What do we do when what we are doing doesn’t work anymore?
In 1st Corinthians 9:19-23 Paul tells us he becomes all things to all men so that by some means he might win some. He was willing to change the changeable to reach the reachable. Some in our fellowship have made their purpose in life condemning those who like Paul adapt to reach out to those who are lost. Their area of expertise is condemnation of those they call “change agents.” Actually almost all Old Testament prophets were “change agents.” Paul himself was a “change agent.” It isn’t about holding a perceived pattern. God’s work is about effectively reaching people with God’s truth. Borrowing a phrase from Lynn Anderson, sometimes we need to be able to “navigate the winds of change.”
There are some things that cannot change. Scripture is our standard and can never change. Truth can never change. The requirements to become a Christian never change. The direction it takes to maintain our relationship with God never changes. There are basic truths that never change. They were the same in the days of Paul and if the world stands another 10,000 years they will still be the same.
There are some things that can change. Our method of preaching the gospel will out of necessity change. Twenty years ago a blog like this would not have been a possibility. As opportunity makes other avenues available our preaching methods will change. How I reach out to those that are lost must remain relevant. If I can’t meet people where their lives are lived I won’t reach those people. It is as simple as that. I must connect with those who desperately need Jesus. When we argue things that have no effect in regard to the lost we miss the point of Jesus purpose and intent. It isn’t about what I want or prefer. It is about how I can maintain some sense of relevance in the lives of those I am attempting to reach for Jesus.
When it comes to changing in order to be all things to all people so that by some means I might win some there are four basic questions we need to ask. First, is the change anti-scriptural? We have shackled ourselves in past years by asking, “Do we have the authority to do this?” This is the wrong question. What we need to ask is, “Does this go against the principles of Scripture?” Is it anti-scriptural? Second, does this change meet the needs of the people I am trying to reach? We know that without Christ mankind has no hope. At the same time we have to provide the preaching of Jesus in a way that is palatable to those needing to hear. Otherwise, they will not listen or obey. Third, does our change continue to glorify God? Many things are religious. Many things sound good on the surface, but if they don’t bring glory to God they need to be avoided. Fourth, Does this change allow us to connect with the group we are trying to reach? I go back to Alabama and worship with my children as I have opportunity. The congregation where they worship rarely sings anything other than “praise” songs. Try as I might I can’t learn to like this style of worship. One day it dawned on me that they aren’t singing that type music for people like me. I am going to be there regardless of the music style. They are reaching out to a segment of society that likes this music style. It connects with them. It isn’t anti-scriptural. It brings glory to God, while connecting with their target group. It certainly works for this church.
If you call me a “change agent” because I become all things to all people that by some means I might reach some, then praise God for the title. Adaptation and change is what you do when what we have been doing doesn’t work anymore.
Amen brother. Keep becoming. Brother
It is easy to criticize new ideas. I can deconstruct almost anything, but it is much more difficult to build something. We probably don’t need any more critics - what we need are people to think creatively about how to bo just what you (and Paul) said: become all things to all men…and win some!
Your four questions are good, except I really hate to start by asking, “Is it wrong?” It may be just the right question to start with, but it reminds me of setting around the table with church leaders who are evaluating some idea. The first one says, “Well, I don’t see anything wrong with it.” Then the second one says, “Well, we’ve never done it that way, but I guess I don’t see anything wrong with it either.” On it goes till the poor idea has not been set aside, nor embraced; it has just been slowly diced to death by their unenthusiastic acquiescence. They have gone through their database and found no checksum errors, but they just don’t see why we should be doing something new.
Lord, deliver leaders to us who have ideas and the vision and energy to move us forward. Please give us leaders who say, “Wow, what a novel approach, perhaps we could tweak it a little over here…” and, “I never thought of that before, I am grateful for your creativity.” or some other encouraging word. Lord, forgive us when we make mistakes, but please let us not sit “perfectly” still. And give us wisdom not to repeat our own mistakes and to learn from others as well, but when we do make mistakes, help us to fix them without moving backwards. And please don’t let us be stopped by that last mistake: give us a good attitude about goofing up so that we can laugh at ourselves rather than point fingers. And when we do make mistakes, help us to support the one who feels most responsible; help us to make him/her a success, because that is the way we see one another. Thank you, Lord for making our wrongs right in Jesus.
I sure appreciated your post today.
disciple
Thank God for creative people who find new ways to spread God’s word! Good post!
jc in Slackland
I think that we could and would give more weight to passages like the one you are bringing to our attention, if were we not so focused on other passages from the same letter…this (the case in point) being, 1 Corinthians 14:40, in particular. This “let everything be done decently and in order” is “the hammer for the rigid.” It is their defacto “creed”…and I hear it quoted “out of context” enough to want to make me scream!
