Cultural Shift

Yes.  We are in the middle of a cultural shift.  As a pastor, I have opinions hitting me from all sides.  And I have the Holy Spirit speaking to me.  And all of the voices are starting to settle down … FINALLY.  And I can here HIS voice more clearly.

What does God think about all of this??

First of all, I AM NOT GOD.  I am fully aware of that.  And, believe me, YOU do not want ME to assume that role.  It would create a miserable universe in a matter of seconds.  Possibly milliseconds.  But, in the middle of all of the opinions and voices, there are several things I know to be true:

OUR MISSION AS A CHURCH HAS NOT CHANGED.  I am writing to Ebenezer.  And I am writing to the Body of Christ, the “Big C” Church.  We are still called to WORSHIP GOD and GOD ALONE, to TELL OTHERS ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST, to MAKE DISCIPLES, to MINISTER IN OUR WORLD, to FELLOWSHIP with each other.  NONE of that has changed.

GOD’S WORD HAS NOT CHANGED.  No court in any land can redefine the things God inspired to be written into His Holy Word.  So there is no need to panic.  Yes, we are called to continue to believe His word and stand for His word.  Even when the culture around us ignores His word.  By the way, THAT has been happening for DECADES in the United States of America.  Sometimes I wonder why people are so surprised…  But, rest assured that God’s word is the same as it was last week … Last month … Last year … Last century … NONE of that has changed.

JESUS SAID THE GREATEST THINGS WE CAN DO ARE TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS AND LOVE EACH OTHER AS MUCH AS WE LOVE OURSELVES.  THIS HAS NOT CHANGED.  I’ve been so troubled by the things I’ve seen on social media.  From BOTH sides of the issues we’ve walked through in the past two weeks:  Specifically, same sex marriage and the Confederate flag flap.  Both sides have spewed hate.  Rhetoric.    We’ve quickly gone from a state united after the Charleston tragedy to a state divided.  And in full hate mode.  (It’s like Clemson-Carolina week all year round.  On powerful steroids.)

All of this hate grieves God.  I know it.  Because, church, we STILL have to find a way to be His ambassadors to the world.  TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.  To those who want to remove the flag AND to those who want to keep it.  To those who celebrate the Supreme Court decision AND to those who grieve it.  We are called to TELL OTHERS ABOUT HOPE IN JESUS CHRIST.  WE ALL NEED THIS HOPE.  No decisions by courts or legislators will ever change that.

Yes, our culture is shifting.  PLEASE DO NOT EVER FORGET that OUR GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER.  Even if we face persecution (which I believe is coming).  Even if we stare into the very face of hate (which I believe we will).  OUR GOD HAS NOT SHIFTED.  Our mission has not changed.

HOW WILL WE ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION?  How can we stand for what we believe and yet love and reach those with whom we do not agree?  That, my friends, is a God-sized task.  We MUST trust Him to show us the way.  And have the faith to follow Him on that path.