Churches' Best Practices:

(From a thoughtful friend)

1. Encourage and practise openness and truth, even when it might seem to affirm those with a barrow to push, or 'wash our dirty linen in public'. This means having well advertised processes of complaint and suggestions to the leadership.

2. Embrace diversity in 'non core' Christian theology, beliefs and worship, while teaching and practising unity in the church community. Each person to not fear another's differences, but to exercise patience and enjoy the diversity. Encourage congregants to practise and share their different ways of worshipping God.

3. Teach and practise love and respect for others and work against injustice as if these were the whole Gospel(!) In other words, tie doctrine and the proclamation of it (Word) to Christian behaviour and practice (Deed). (It should not be possible to preach right and then persecute people.)

4. Teach on corporate sin as much as individual sin. Model how to work against systemic injustice and marginalisation of certain groups of people.

5. Treat all the church community as members of one another, with no divisions or difference of status between professional clergy and lay members. See the church as people positioned across society in their vocations, and affirm God's calling of them often.

6. Don't see the Sunday service as the centre of the church week and the church building as the key to the church's ministries. Instead, work with all the church community to BE the church seven days a week.

7. As Jesus did, treat 'unbelievers' and 'believers' similarly in teaching, as people who have the opportunity to move closer to God. Carry out joint projects in the wider community, encouraging 'non Christians' to involve themselves alongside church members in welfare and aid.