We could “be all things to all men”, if not for the paradign that claims that it had better be as bound as many by rules and regulations as possible…remember, not only “decent”, but, “in order”…(as I digress further into facetiousness :-), “in order of or to do what??” The irony is that no one can tell you anything about it…they certainly do not know where this phrase is located(?)…it is just this — a catch phrase. I have a friend who is currently ministering to and for a church that is “out of control.” They have an epidemic of immorality. It is a sad reality, and yet amazing at the same time, that it only takes one situation of immorality — going unchecked — to bring down an entire congregation. But, when people are dealing with situations such as THIS, as the Corinthians were, then get back to me on “decent and in order” :-). There was genuine upheaval in the assembly at Corinth. There were women coming to the assembly looking like prostitutes, boisterous wives of the prophets speaking and acting in an unbecoming way, believers showing up for agape feasts and worship having had too much alcohol. These were situations of genuine concern — not whether you should have two songs and a prayer followed by the Lord’s Supper, or sing a song during the Lord’s Supper (our concerns for “order”). So, to bring this all back around…yes, we can become “all things to all men,” but individual and congregational “world views” have to change from being “primarily focused on law” to being “primarily focused on grace and love” in order for this to happen.
Forgiven1
If Christians are individual members of the same body then I think they should be spending more time together than the time they spend worshipping together. The church building should be used more often for this purpose than for several hours a week at designated times for worship service/Bible classes. To me this is similar to the parable of the talents – not using the church building is like the one talent man who did nothing with his share. The building is not HOLY – it for the use of the members.
These days not many members have homes big enough, parking space for large groups of company or live a distance away that might prevent others from going to their homes. But everyone might be able to attend functions at the church building. What a waste for it to sit empty – think of the rent we pay for an empty building just sitting there doing nothing but collecting dust.
How do we get to know each other sitting in pews, with our Bibles in our laps and hands folded properly with faces forward listening to the teacher/preacher. Chatting briefly before or between class & worship is NOT enough time to get to know how someone is doing, who someone is, what’s happening in their world, etc. etc. etc.
Christians need to take time to consider one another. Christians need to take time to consider (to perceive, observe, understand; therefore to consider someone or something attentively; to focus the eyes or mind on someone or something) fellow Christians. Heb. 10:24, Rom. 12:4-21, esp. 12:4-8, 10-16, 18, Rom. 14:1-15:13, esp. 14:1, 10-12, 13, 16-20, 15:1-2, Lk. 12:24, 27, Heb. 3:1, James 1:23-24.
Christians need to take time to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
Christians need to take time to stimulate one another (an incitement or irritation; to sharpen an object, therefore to urge, stimulate or spur someone on to “sharpness” or to irritate, provoke, or arouse to emotions such as anger) to love and good deeds as part of our considering one another. Heb. 10:24.
How can we do this if we’re not together more often to see each other and really get to know how each member “works”? It’s to easy – much too easy – to judge someone if you don’t know what’s going on in their “world”. But if we’re together more – in one place – and can see and know how each member operates – then we should have a better understanding and be able to get along ever so much easily.
If we spent more time as a FAMILY in each others company as a family must, then when we sometimes have to rebuke one another because we see sin in their live – it should be pointed out and received in a much more loving way. Rom. 12:9, Lk. 17:3-4, Matt. 18:15-18, Gal. 6:1-2. And when we see where praise is needed and encouragement or honor is due to one another it is accepted graciously and not with jealousy by some. Rom. 12:9-10, 15, Phil. 2:1-4, 17-18, I Pet. 2:17, II Tim. 4:2.
We are responsible for “sharpening” each other! But if we don’t really know each other it ends up usually as “cutting” someone to emotional or spiritual death. Prov. 27:17, Eph. 4:11-16, esp. 4:12-13, 15-16.
Assembling together (a gathering together into one place) took place at many times, including on Sunday, the first day of the week. Acts 20:7 & I Cor. 16:1-2; Acts 2:42 & 46-47. I don’t read where they necessarily assembled at a different place to worship than from the place they were meeting in for other purposes: praying, eating together, gathering together for edification, etc.
I would love to see Friday Family Board Game Night with all families and the kids running around having fun together! Weiner Roasts or Soup & Sandwich Buffet Night or Movie & Popcorn Theatre Night, etc. etc. etc. All of these activities provide opportunities for us to sharpen one another’s desire and ability to love and to do good deeds when we are focused on one another’s needs!
If we abandon this type of assembling together, when we are inconsiderate of one another and don’t want to take the time to really know other members in more casual and personal ways, then we permit ourselves and others to grow dull in love and good deeds.
When we fail to be considerate of fellow Christians and fail to assemble together in order to know each other then we are killing ourselves along with them – we are all connected in one body – not just the body/church – but in a real physical body, a real family here on earth. We need to survive by being with each other. A heart cannot survive without the brain, the brain cannot survive without the lungs, the stomach cannot survive without nourishment, etc. etc. etc.
good blog, come on.