That Six Letter Word

This tractor caught my eye last year. It sits along side a really goofy antique shop on the outskirts of Galena, IL. At one point...it must have been proud and strong. A true workhorse for the owner. Now...forgotten and neglected. A pile of rust.
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How does one go from proud and strong to a pile of rust? How about your church? How about your family? How about you? Proud and strong or a pile of rust?
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Change. Am I allowed to type that? That dreaded six letter word. Change may be bad or good. But...as the phrase goes...change is constant. As such, the question quickly becomes how to adapt to or implement change.
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This tractor may run. If so...is it effective or useful? Let's look at your church. Your church may run. But...what's the substance? What's the focus? Is there life or is there death?
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Here are eight signs of death...
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- Have lost their sense of mission to those who have not heard about Jesus Christ and do not pant after the Great Commission;
- Exist primarily to provide fellowship for the “members of the club;”
- Expect their pastors to focus primarily on ministering to the members’ personal spiritual needs;
- Design ministry to meet the needs of their members;
- Have no idea about the needs of the “stranger outside the gates;”
- Are focused more on the past than the future;
- Often experience major forms of conflict;
- And watch the bottom line of the financial statement more than the number of confessions of faith.
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Huh. How about your church? How about your family? How about you? Proud and strong or a pile of rust? How does your church adapt to or implement change? We want to do more than run. We want to reach. Reach a hurting and lost world. Stop looking in and cast your gaze out!
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On a separate note...Come and enjoy...watch the crazy youth pastor risk limb and life. Now...I'm all about being relevant. But...let's try and not run anyone over. Until next time. Jed.