Your Bob's worth
Why would anyone introduce 20/20 cricket?
It's little more than a slogging match, which ignores the skill and strategic interplays of the five-day test match.
Mind you, I thought that about one-day cricket, but I quite enjoy those games now.
The thing that really intrigues me is that every time a new expression of cricket is introduced a new generation of cricket fans emerges. Test cricket keeps the game solid and keeps the basics in place, while the new forms give it excitement and a modern relevance which has a wider appeal.
There is an absolutely predictable process that happens every time a new way of playing cricket is introduced.
New people suggest a new way, purists like me react negatively to them and their ideas, and a body (like the ACB) gives careful, clear and often collaborative leadership at the interface.
We all listen, learn and grow, a new form of cricket emerges, and the old doesn't actually die after all.
In rural, regional (and indeed remote) communities similar confronting interfaces happen. The 'Aussie seachange' brought new people to established, solid, coastal, rural communities. The 'tree change' is doing the same to inland rural communities.
In remote mining towns people from far away places are coming and bringing new cultures (in South Australia), driving up local rural property prices (in Qld) and confronting environmental icons (in WA).
The interface of new and old, established and establishing, often causes community tensions. The cultural interfaces between what is older and solid, and new and risky, are more pronounced in rural, regional and remote communities (and churches), because these places are well defined geographically, and have a better idea of their local identity than larger urban areas. Communities often don't learn from their mistakes, but churches should, as they have a divinely given source from which to learn.
A church which wants to deal with these sometimes very trying and potentially damaging interfaces between cultures needs to take some specific actions:
- Both sides need to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus over the whole church. (Their side and the other.)
- Both sides need to love one another and bear one another's burdens. Do this and you will be fulfilling the Law of Christ as you work with people of different views.
- Both sides need to refuse to be conformed to the pattern of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds so they can test and approve God's will.
- Both sides need to build a new way, incorporating the principles of the other's approach if not all the practices. This is done with collaborative decision making.
Churches which drive out what is new and exciting are certain to slowly age and die. Churches which force to silence those whose solid basis expresses the identity of the region or rural community will have an active, exciting but short life.
That's how I see it...for what its worth!
The Revd Bob McKay is working with BCA in Roxby Downs SA.