Why is it that the "top" songs on any chart changes? Why is it that Toyota is no longer using "Oh, what a feeling, Toyota"? Why does Pepsi have a new logo every few years?
The answer...change. Change is a must. Without change, we get bored. I remember being a bit bored a few weeks into my summer vacations, as a kid. Why? Because it was the same thing each day...get up, play, maybe go swimming, etc. Doing that for days on end for a few weeks, I started to get bored. Go on a trip...no longer bored. Why? Because it took away from the norm...it was change. But live out of a suitcase, that is boring.
Change is something the religious community has had a hard time dealing with over the years. We want to hold on to different things that we hardly ever change. Those that have gone through changes usually see positive results - not just numerically.
One important concept about the introduction is that if customers weren't given any change, their sales would drop. We can apply that to the church a bit to say that if change is not made our "sales" will drop. Our sales are obviously different than a business. However, what we are all about will distinguish us from other churches. Sometimes what traditionally separates us is not going to be good enough to draw people in (or keep them). We may feel passionate about them, but that doesn't make someone else feel passionate.
Think about the person who developed the Pepsi logo of the 80's. I bet they were proud of that, as their art was displayed to billions of people. But what happened when Pepsi decided there needed to be a change in the logo? Did that person lose their passion or agree there was a need for change for the sake of attraction?
With the change in the logo, did the contents change? No, just the container. Our contents are not going to change, but our container may need to change. In other words, we have to be open to something that may "look" different, but in actuality, the contents are still the same. Our passions shouldn't change, but the superficial part changes.
There is always the argument about a younger generation leaving the church. This isn't just in our brotherhood, it is all around. Part of the reason that we're losing so many is that they are stifled. They are not able to adopt the procedures/traditions of the church of years past. Quite frankly, I'm not either. I am an "adapt with the times" person, even when it is difficult. You may not understand all the "techy" stuff kids are doing (and it isn't just kids). You may not understand their music. You may not understand their style of dress (not speaking of anything immodest). However, things have changed, and if we, as a church, are not willing to adapt to the times, we are in a slow decline...like boiling a bullfrog, it slowly dies.
Tradition of the Sabbath was not to work. Pharisees said it was a sin to pick grain (among other things) when Jesus and His disciples did anything of the sort. Sabbath was the content. Jesus wasn't changing the content. Jesus would still rest...but the men needed to eat.
Let's not consider the traditions and the superficial as unchangeable. Let's be praying that, individually, we will be open to change so that, for one, we can be more attractive in our approach to customers.
If we are going to be the church of the 1st century, we'll look like a church from antiquity. If we are going to be the church of the 1960's, we'll look outdated. We are to be the church that becomes "like all men, so as to save some". That type of a church would now be a 21st century church. Let's be the church of the 21st century!
What will you do to help us get there?
