“But I Don’t Want To”
January 5, 2018“But I don’t want to”
Trigger words have become all the rage on many a college campus lately. Many people with graying hair and AARP invites in the mailbox have some difficulty grasping this new social phenomenon. They can’t imagine words so offensive that the hearer is immediately overcome with fear, anger, or distrust. And due to this lack of understanding, one might find them selves laughing at the possibility of such things.
A fair warning that you might find a “trigger word” in the next sentence. I am asking you to make some changes so we as a church can have a great impact in our community. There it is. The universal trigger that each of us will understand – Change. A pastor that I am familiar with recently stated, “The only person who likes change is a baby with a full diaper.” Many of you understand this. Change can be messy and difficult. Change will seem uncomfortable and unfamiliar. (That’s the point). I want to encourage you to change in a specific area.
We need to consider how (if) we are truly engaging our culture. Statistics remind us that the church is not retaining its youth through adulthood. Part of this is due to a sense that the church has grown old and outdated. We do study an Old Book and follow Christ who walked on earth a long time ago, but the gospel message is not outdated and old. The message of redemption, forgiveness, and hope are still what people are looking for today. We need to reconsider how we interact with others who see things different than we do. Matthew 9:10-13 is a great study on who Jesus was interacting with. Read that and ask yourself, “Am I engaging culture like Jesus did?”
I know that change is not your normal bent. Most of us don’t seek it out or revel in its work. Christ calls us to engaging with those outside the church for their benefit – salvation from the consequence of sinful actions (Romans 6:23). Commit today to engaging the culture around you. When you do, you’ll never regret it.
Pastor Dave
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