We often talk about change as if it’s something coming at us from the future that we don’t like and don’t want. In truth, though, change is happening all around us all the time, and we are a part of it! We are part of shaping the world around us, slowly changing it from what it was to what God wants it to be. Ironically, this is the way it has always been. We are part of building God’s future!
Think of all the ways we’ve changed the church in our lifetimes!
Our retired pastors often ask us to remember what the church was like when they started their careers in ministry. It was led by mostly men, mostly white, mostly from similar backgrounds. Now, the larger church is like a rainbow explosion!
It’s easy to see and celebrate the ways our local church has changed. In the last ten years, we’ve worked deliberately to build a congregation that is inclusive rather than exclusive. This journey has taken us to surprising places, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We’re moving away from a faith of trite and unhelpful cliches—”God won’t give you more than you can handle”—and toward a faith that is robust, healthy, nuanced, dynamic, and stronger.
Our church staff—four women in their 40s—were recently reminiscing about what acolyte training was like when we were youth: the robes, the precision, the strict schedules, and high expectations. Maybe we’re nostalgic for the past, but when we see our kids lightning candles, with adults to help and show them it’s okay not to be perfect, we’re grateful for the ways we’ve evolved.
We celebrate these changes! When we look back, we can see God at work, slowly leading us forward into faithful service. As you look back at your life and faith, what changes do you see and celebrate?
It’s hard to have a conversation about anything these days without referencing how the world is changing. The changes have been extensive, fast, and powerful. It can be easy to lose our bearings. Looking at how God has moved us forward in the past, though, can give us hope and excitement for our future. Yes, the world is certainly changing. Yes, we will experience some of this change as a loss, and there will be some grief. And there will also be opportunities, achievements, and delights. The church of tomorrow will not look like our church today. But our church today doesn’t look like the church of the past! We have changed it! And we will keep changing it, as we build God’s church for the future.
What are your hopes for the church of the future?
A place where lonely people can find friends?
A group of people who commit to loving God and loving each other?
A force in the community for justice, love, and hope?
A movement where life is celebrated, laughter is abundant, burdens are shared, and God’s love is known?
All of these things are possible! We can make them together, with God’s help. When we all give from who we are and what we have, we will build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. We can look to the future with hope. Will you join us?
