[This reflection by Martin Shorey was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 30/Nov/2025]
Someone recently approached me with that heart-stopping line: “Can I offer some constructive feedback?”
They pointed to our banner – Church, but different – and asked, “What exactly do you mean by different?”
For me, it means being different from the old stereotypes many people still carry when talking about church:
Stereotype: Church is for old people.
Reality: Church is for everyone.
Stereotype: Church is boring and outdated.
Reality: Church is alive and relevant.
Stereotype: Church is ‘judgy’.
Reality: Church is welcoming and full of grace.
Stereotype: Church is about rules.
Reality: Church is about relationship – with God and one another.
Stereotype: Church is for the “super-spiritual”.
Reality: Church is ordinary people discovering hope.
That’s the kind of church I believe HBC is becoming. But let’s be honest – living this out isn’t always easy. One strained relationship or unkind moment can make it feel like the whole vision wobbles. And some days I find myself discouraged because it’s hard to measure progress in church life. It’s a bit like trying to lose weight without ever stepping on the scales – everything depends on how you feel that day … and on how many biscuits you’ve eaten!
But when we pause long enough, we can see the reality:
- We are growing.
- We are changing.
- We are becoming “church, but different.”
Not perfectly — but genuinely. Because God is at work among ordinary people, shaping us into something beautiful, step by step.
Resources:
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Last Sunday’s reflection: You Prepare a Table Before Me by Dazz & HBC Team
Contributed by Martin Shorey; © Martin Shorey