THERE is an assumption that associates the church with power, that sees the church as an institution whose purpose is to increase its size in order to gain authority over people. It is an assumption that is held both inside and outside the church, with the result that, when a large church, such as the Church of Scotland, loses numbers, the immediate reaction is to conclude that it is losing its power and is therefore becoming irrelevant. It is an assumption I want to challenge.

For a year I have represented the Church of Scotland in all kinds of places, both at home and abroad. I have encountered churches that are very small in comparison to the Church of Scotland and yet have influence well beyond their numbers because they speak with a freedom and independence that is not always available to churches, or indeed any other faith communities, that are too identified with those who exercise power and influence over society.

Within Scotland, I have met people with political power who clearly retain a respect for the church that does not seem to diminish with the falling numbers; political leaders who recognise the social capital that is provided by church members and who appreciate the work that is done by the churches, often working together, within our poorest communities. It is clear to me that many of our politicians still see a role for the church in a stable and just Scotland.

In visits across Scotland I have met people in industry and commerce and the health service who value the opportunity to work in partnership with the church. These are people who recognise that the church has something to offer to them and has something that ensures the people they are working with have access to spiritual care and support.

It is time for us to see the relevance of the church in a new way. At the heart of the Christian faith lies the concept of community. And it is in the values that build and strengthen community that we will find the relevance of the church today.

In a world that is obsessed with numbers and size and is impressed with technology and power, it is so important that another voice is heard: a voice that puts the spotlight on the human; that bridges the gaps that leave people feeling isolated, manipulated, misunderstood and undervalued. It is into this context that the church seeks to be a model of a caring community.

The church encourages its people to adopt lifestyles that are in harmony with creation. The church may not always be successful in living by these values, but it does have a faith that makes it clear that we are meant to live in ways that are life-enhancing. So the church seeks to nurture these values in its members and it issues an invitation to others to respond by adopting these values for themselves.

Far from being an instrument of power, the church offers to work in partnership with others. It offers the model of community by which it seeks to live as a service to the wider community for the benefit of all. At its best, the church offers a free and independent voice for anyone to hear who cares for the health of society.

And as long as the church puts the spotlight on the values that underpin a caring and just society and seeks to live by these values in what it does and says, it will remain relevant, irrespective of its numerical size.

The Right Reverend Sheilagh Kesting is Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland