We live in a changing world.
Admit it or not, we are drawn to change. It energizes us. We like it.
Think of television. A few decades ago the popular shows were Andy Griffith, Bonanza, I Love Lucy, and Leave it to Beaver. I am not knocking these shows at all because I've seen most of the re-runs.
But every episode basically had the same plot. You knew what you were going to get. The script rarely changed and people loved it. Each episode ended with resolution. You could turn off the television and enjoy a piece of cake because everything was okay. Ricky and Lucille were fully clothed in separate beds. The lives of Hoss and Little Joe were threatened again but the good triumphed over evil.
Now...think of the shows that people are drawn to in 2009.
24 & Lost. There is rarely resolution. No one is safe. The plot and the characters are always changing. Every episode leaves you on the edge of your seat. And people love it.
American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Survivor, Amazing Race, and every other reality television show--every week something new is happening. Characters are eliminated. Things are changing. And people are addicted.
We live in a changing world.
America has drastically changed over the past 40 years. We are more diverse than ever before--racially, ethnically, socially, politically, and religiously.
Last I saw, the average American family will move 11 times. In the years past, families would stay in the same home for decades. This is no longer the case.
Dress codes are changing. Boundaries are changing. Relationships are changing. Neighborhoods are changing.
We live in a changing world.
Here's the question--is the church changing with the world?
Is the church attempting to adapt to a changing world in order to dream with God how we might be able to speak a Word into this change?
We live in a web-based world. What does that mean for the people of God?
This doesn't mean that we let go of core beliefs and values, but it does mean that we must be able to hear the world, understand the world, care for the world, and to be in tune with the world in order to speak a redemptive word into the lives of people.
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Good post. It always has, and ever will be, a continuous challenge for those of us who have been entrusted with this precious message. But certainly, the urgency of the challenge has been upped with the speed of cultural change in recent years.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, thanks for mentioning my favorite shows. But you left out Gunsmoke.
I think some churches are certainly better than others about changing with the times. It is so important to communicate God's unchanging love in a relevant way.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, Adam was my favorite son in Bonanza :)
Josh! So glad to read your thoughts. Just a few days ago Troy and I were discussing how even though we're in our mid 30's, we're really feeling the "change" between us and our kids' generation. We're feeling like it's so important for us to pray for wisdom and courage. We need the Holy Spirit to not only reveal the necessary changes, but also to give us the courage to move out of our comfort zones so that we can reach others. What's the point if they can't "hear" us???
ReplyDeleteMy favorite oldie is Little House on the Prairie... and yes, it always ended with the happily ever after. (I like for it to stay that way!) :) Love to your fam!