age in terms of digital devices and morally questionable sources of entertainment. It is very common that even entertainment in the form of mobile phones has infiltrated and obstructed quality meals with family. However, in the past, quality time with family and friends are treasured, set as a foundation for societal development. These changes in influence on a child from a young age would cause future youths to prioritise entertainment and self- gratification above the unity of the community, which is fundamental for the church. Church hopping, skipping church services and leaving church altogether are already evident in many churches and many cite that it is because the church does not suit them. This shows a fundamental flaw in perspective, which is consumerism of the individual. The church as a whole can curb this issue by correcting the mind-set of their members through the faithful preaching and sound worship. This would allow their members to be grasp a correct understanding of their relationship with God in terms of its immeasurable value and His awesomeness. Through this understanding which can only be personally experienced (not forced upon by others) can the individual be transformed to cherish God and His people.
Another reason that can cause Christians to leave the church is the increasing economic inequality due to disproportionate rise in affluence of Christians. This may cause members who are less well-off to lose their sense of belonging and worse, may even feel marginalised. As comparison has always been an innate human nature, differences in socioeconomic statuses will always have the tendency to be juxtaposed to one’s status. To combat this erosion of the unity of the church, the church has to continually involve its members and not fuel the division. By involving all members, be it in serving, activities or leadership, it is a physical reminder that Christians do not have a stake in fortune or fame but rather all have a common stake in Christ. This elimination of the world’s values from the function of the church will prove to be increasingly difficult but it is crucial for all Christians to realise that we are in the world but we are not of the world. As such the underlying issue of identity can be curbed by having a common stake in Christ.
An external reason that would be an issue to the church would be government action against the church due to an inaccurate perception of the church. Secularisation of the State will cause differences in objectives and purpose with the Church and thus will cause the State to tolerate actions of the Church which add to the welfare of society but may not entertain initiatives by the Church deemed as not value-adding to society. As Revd. Lim has mentioned in our visit to Sarah SAC, the government has followed in PCS initiatives only after seeing the issues of the elderly and ageing population take its toll on the society. Especially in light of recent cases of failure in church leadership highlighted by media, society has a negative impression of Christianity as a whole. This puts a pressure on the Church as it will be under enhanced scrutiny and bias by society. This may cause a clash between Church and State when their objectives are not aligned, which may cause many to side the State rather than the Church. The solution to this unfortunate scenario is not to conform to the State but to remain rooted and steadfast in the faith. Though it may sound foolish, I believe it is at times like these that standing firm in the faith is even more important. We may not face physical persecution, but opposition is also a test that the Church as a whole must be united to face. Through bracing through these trials will the church be shown genuine and the faith that we profess true to the world. The solution then is not a hard and fast rule but rather an essence that despite trying times the church as a whole must build each other up and not lose their values.
Some implications that can occur if the issue continues unabated are a dearth of quality leaders/leadership and may even result in a fall in biblical literacy of the members. Due to the decrease in church population, there will be fewer leaders who will be able to take up a role in leadership, causing future issues of the church like overload of the pastors/teachers/elders/deacons. This would also render the function of the leaders ineffective as they would be unable to equip and train the members well. As such the biblical literacy and biblical understanding of the members would fall. Although the biblical literacy is not the most important facet of Christianity, I believe that especially in these volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times that it is crucial for Christians to be thoroughly equipped and trained so as to not be swayed by heresy and half- truths which is potent, especially to the masses.
In this aspect, I believe the Synod has been at the forefront combatting these implications. Through initiations like LAUNCH SG, Synod Youth Internship Programme (SYIP) and Synod Training and Exposure Programme (STEP), the Synod has equipped youths and exposed them to different environments/ religious settings to help them in understanding their heritage, practices and theology. This allows them to be groomed to be future leaders with the quality to lead the Church effectively. To that end, I believe that these initiatives are crucial for the Singaporean Church as a whole to participate in to combat these implications.
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