By John Cole

(8) Our services and meetings all too easily become ways in which we wall ourselves in. We gain a sense of security, but in this way dodge our responsibilities to people outside.

(9) One gap in the wall saves most churches from being completely turned in on themselves. It is the ministry to individuals in need, especially the caring work done by the paid minister or priest. But this reaches only a tiny minority - and well-organised lay ministry makes little difference. For meeting Christ doesn’t have to wait until your life is in a crisis, does it?

(10) However good this caring ministry is, most people remain outside the wall. Nowadays around half the population probably wouldn’t have a clue what to do in a church service. The rest, with their distant memories of church involvement earlier in their lives, could well have a guilty feeling that they were being eyed up as ‘pew-fodder’ or condemned as those who had ‘lapsed’. Their fear of being sucked back in verges on paranoia!