Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong! Be fearless! Don’t be afraid and don’t be scared by your enemies, because the LORD your God is the one who marches with you. He won’t let you down, and he won’t abandon you.
Thought for the Day: It was Winston Churchill who said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” This coming Saturday begins the 2019 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We are meeting in DesMoines, Iowa. The last time it was held in DesMoines was 1985, and that was my very first General Assembly. I went as the Youth Representative of the Nebraska Region. In those nearly 35 years, our denomination has changed dramatically. Like every other mainline denomination (and most denominations in general), numbers are declining. Though we are sending 22 people from Cypress Creek, most churches will send one or two. Our racial diversity has changed, especially with an increase in Hispanic, Korean and people from the island nation of Tonga…just to name a few. The debates at the Assembly tend not to be as intense as they were 20 years ago. And of course, many of the pillars and powerful voices are no longer with us. Let me say it out loud (or in this case, on the computer screen), change is hard. There are lots of theories for why church in general is seeing a decline, but I tend to think that most mainline churches had convinced themselves that they had reached near perfection in the 1950’s, 60’s and early 70’s. There was a confidence that appeared to be more like arrogance. The only problem was that we were on target only for a few years, and then the world around us changed and we were quickly out of step with the world around us. Churches in general have tried all kinds of cosmetic changes, and in some cases, they have provided short term growth. But the change necessary for the church to be God’s relevant voice in the world today is going to require more than little tweaks and slight modifications. Though the Assembly will look very different than the last time I was in DesMoines, I will remain consistent in finding moments to sit down with different pastors and pick their brains for 30 minutes. These are some of the most helpful moments at the Assembly as it allows me to hear about creativity within faith communities around the country. This is what helps me ask the necessary questions about change. Not whether we need to change, but how.
Prayer: Give me the courage to discern your leading, O Lord God, even when that leading takes me somewhere other than where I have been. Amen.
