The lasting solution is two-fold; the Northern Ireland Assembly will first have to divert or allocate significant funding to the PSNI to get more bobbies on the beat across Northern Ireland.
We heard a lot of fine words during the Assembly recall debate on the current unrest crisis, but all the fancy words will be meaningless rhetoric unless Alliance boss Naomi Long’s Stormont Justice Department can boost the coffers of the police in terms of getting more uniformed officers into flashpoint, or even potential flashpoint, areas of Northern Ireland.
Alongside the boost to policing must come a pro-active campaign by all the Christian Churches across the province to be physically seen on the streets helping the local communities. Put bluntly, the churches cannot duck their responsibilities in keeping a lid on social unrest once the police have been given the manpower to restore order and calm.
Again, we have had a number of well-meaning statements from church leaders urging calm. These will only sound like fancy sermons unless they are backed up by positive actions in the community. And it may mean that many places of worship will require a serious look at their calendar of events.
Traditionally, during the summer months, many places of worship shut their organisations and activities apart from those which host a one-week or two-week long summer scheme or Bible week. Everyone likes their summer holidays to give them a chance to recharge their spiritual batteries to prepare for the school year which normally begins in September.
However, the 2024 school summer holidays have witnessed some of the most serious rioting and disturbances since the Drumcree crisis erupted in 1995.
The churches cannot adopt the view that they should simply pray for bleak winter weather so that the rioters or protestors cannot physically take to the streets. That’s a pathetic ‘bury your head in the sand’ approach.
Just as the presence of locals standing in front of business premises was a human barrier to those seeking to smash those shops, and the police lines were a physical barrier to the rioters getting to locations, so too, church folk must play their part practically in showing the ethos of Jesus Christ Himself when he said - love thy neighbour.
It’s not a case of getting people into the pews for Sunday worship; it’s about getting Christians out of those pews and playing an active role in the communities which are facing needs.
In an earlier column, I suggested that one strategy would be that places of worship could become centres to help the homeless in society. But that’s only one element of the ‘churches in the community’ agenda.
Sermons and singing will not put food on the table, clothes on the back, or heat homes. Certainly, many churches have played their part fully in providing numerous items for food and clothing banks. But the churches can do so much more, as can we Christians individually.
Whilst I appreciate many families are facing a cost of living crisis, how many ‘well-off’ Christians are physically giving their full tithe - a tenth of their income - to God’s Work? That’s a financial challenge for everyone in Northern Ireland who calls themselves a Christian.
And it’s not just a cash call to the churches. Potentially, the churches could have an image problem in the community because of the horrendous activities of a small minority of so-called street preachers.
Evangelically, I’m a huge fan of open air Christian witness. But there is the danger that many people could judge what the Christian faith stands for when they hear some street preachers using loud PA systems to target sections of society.
Keep the preaching about eternity for the pulpit, but show God’s Love in a practical way by every Christian deciding to become the Biblical Good Samaritan and look after a neighbour.
Churches need to get back to the traditional method of door to door evangelism which goes beyond simply shoving a Gospel tract or copy of the New Testament through a door and then hastily walking away. Churches need to take ownership of their communities.
It should not be left to the clergy, elders or deacons to visit the sick and needy. But it must be an organised and orchestrated campaign of open air witness. Practically, it means churches visiting homes in their localities to actively find out what the needs are of the spiritual flocks they are supposed to serve.
Physically, it’s not a case of rapping on someone’s door and asking them what challenges the churches can pray for. It’s also about co-operation among the churches so that those places of worship which have the manpower to visit homes can help those churches or mission halls which don’t have as many members to put feet on the footpaths.
Some churches and even denominations can complain about dwindling numbers in the pews on Sundays. Rather than putting all their efforts into getting people to come into places of worship, the churches must clearly focus on how they can be practically active in their local communities.
Churches may have to swallow the bitter medicine that community activities are not just about Christmas carol singing or the summer Bible week.
If the current rioting is to be stamped out long-term, church activities will have to be a year-long campaign. But are the churches up to the challenge?
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| Follow Dr John Coulter on Twitter @JohnAHCoulter Listen to commentator Dr John Coulter’s programme, Call In Coulter, every Saturday morning around 10.15 am on Belfast’s Christian radio station, Sunshine 1049 FM. Listen online. |
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