Churches experience the effects of a changing world which may require us to change in order to protect people (love always protects, 1 Cor. 13:7) and to provide a place and program most conducive to living out God’s purposes to love Him and others, function within His design for the Church, and fulfill His mission.
We can’t and shouldn’t promise people that the Church will never change. Yet, we can, and should, promise people that not everything changes.
What Doesn’t Change in a Changing Word – Not Everything Changes
1) The Character of God Doesn’t Change
… from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. (Ps. 90:2)
In thinking through how to best serve people in today’s world, we need to make sure that what we do lines up with the true character of God … someone of whom there’s none greater.
When we make our God fit our culture, to be someone we’re comfortable with, or who is politically correct, it minimizes who God is. He becomes an anemic God who is no greater than our human perception of Him. It’s hard to trust in that kind of God with all of our heart (Prov. 3:5-6).
In a changing world, we need someone we can count on to be there who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, who can faithfully and wisely guide the way. He is our “due north” when all around us gets confusing and we feel like we might lose our way.
- Who are you going to let determine the purpose, design, and mission for the Church — an immutable God or the changing world in which you live?
2) The Truth of God’s Word Doesn’t Change
Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. (Ps. 119:89)
In determining what changes need to be made because of the world in which we live, a reliable guidebook would help. While the Bible may not give us a step by step plan for what to do in every situation, it does provide principles, precepts, and parameters to guide the way into what is right and best. If, however, we pick and choose what to believe and apply to life, we have an unreliable book. If one part is no longer relevant or true, how can we know if the other parts can be trusted?
In a changing world, we need an unshakable foundation on which to build our decisions (Matt. 7:24-27). God’s Word doesn’t fade away but rather lights our path (Ps. 119:105) and thoroughly equips us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Our methods and strategies may change but His Truth stands firm.
- What grid do you run your decisions through — the reliable Word of God or faulty human thinking?
3) The Essence of Who We are as a Church Doesn’t Change
As already established in previous posts, though we might have to make some changes to adapt to our changing world, we still pursue God’s purposes, design for the Church, and mission. These form the essence of who we are as a Church, the Church God established to be light and salt (Matt. 5:13-16) in this world as “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). Who we are, as the Church, sets us apart from other non-profits, community organizations, welfare programs, and the like, so that must not change. We may need to make some adaptions to how we pursue these priorities, but the essence of who we are must stay the same.
- Who do you let define the Church — the unchanging One who established it and gave us His reliable Word or the culture of this world?
Yes, we do need to make changes as a Church to be able to best reach and disciple people in today’s world to become lovers of God and others (1 Cor. 9:19-23). But, in doing so, let’s stay true to who God is and what He says. Let’s keep perspective in these uncertain days.