Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Culture Shift for Churches

If you don't move to meet the needs of the culture you're trying to reach, your church will be, oh what's that word I'm looking for....oh yeah - DEAD!

You cannot continue to do the same ministry the same way you've done for 3, 5 or more years and expect to get different results each time. (That's the definition of insanity, remember?)

Churches that refuse to adjust their ministry to meet the needs of the community they serve will never be relevant to that community. You will be nothing more than brick and mortar. That really helps people meet Jesus, doesn't it?

CHURCHES, that means that you'll need to be training your people to DO the ministry that is right in front of you. You'll need to provide people opportunities to BE Jesus once you EQUIP them to.

Don't change the MESSAGE - but you'll need to change the METHOD! (Not new, just a good reminder for us all!)

Marvelous?

It's been a while since I've posted...been kind of busy and weird around here. But it feels like God is getting me back to the place I need to be in order to be all that He designed me to be.

As I was reading today in Zechariah, I was truly hit with so much that it brought me to tears. In chapter 8 God is reminding the people about what it will be like when the streets of Jerusalem are filled with people, with kids laughing and playing...all seems like it will be well. But then he asks this question in verse 6 - "It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it be marvelous to me?" declares the Lord Almighty."

I couldn't speak. All I could do was weep. Not exactly sure why.

I do know that it feels like this is where we've been living as a church, and at times where I feel like I've been leading from. It might seem like things are well, that things are going good. But what does that look like to God? Is it really 'good enough' for the things God has called me and/or the church to? Would God call what we're doing or where we're going marvelous?

To be blunt, I would have to say no.

What we see as marvelous is only what we can understand with our eyes. God's ways and plans are so much higher than ours - and yet we manage to shut Him out when we think we've got it all figured out or it 'feels like' things are good!

Especially now in our transition, I'm discovering that I've got to take time to truly seek God's heart. It can be real easy to become complacent in the ministry because it feels 'marvelous' (just heard Billy Crystal in my head!). And that's when Satan comes after us with a vengeance. We're weak, distracted with how great things are, perhaps caught up in the 'success' of the moment - all prime times for attack.

But if we're not careful we will miss out on the GREAT things, the marvelous things that God has for us. As I process all of this, I'm looking at the ministry to which I've been called and asking this question - is this my very best for God? Would God look at this and say "Marvelous"?

To be blunt, I would have to say no. I need to always be striving for more with God. I cannot afford to slow down and enjoy the view. Got to keep pressing on toward the prize...

What about you? Is your ministry or your walk marvelous in your eyes? Would God agree?

See ya in church...and in the blogs more often.