Accrording to Mcrindle reserach[1] from 2011 the top 6 reasons given by people for not attending a church are:
47% not relevant to my life
26% don’t accept how its taught
24% outdated style
22% Issues with clergy/minister
19% Don’t believe the Bible
18% Too busy to attend
Those statistics were taken from those who either never go to church or attend one less than a month
Australia also has more churches (13,000) than schools (9,500), more Australians attend a church service each week (1.8 million) than people living in South Australia (1.6 million).
From the National church life survey data taken in 2011. When asked what Christians should be actively involved in:
80% said we should be active in public policy through making public comment on policy issues
75% said we should be advocating and lobbying governments
63% believe that the church should publically advocate on policy issues
69% believe that church goers should campaign for global poverty and injustice issues.
In 1960 41% of the Australian population attended church at least monthly, but by 1980 this figure had declined to 25% and was heading down to 20% by 2000[2] and in the last census was showing the church was slightly down again. Further, over the last four decades Australians attending church at least once per month has more than halved from 36% (1972) to 15% currently.
All of this said twice as many Australians attend church at least once per month (3.495m) as attend all AFL, NRL, A League and Super Rugby games combined per month (1.684m) during the football season. We have our work cut out for us in a way we are surrounded by possibilities for engaging with people who have never heard or thought about Jesus before. The challenge is how are we going at engaging the unchurched or reaching out to bring back the de-churched? As Jude answers us by saying “I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (verse 3b) So then ‘contending for the faith’ is living in our world with a genuine and practical focus on Jesus. First, some background first for why this letter was written. Jude identifies himself by name at the start of the letter, he also tells us he is a brother of James both are brothers to Jesus. James is the same James we read about in Acts, who becomes the spokesman for the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem, after Peter is held in prison to be executed, only to escape. Jude had obviously had some kind of a pastoral relationship with the church he wrote to. Also, notice how incredibly short this letter is, there’s only one chapter. We know also that it was a letter in circulation before Peter wrote his second letter known to us as 2 Peter to the scattered churches of Asia. When you read Jude and then read 2 Peter you’ll see that the book of Jude has been used by Peter. Jude writes to a church which had been infiltrated by false teachers teaching heresy (Jude 4). What these false teachers taught was if you follow Jesus you were free to do what you liked with no consequences. They promoted immorality and greed, teaching you were not accountable either for the way that you lived, or who you slept with whether married or single, or your attitude to the church family or its leaders. Jude writes to warn his readers, just as we can see today there are similar tensions we are surrounded by. We live in the sexually permissive society, that wants to feel and experience and not expect any consequences for it in return. This is a greedy age where with so many people more excited about their latest purchase. Jude’s remedy isn’t so much let’s kick everyone out to keep yourselves pure, so that the church becomes a Christian ghetto. He calls instead for courageous love to rescue as many as possible, at the same time warning us to be careful of what tempts you, to take care because what they’re into might just make you want to start doing the same thing. That’s a little way of introducing this letter, now please look at Jude verse 1-3, as we read in verse 1
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
Jude describes himself as a servant under Jesus which should just blow us away. Jude had to put aside all of his prejudices to see Jesus his half-brother as his Lord. What he tells us is that really knowledge of Jesus is irrelevant if we’re not prepared to admit that it’s what we do in our relationship with him that matters as well. This is all about submitting our lives to Christ, just like we’re to know how much we’re loved by God, verse 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
Those words of mercy peace and love as just like how the Psalmist wrote about in Psalm 85:10 how “love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” No matter how constrained we are or whatever temptation we’re facing, God is keeping watch over us with joy. For Jude faith rolls up our sleeves, as we read in verse 3
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints
Like a leader speaking to timid and hesitant soldiers to rally them to go courageously into battle. Jude writes urging us to contend for the faith; or like an athlete in a contest, contesting and struggling and exerting themselves to win the prize in the stadium. Jude tells us this race we’re in for the faith, so be sure of your faith. Jesus is Lord and his love and mercy are enough. It’s the same deal for us, like how are we going at contending for the faith? Where is mercy, peace and love showing up in our lives? Is Jesus just as vivid in our imagination as he is in our times when we pray? Or are we struggling with living the faith you’ve known since your childhood, and you’re now falling back into an old habits or formed a new one that are just plain corrosive to your prayer life. Is there a sin that’s got a foothold on you and it’s eating you up inside, with anger and resentment? Or putting a strain on your marriage or your friendship? As Jude reminds us we’re not to think of fixing ourselves up, before we come to God, come as we are, hope starts with us. It’s like Jude’s puts the spotlight of hope when we’re faced with the real challenges of faith, not just about thinking well or acting well. It is about courageous love and care for those around us as well, putting the spotlight on hope. So if your past week was played as a video tape for others to see what would you be noticing? Jude asks us how will you remember the love God has for us. To take that courageous step of giving our lives over daily to Jesus. To be on the loo out for the little things we are seeing Jesus keeping us hopeful and ready to speak about his love is for others. Jude sets our eyes on what we will say this week about Jesus How will your faith shine? How will Jesus be seen and heard by others and how our joy for Jesus will capture people’s imaginations and challenge their assumptions about him.