Delighting In Change
Can change really come to the Church in this most crucial time we live in? Can the image of the Church be desired again by a generation that is not concerned about denominations? The real question is will the Church of God be applicable to this generation in the next ten years? The turn that is taking place throughout the churches in America is quite simply a change to bring about change. The in depth institutionalized rhetoric that grips so many has to be loosened and changed first before the movement of a revolutionary emergent church will be fully embraced. Simplicity in the worship of a Holy God and the trust of leadership must be embraced as the Church changes to what God is purposing for her in the hour we live.
A harvest is not defined by what we perceive it to be but what God has perceived it to be. From the standpoint of many today, the harvest is the “who do we want to attend”. The Lord, and I am not speaking for Him because it quite apparent what He is trying to do on this earth, wants the doors blown off the buildings.
The harvest today is ready to be presented the Gospel of Christ in love and grace. The ears are open to hear what the Lord is saying not what influential people with great communications skills can say. The eyes are open to see the miraculous and comforting of the Holy Spirit. What about acceptance? God accepts anyone and certainly He will bring the change into that person’s life as they commit to Him.
The Church is made up of people who once were not what they should be but now they are what God has made them to be. My prayer is that the Church will accept the harvest that God has defined and love that harvest as God has loved them. Hey, it a new time for His bride and how exciting is that?
My Heart To Yours
Dennis
Hey Dennis,
Don’t know if you remember me or not. Eddie Farnsworth and I hung out together at WCCC and then went on to be room mates in Cleveland.
Anyway, on the Church of God and change, at the very least the structure has got to become more flexible. I would love for it to all be re-written, but if it is not flexible it will come back to the same point again someday.
If our minutes and bi-laws were a bit more flexible, then apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers could focus more on fulfilling their call instead of pastoring a CoG building which provides CoG literature to CoG people who have and always will be CoG. Ministers who struggle with maintaining a name would be allowed to obtain a harvest.
Just my thoughts.
Darrell B.
Darrel,
Great to hear your heart on this matter. I am in the same thought about this. Flexibility is not a determent to growth but a help to be able to focus on what really matters. Yes, that is right, a harvest would be a novel fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Do you ever see Eddie?
Dennis
Haven’t seen Eddie in a few years, but we touch base at least once a year.
He’s a lawyer and very involved in his local church in VA. Two daughters and a great wife…he’s outnumbered.