Thursday, January 12, 2017
Change is up to you
I hear a lot of talk about how to change a church. Members talk about leaving if things do not change. Staff members spend much time planning how to change their church. I know elders who in their first meeting after being ordained start talking about what needs to change.
What people want to change is interesting also.
Most of what I hear centers on the one hour spent in worship on Sunday. Change the preacher. Change the singing. Change how we do communion. Change who can lead worship. Change how worship is done.
Or change that we are always changing.
Or change the building. Add, update, better sound system, signs, seating, etc.
Some changes I hear are more generic. Better communication. Healthier families.
And sometimes churches can make changes in these areas. If they can even agree what the changes ought -- or ought not -- to be.
But sometimes I hear things like this: our church needs to visit the hospital more (or our preacher does, elders do, ...), the church needs to be more evangelistic, we need to do more to instill faith in our young people, we should help the disenfranchised in our community. We need more Bible study.
It is this last group that I am focused on this year. I don't know about my church -- or your church -- but I do know one thing. I am church. I can change.
Here is the answer.
Visit the hospital. Go support one of the teenagers in their game or concert. Talk to your neighbor about Jesus. Take a homeless person to Subway. Invite another family or two over to read and study the Bible.
But how do I get these kind of programs started?
Don't. No programs. Stop trying to organize. No budget money.
You and your family just start. Others might see what you are doing and catch on.
And if you are a leader in your church, when you start doing these things the rest of your church will follow your lead. By the way, if they do not follow... maybe you aren't a leader (no matter what title you hold). So just do it because you believe it is the right thing to do.
So I am working hard this year to look first in the mirror when I talk about how my church needs to change. I am going to do what I believe my church needs to do.
Maybe the change God really wants starts with me.
So God I am going to try and complain less about what my church should be doing. And I am going to do more of what your church should be doing. Give me strength and opportunity. For your Son.
What people want to change is interesting also.
Most of what I hear centers on the one hour spent in worship on Sunday. Change the preacher. Change the singing. Change how we do communion. Change who can lead worship. Change how worship is done.
Or change that we are always changing.
Or change the building. Add, update, better sound system, signs, seating, etc.
Some changes I hear are more generic. Better communication. Healthier families.
And sometimes churches can make changes in these areas. If they can even agree what the changes ought -- or ought not -- to be.
But sometimes I hear things like this: our church needs to visit the hospital more (or our preacher does, elders do, ...), the church needs to be more evangelistic, we need to do more to instill faith in our young people, we should help the disenfranchised in our community. We need more Bible study.
It is this last group that I am focused on this year. I don't know about my church -- or your church -- but I do know one thing. I am church. I can change.
Here is the answer.
Visit the hospital. Go support one of the teenagers in their game or concert. Talk to your neighbor about Jesus. Take a homeless person to Subway. Invite another family or two over to read and study the Bible.
But how do I get these kind of programs started?
Don't. No programs. Stop trying to organize. No budget money.
You and your family just start. Others might see what you are doing and catch on.
And if you are a leader in your church, when you start doing these things the rest of your church will follow your lead. By the way, if they do not follow... maybe you aren't a leader (no matter what title you hold). So just do it because you believe it is the right thing to do.
So I am working hard this year to look first in the mirror when I talk about how my church needs to change. I am going to do what I believe my church needs to do.
Maybe the change God really wants starts with me.
So God I am going to try and complain less about what my church should be doing. And I am going to do more of what your church should be doing. Give me strength and opportunity. For your Son.
