Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes …..

In every way, our world (at least in the US) changed dramatically in early 2020. I not going to write the “C” word, but it changed how we do almost everything we do. It changed our outlook, our habits, our vantage points in life. We are still reeling from the change. But, should we really blame the pandemic?

Anyone who really knows me knows that I am a data geek. That goes all the way back to a lifetime ago when I was a computer programmer and software / hardware developer. We are talking the mid 1980’s, you know, back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth and a cellphone could also be used as a doorstop. My love for data and research has led me to be an avid reader of the likes of Barna, Rainer, and Nieuwhof. When the three of these sources intersect, I very much sit up and take notice.

I think Carey Nieuwhof has says this best when he says that the pandemic didn’t CAUSE the change in the church. The pandemic accelerated what was already coming! (I do not have a direct reference on this, but have heard him say this many times in the Art of Leadership academy, of which I am a thankful member!! All three of these sources agree with common sense: If we are to continue to BE the church Christ called us to be, we need to seek His face in figuring out how to reach our changing world!! And we probably won’t reach our world by keeping things the same way they’ve been for the past few decades.

The message of the Gospel is unchangeable! Make no mistake about that! We have no right to change the Gospel to meet our expectations and needs! We have no right to change the Gospel by watering it down to make it more appealing to the world! But our methods need to change. One of the greatest sins of the North American church is a holier-than-thou approach. We expect people to clean themselves up to our standards before we will let them into the club… The real joke of this is that NONE of us are capable of cleaning ourselves up enough to be deserving of salvation in Jesus Christ. So, why would we expect that of anyone else?

Love God with all of our hearts. Love each other as much as we love ourselves. Love our enemies. Pray for those who persecute us. Those are the very words of Christ. And, just before He ascended to Heaven after the resurrection He told us to GO, MAKE DISCIPLES, BAPTIZE THEM, TEACH THEM, and that He would help us do that every step of the way.

So these changes cause us discomfort? So we are not too crazy about reaching our to our enemies? Have no fear … Jesus promised that He would be with us always and He would help us. Trust Him.