We Haven’t Got a Pointy Roof – but We Do Need Jesus

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was recently a guest speaker at a 5½ thousand member conference organised by the London Church, Holy Trinity Brompton – famous for being the birthplace of the Alpha Course which is used by many churches, including our own, to introduce the Christian Faith to those who want to know more about it. 

During his interview with Holy Trinity’s vicar, Nicky Gumbel, Archbishop Justin recalled the words of one of his Churchwardens: “If Jesus isn’t at the centre of the church, we are simply Rotary with a pointy roof.”

Being a 1980s church building, St Pauls doesn’t have a "pointy roof" – more resembling a school hall. But the churchwarden’s words are equally valid here. In everything we do and say, we must be pointing to Jesus, or we just risk becoming another social organisation. It is Jesus who came to earth, sent by God the Father, to die on our behalf and open the way back to God. It is Jesus who is the Good News we proclaim.