It has been said that when the change outside an organization is much more than the change inside the organization, then the end has come. This statement is true for majority of the church today. Especially churches that were founded in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Much changes have come upon the world and the church has been left behind. Therefore, in a world aflame, the voice of the church has sunk to a pathetic whisper, simply because much changes have overtaken the world in which we are called to minister.
A. FACTS OF CHANGE – Psalm 102:25-27
Change means transformation, turnaround, improvement, modification and growth. It is new and innovative ways of doing things. It is breaking new grounds, frontiers and forsaking traditions. It is embracing new ideas and doing things in a creative and innovative way.
- Change can be personal or professional. It can happen to family, relationship, community, organizations and nations.
- Change is the only certainty of life
- The world is created to change and evolve
- New life must take over from old methods Ideals, systems and methods grow stale and new ones comes
- Seasons, times and kingdoms come and go and new ones arise
The only certainty of life is that life changes. Things can never be the same and will certainly never remain the same.
B. FACTS OF A CHANGING WORLD. Dan.2:21
Stupendous changes have taken over the world. Changes that were not possible 40, 50 years ago are happening right before our eyes. Largely, views and perceptions of people have changed and are changing. Consider the following:
- Computer has taken over many jobs
- Communication – phones, video, television, internet, e-mails, ipod, sms and face book, websites.
- Cities – new, big, complex, metropolitan and advanced than before.
- Communities – houses, buildings and living conditions
- Music and pictures – new ways people learn and share like never before.
- Leadership – authoritarian, despotic and authocratic has given way to democratic and real leadership.
- Age-more youths and young people than elderly.
- Health = new grounds in medicine, treatment and cure.
- Jobs – Many professions and jobs have given way to new jobs and job descriptions.
- Family – Single parents, divorce, separation and new definition of family have increased significantly.
- Values – The value of honesty, respect, authority of parents and absolute truth have been greatly eroded today.
- Travel – you can get to one end of the world in a matter of hours.
Yes, while some of the changes in the world are negative, majority are positive and have made the world more complex and interesting.
Recommended Reading
How To Make Church Growth Work In Your Community
Discipline & Self-Control – Learning to Live a Life That Pleases God
Serving God In These Last Days:OBSTACLES TO SERVICE
C. THE CHURCH’S RESPONSE AND REACTION TO CHANGES IN THE WORLD
The church has largely responded and reacted to these changes. While churches of 90’s and 2, 000s have changed in some ways, churches of 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s have largely been unmoved by these monumental changes.
a. Some sections of the church have responded well by changing their systems, strategies and methods and they are reaching more people for Christ.
b. Other sections of the church have reacted to change by holding on to their old, achaic, institutional and outmoded ways of doing things.
D. WHAT MUST NEVER CHANGE IN THE CHURCH (Psalm 119:89 Jude 3, I Cor. 9:22-23)
So many churches change what they should never change and refused to change what they should obviously change. We must content and contextualize the message. These are what must never change in the church.