“…and Peter said to them, ‘You
yourselves know that it is unlawful
for a Jew to associate with or visit a
Gentile; but God has shown me that
I should not call anyone profane
or unclean. So when I was sent for,
I came without objection. Now,
may I ask why you sent for me?'”
Acts 10:28 – 29
I believe there is an extremely strong possibility that God intends a vital future for your congregation which may not look quite identical to its past. I also believe this: it might involve more than a little openness to change. (Ouch!) There’s that “c” word again. Frankly, haven’t we heard it enough already? Well, maybe not. And maybe, (just maybe), it will be the best thing we’ll have experienced in an awfully long time. I don’t mean “throw the baby out with the bath water” kind of change. I’m speaking of the thoughtful, intentional, planned yet courageous kind of change that indicates that what we say about the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives is actually being given space to live and grow. The kind of change that recognizes we can be far more effective disciples for Jesus Christ if we listen lovingly and attentively, as Christ did, to the real human experience which surrounds us every day. Yes, contrary to the “light bulb” joke, Presbyterians really can change, and our loving, gracious God continues to show us how and why we should.
In his insightful 2001 book, Good to Great, James Collins convincingly shows us that the enemy of achieving great purposes and results is the willingness to be satisfi ed with that which is “good enough.” The Christian church has been content to rest upon its history. We are much too comfortable with the familiar and the easy; as though the way things were done in the past will always suffi ce for what the present and future will need. In our time, many believe that the life and witness of the church is doomed to irreversible decline. But I believe our greatest years in mission still lie before us. Why? Because God is greater than our memories. We forget that the early church was among the boldest of all fl exible organizations, changing and adapting in its development to respond to a future that was unfolding in new and uncharted ways before it. St. Peter, arguably the poster boy for “all things status quo,” had the courage to hear the Spirit of God calling for change so radical that it challenged even the scriptures of his Hebrew ancestry, daring him to live and move among the Gentiles. As comfortable as he was in his tradition, Peter knew God was calling him to new ways of living, serving and worshiping.
Much of the church’s decline can be attributed to its failure to connect with the real lived experiences of women, men and children of our time. So let us no longer offer answers to questions which people are not asking. Let us not insist on passing out candles when people are starving for bread. Most of all, let us trust that our loving, embracing God will bless our courageous openness to change when change is evidence of truly listening for Christ’s voice and taking action in faith!
Grace and Peace,
