Atheists and secularists often complain about religion on the BBC – little realising that most of what is produced is actually a very good argument for atheism. Generally tailored for the over 50’s in the South east of England much of the religious output is controlled by theological liberals whose message is so boring because it rarely moves beyond ‘God is nice and wants you to be nice too’. It is boring, dead, meaningless, wet, spineless, PC, trivia. The Gospel is way too radical for the BBC.

Which is why is was almost miraculous that on a Sunday in June the BBC broadcast a service from Kingsgate Community Church in Peterborough. Perhaps there is a new openness in the BBC? Or maybe it was the last fling of the controller of religious broadcasting who is about to leave and be replaced by a Muslim? Whatever the reason it was a refreshing change.

The place was packed, the singing electric (in more ways than one), the Gospel was preached and the ethos and mix of the congregation was amazing. Black, white, young, old, male, female all uniting to sing about the wonder of the cross, the sovereignty of God, salvation, the need for atonement, the love and hope of Jesus.

What was even more astonishing was the discussion that followed the following morning on the Chris Moyles show on Radio 1 (have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StEDAjhuiTo). As an insight into church and culture in 21st century Britain it is brilliant. The following are some of the comments made by Moyles and some of his fellow presenters -

It was an evangelistic service.all singing, all dancing….most fascinating thing I’ve seen in a long time….It was amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it in this country…..band were playing, they were singing about Jesus moving mountains and stuff like that…

There are a lot of those churches around….you know like you watch songs of praise occasionally and the camera goes on somebody and they are mumbling the hymns…but these people! Everybody, everybody was taking part…I’ve never seen anything like it. It was really bright, colourful and everybody was having a good time….makes church more interesting…I’m all for it.

My friend used to live next to one of these churches…we used to wake up on a Sunday morning to that singing…it was really nice (except when we were hung-over).

It was amazing…being brought up as a Roman Catholic, you go to church…mumble, mumble, throw a little bit of Latin in there…but this was like.Whooo…I’ve been to gigs with less atmosphere!

Emphasized were baptising them and when they came out they were going ‘yes – Jesus’…I’ve never seen anything like it, not in this country…..Soph and I were lying in bed and saying this is unbelievable…very uplifting….the downside of church is largely that it is boring but if you can make it more interesting that’s got to be a good thing…

I wanna go….lets all go and be baptised. Have I been baptised? I can’t remember…that’s different to being christened isn’t it? It’s a similar kind of thing…is it the same thing? Yes …then you kind of go on to being confirmed. I never got that far..the advanced course…its like advanced driving….

I just thought it was amazing, amazing, positive, uplifting….at this place it was just about Jesus and being baptised and having a happy day…..

Of course there are things that we could criticise – perhaps some will be uncomfortable with the style of worship, the perceived emphasis on ‘feeling’, and we know that underneath the surface Kingsgate Community Church is filled with the same problems caused by sin as the rest of us, but to be honest it would be churlish and kind of missing the point, to be so negative. The bottom line is that the praise of Christ was being sung, the Gospel being preached in a God glorifying way and the community and impact of the Church was evident – all in all a tremendous witness. And it went out on the BBC – twice! It was indeed a miracle!

Of course we are to beware when all men speak well of us. Our effectiveness as a church should not be measured by whether we are on the BBC or discussed by Chris Moyles. We do not seek the plaudits of this world. And we are fully aware that many who are attracted at first by the things that impressed Chris Moyles will be put off by some of the radical and ‘hard’ teachings of the Gospel and the cost of discipleship. Nevertheless surely having no impact and no opportunity to teach these things to people who are actually listening is much worse? Surely not being spoken of at all is a sign of zero impact? Men should see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven. When God is at work there is a real buzz about the place, that is often sensed by unbelievers who come in and, astounded by what they see and experience, declare ‘truly God is amongst you”. Even more wonderful is when the Gospel becomes the ‘talk of the Steamie’ and the Good News is gossiped in pubs, homes, schools and the marketplace. We should not seek to justify our own ineffectiveness by seeking to pick holes in churches like Kingsgate, who are reaching considerable numbers of people. Rather we should be longing for the day when an unbeliever says after attending our services – ‘it was amazing, just about Jesus and being baptised and having a happy day’!