For some people, the traditional church (sometimes called the ‘inherited’ church) meets their needs, this is especially true for people who have belonged to church for many years. However, there have been dramatic changes in society over the past few decades, and lifestyles have changed, leaving little space for, and sadly, little interest in church.

Today’s Western society is dominated by consumerism, which means that people have a vast array of choice (one online supermarket offers 72 brands and 36 categories of bread), yet in many churches there is only one form of worship. Whilst we would not wish to indulge every whim, it is important for churches to recognise that society has changed, and church may need to make some changes too.

At the same time, there has been a rise in interest in ‘spirituality’, with many people claiming to be ‘spiritual, but not religious’.

If we – in the churches – are to reach out to people who are hungry for ‘spirituality’, we will need to be relevant to their way of life, which means that churches may need to try something other than their old ways of reaching out.