The other day I wrote this post about what people expect when they come to church. Or rather, what they expect before they come to church and then choose which church accordingly. In essence, when looking for a church, people want it to be kind of churchy.

I was chatting with a friend earlier this week about the so-called quiet revival. It was interesting to note the difference we had both seen in generational attitudes to the church. Even within the same school, we found just a few years apart, the attitudes of parents (and their children) was markedly different too. Most of all though, we had noticed very much an openness to at least speak about Christian things where once there was total apathy, shutting down conversation or a desire to avoid any talk of it all. It’s not exactly a revival, there hasn’t been a huge noticeable uptick in meaningful conversion that we had noticed locally, but there was a bit more interest where once there was none. It was all very interesting.

Anyway, given that uptick in interest – and given all the more the draw to churchy kinds of churches – we got to thinking a little about outreach. Strangely enough, some of my best opportunities that have happened locally have not been through the programmes or outreach activities of the church. In fact, some of them have not even been through years of meaningful invested relationship either. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had have simply come through being open about about being a pastor, open about our church, open to talking as and when people feel so led and, surprisingly enough, letting people find us.

It is a strange thing because it cuts against all my evangelistic instincts. But by far and away the best evangelistic conversations I’ve had in recent years have come about when I have not sought people out, have not pushed the gospel with any urgency, but have simply made it known that I am a pastor and been open to people coming to speak with me as they have felt the need to do. Otherwise, it’s just been regular chit-chat, for a few minutes as we drop our kids into school and then go about our day. Usually not particularly meaningful or insightful chat either. Just shooting the breeze. But doing so as a normal person that people know is a pastor who they can speak to about church if they want, but aren’t going to get harangued with a gospel presentation every time I see them. Sometimes, it has to be said, not even through much chat at all; just somebody gingerly approaching me and asking, ‘I understand you’re a pastor [or vicar, or sometimes, priest], is that right?’ before leading into some question or point of curiosity.

I don’t think this means we need to jack in all our evangelistic and outreach activities, sitting back and waiting for the waters to stream past the now open floodgates. I think we need a range of activities that work in a range of ways towards the same end. I think much of our outreach activity has limited evangelistic value, if I’m being honest. But I think it has great value in laying the groundwork for the gospel, being a good witness in the area and showing the world the gospel is a fundamentally good thing. Some other of our stuff has okay evangelistic value so far as telling people the gospel goes, but I have to accept it is limited in the way of fruit. But all these things are really quite important for those who just turn up or engage randomly because they are curious. As much as these might be the best and most fruitful conversations (for whatever reason), those conversations are helped considerably by the raft of things we do in the community, the various outreach efforts – both those that are more overtly gospel-proclaiming and those that are more social goods – because they show that the gospel we are talking about is evidently a good and worth giving a hearing.

Here is my take on the so-called quiet revival. People see the fruit of the gospel and think it is apparently the best fruit in the marketplace of competing beliefs and ideologies. They are showing curiosity in the Christianity that Boomers and Xers sought to dismantle because the promises of secular humanism haven’t lived up to billing and (for some) the fruit of Islamic religion looks even less appetising. This is backed up even by that arch-enemy of the church and bastion of New Atheism, Richard Dawkins. Even he now calls himself a “cultural Christian” because he recognises that the fruit of Christianity is better than the secular Atheistic offering with which he once tried to beguile the world. And so, having tasted and seen that vapid secularism is not so good – and seeing other offerings seem even worse – many are curious to give Jesus a second look, as the fruit actually seems alright.

All of which is to say, a significant part of our battle right now is presence. After the years of doing all we can to attract people to churches, it seems the position now is if people know we’re there, they may well come. Certainly if people know we’re Christians, or pastors even, they may well approach us with their questions and open up in ways they never would have even just five or ten years ago. It doesn’t mean we ditch the outreach and evangelism, the community works and whatnot. These all show clearly that our faith has meaningful outworking in practice and support the growing belief that the fruit of Christianity is, indeed, good. But the bigger issue – given there are people wanting to jump into the boat – is presence. Nobody will come if they don’t know you are there; but those looking for a boat to jump into might just jump into yours if they do.

Regular presence, it seems, is the order of the day. Being visible, being available, being known. Quite how you do that is going to differ depending on your area I suppose. But it seems to me if people are curious and they know we’re there and they’re welcome, the Lord may well be pleased to say that is enough. Particularly, I think, when it is accompanied by evidence that the gospel we believe is leading to demonstrably good fruit.