We already know that change is necessary even though it’s hard. The best thing about change is that it is SO WORTH IT! Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “It’s best not to change horses while crossing the stream”…that’s a great reminder that the timing of change is a critical factor.
Yet it’s not a deterrent to change. Change must and will occur…and it has been and will be difficult. But that cannot discourage our resolve because it’s only on the backside of change that we see the greatest benefits.
The casualties of change are numerous. Wars have been fought over change. Lives have been sacrificed to the cause of change. Why pay such a high price to change a situation? Why not acquiesce to the likes of discrimination, subjugation, racial inequality, or even acts of terror? Why will a bold few cast aside fear and refuse to accept the necessity of status quo? Simple…because change is worth it!
For the first time ever (that I am aware of), the Church is shrinking. We are hemorrhaging souls! To sit back and glibly attribute the crisis to the fact that the world is going to hell in a hand basket is UNACCEPTABLE! The world has always been destined for hell. But, believers are called be salt and light in a world that is in the midst of desperation!
Anyone who thinks the kind of change that’s needed is as simple as playing contemporary music or producing a fancy light show is missing the whole point! Jesus Christ is the only means of building the church. The Bible’s pretty clear about that here and here. We have the most relevant message for the whole of creation…but there’s one problem…creation is not listening!
I wrote in an earlier post that change necessarily had to occur or we become irrelevant. We exist at a time in history where the church is unbelievably disconnected from the culture we are trying to reach. To bridge that gap…we must change.
We must identify with those we would reach with the love of Jesus! Identification does not mean conformity. It does not mean compromise. We must connect. We must identify. We must change.
It will be hard.
It has to be done.
It will be so worth it!
[EDIT] - I just read this post from Gary Lamb that echoes my series of posts on Change.
I am honored that we are sharing the JOURNEY of CHANGING Greenville, SC for the GLORY OF GOD!