English Article: Church – Called to be Different | Stephy Jaise, UK

In a world where Christian values are increasingly challenged, the Church is called to live differently. Romans 12:1–2 reminds us that holiness is more than simply avoiding what is wrong. It is about giving our whole lives to God and refusing to allow the values of the world to shape our thinking, our choices, and our way of life. Because of His mercy and love, we are called to respond by living lives that honour Him. Holiness is not about earning God’s love; it is our response to the grace and salvation we have already received through Christ.

The Church is called to live in the world without becoming like the world. We face many pressures and temptations, including greed, pride, selfishness, materialism, immorality, injustice, and the desire for acceptance. In our desire to be welcoming and inclusive, we can sometimes adopt worldly values and practices without recognising how they may weaken our Christian identity. What once seemed wrong can gradually become normal. Romans 12:2 reminds us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Being set apart does not mean rejecting people or withdrawing from society. Jesus calls us to be salt and light, showing God’s love while remaining faithful to His truth. The Church must welcome people with compassion, engage with society, and serve those in need, but without compromising biblical values. We are called to influence the world without allowing the world to shape who we are.

Today, the Church often seeks to be inclusive by adopting ideas, practices, and values that are increasingly common in the wider culture. While inclusion, welcome, and compassion are important Christian values, we must be careful that our desire to include everyone does not lead us to compromise the truth and distinctiveness of our Christian faith. The Church is called to welcome people without becoming conformed to the world. When the Church continually adapts itself to the values of the culture in order to gain acceptance, it can gradually lose the authentic Christian way of living. Inclusivity should never mean abandoning biblical truth. We are called to love and welcome people while remaining faithful to Christ and His teaching. The challenge for the Church is to be open without compromise, loving without losing conviction, and relevant without losing its identity.

At the same time, being holy does not mean ignoring the suffering and injustice around us. The Church is called to cross the boundaries and barriers created by injustice, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and every form of evil that separates people from God and from one another. These forces divide and destroy the one human family created by the living God. Where sin exists, there is brokenness and death. But Jesus came so that we might have life. His death, resurrection, ascension, and promise of His return give us hope for renewal, restoration, and transformation. This hope must be at the heart of the Church’s message and mission.

The Church is called to be an instrument of hope, peace, renewal, and transformation. We should not simply seek to identify with the powerful for influence, recognition, or acceptance. Instead, we are called to stand with the poor, the vulnerable, the oppressed, and the marginalised. This reflects Jesus’ mission.

In Luke 4:18–19 (NKJV), Jesus declared:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

These words reveal the heart of Christ’s mission. The Church’s mission is therefore not simply to preach salvation with words, but also to demonstrate the transforming power of the gospel through action. We are called to stand with those who suffer, challenge injustice, defend human dignity, and bring hope to those who are hurting. A holy Church should be a Church that reflects Christ in both character and mission. When Christians choose truth instead of falsehood, humility instead of pride, compassion instead of indifference, justice instead of oppression, and love instead of hatred, they become a visible witness to the transforming power of Christ.

Romans 12:1–2 gives the Church a clear calling: give ourselves completely to God, refuse to conform to the ways of the world, and allow God to transform us through the renewal of our minds. We are not called to stand apart because we are better than others, but because we belong to Christ. In a world marked by temptation, injustice, division, and suffering, the Church must remain faithful to its calling. We are called to be set apart for God while being present in the world to be a people of holiness and compassion, truth and justice, hope and peace. Above all, we are called to make Christ known through the way we live and through the way we serve a broken world.

Stephy Jaise, UK