I was interviewed this year by a “intelligent” young lady for her thesis. And she was kind enough to send me some of the quotations .. I’m not surprised by what I said, but I was a little challenged by myself especially the way I phrased it and after reading what’s transcribed I’m brought back to what’s important for me again.

“No one agrees with everything in the family but we’re still family. So I find a family is a more useful model for church…than a company for example. If you don’t like the company you will leave. Or you get fired. You know, reprimanded. With the family it’s a different dynamic.”

“a place where unchurched people can come. Or people who are not Christians can come to explore the faith…With no pressure for them to convert immediately they can take their time. And also a place for Christians to work out their faith in today’s reality. … For people who need a place to grow, or were like me, who had questions, a place that questions will be taken seriously…A place where we would learn to follow Christ, and also invite others to follow in a safe environment.”

“learning to accept people as they are, even though we don’t approve of everything they think or do, and also believing that there is always room to change. They don’t have to remain as they are. I think that would in some sense summarise what I think we would like to be in church…”

“as members of the church we’ll see our self as someone who represents God in our own context. … And as a church, that consciously we will do things together to be the Jesus for others. … [And] in order to do that we need to connect with people who are needy, even the poor…we need to be with people who are not like us. … So our life is not just ’bout our career, consumption, I believe this is what being a Christian is mainly about.”

“Christianity is not just about you believe in what I believe, but you also belong. We belong together. And we become…sometimes people belong first, before they believe. There are people in my church who are not Christians, yet. They take their time, they belong with us, they’re part of our family. The day they want to believe, is up to them. But we will encourage them. And all of us are on the journey of becoming. So then everyone is equal, no one is better than the other person.”

“If church is defined as people then…I wouldn’t leave church. But church as an organisation I’m not too sure. But…I also believe in the renewal of an organisation. ‘Cause I think that’s part of Christian faith, the Gospel…We redeem even the hopeless situation”