Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Conformed: To bring into agreement or correspondence; make similar. (dictionary.com).
Transformed: To change markedly the appearance or form of; to change the nature, function, or condition of (dictionary.com).
Renewing: To make new or as if new again; restore (dictionary.com).
Change: to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone (dictionary.com).
I have been thinking a lot about change recently. People don’t like change. In fact, tomorrow in the United States is election day and we will elect a new president. Many things will change over the next few months and years as the country’s new leadership changes how things have been done in the past. Both presidential candidates have been running on the platform of “change.” In the political world it seems change is not only possible and necessary, but it is anticipated and longed for.
So why are people so afraid of the word change in a “religious” setting? Whether it is something major like a change in worship format or something minor like a change in time for an event. Change haunts many churches. We try to make changes less painful. We call them different things, but by becoming a christian we are required to undergo a change – a transformation. We become a new creation, and we are supposed to be different from the world we live in.
In a business setting, not changing your product’s offerings to reach the new customer base will lead you straight out of business. If Ford were still selling the Model T there is no way it could compete with all of the other options and competitors. People want CD players, V8′s, GPS systems, DVD players, speed, slick looks, tinted windows and more. Even if it was dirt cheap, people would rather pay more for something they liked better. The Model T is simply not the product people are shopping for when they are looking for a new car. It is similar in the church setting. Churches are not providing what people need. Don’t get me wrong. Church should not be about making people happy and making people feel good at the cost of watering down the good news of Jesus or by skipping over the parts that hurt our feelings or challenge us. Church is about worshipping the one, true God. Church is about community, fellowship and support. Church is about learning how to go through life by becoming more and more like Christ. But, churches should strive to be relevant to today’s culture. The Church should strive to be essential to its community. Sometimes that means changing the offerings, times, styles, and formats. Sometimes it just means being authentic and doing what you do best for God!
Churches that refuse to change will still need a building program. Except the capital campaign will not be to raise money to reach the community. It won’t be used to construct a new worship facility. It won’t be used to refurbish and renovate an existing facility to to upgrade the technology being used. Rather it will be to expand the cemetary. That scares me!
By refusing to change the church shoots itself in the foot. Rather than fulfilling the Great Commission of going and making disciples, the church simply dies. This pushes people away from the Church rather than bringing them into God’s kingdom.
We are called to make disciples as we live our lives. We are called to grow into a deeper relationship with our Lord. Our life should be transformed by His love and grace and it should be apparent to those we come in contact with. Once we accept Jesus’ command to “go make disciples” and we are transformed to the point where we are excited and intentional about reaching people for Christ the changes we face will be easier to make.
As I look at the definition of change above, the scripture from Romans 12: 2 really hits home. I am thankful for God’s grace that I have been “changed” to “something different from what [I] was [before]” or “what [I] would [have been] if left alone.”