INTRODUCTION:
The history of the world
constantly reminds us that every pattern and method has been changed, there is
no element in history remained unchanged. The following are few examples for
changes happened,
- Monarchy rule to Republic method all around the world.
- Culture, Daily living, Technology …etc changes when a better one replaces it.
- Record player – Audio Cassettes – CD drives – Memory chips.
- Computer – Laptop – Mobile Phones – Tablets.
- Replacing man power into machines.
These all we see the changes occurred within our lifetime. It is the proof that “Change is unchangeable” in all
realms of human life. Change causes lot of pain initially to accept, later we
realize it as a better one. Somebody who used windows 98 operating system would
say windows 7, is more comfortable to use but it would be hard initially to
accept the change in all its usages. Following are few examples for the
hardness of changing our simple behaviors,
- Folding hands (Try to fold in other hand on top than normal-what do you feel?)
- Crossing legs (Can you do the reverse and be comfortable on that?)
It is not easy to adapt the
change in simple practices, and then it would be hard to change our entire practice
we were doing in the past. Changes required in all our methods, not on the
principles (Norms) which remain same in all times. There were three important
churches we see in the early churches in the book of Acts,
Jerusalem
: A city originated
the Christian faith to the world
Antioch
: 3rd
biggest city in Asia Minor.
Ephesus
: A church with apostolic foundation.
The church in Antioch seems to be
more influential and powerful according to the scriptures. Apostle Paul used
this city as his mission base, as he started his missionary journey from here
and ended here. This church had an enormous growth and a church which made a
reformation in Christian faith. While church in Jerusalem emerged with the
Jewish impact of Mosaic Law, the importance of traditions and the temple of God
in Jerusalem; the churches in Asia Minor had a different impact on Christian
faith, “Salvation by faith, not by the law.”
The reason why this shift and
growth held in this church was because this church was “Open to changes”
we see the historical beginning of the church at Antioch in Acts 11:19-27. The
ministry in Antioch had significance because apostles preached the gospel to
the Jews, shaking the foundation of Judaism: the Jerusalem Temple and Mosaic
Law. The norms of Christian faith emphasized, i.e. salvation through Jesus
Christ and by faith.
In today’s churches we should
have some changes as everything is been UPDATED (Practices) in the history of
the world. If we remain constant in our church services we would stop the great
change which is about to happen in and through us in our local church. We need
at least the two following changes as we face the renewing world, people,
culture and history.
1. Change in Attitude:
We need some updated thinking as
we approach the scriptures. Though we had great preachers and teachers in the
past that had great success with the methods they used. It is not necessarily
the same pattern we should use today to achieve the same success. In the past
open-air conventions had great success to proclaim the gospel among the
unreached, today we would hardly find people attending in that type of meetings
– even if it is conducted only Christians or people who are driven by emotions
or needed healing hardly participate in it. In other words most gospel meetings
are healing crusades, as if they think that demonstrating healing brings people
to Christ.
Jesus in his earthly ministry
used miracles as a way to preach the Kingdom of God, he never used only Miracle
as a means for preaching. In His approach, always the message (kingdom/ gospel)
stood far above the miracles or healings. His thoughts and words were always
liberating people from what they do and believe. Often he seems to have a stand
against the Mosaic Law and gave a practical reason of liberation in his outset
(Mark 7:1-15; Luke 14:1-6; Matt.19:3-9; Matt.12:1-8).
Many Christians today think and
act what they were taught by their founders or leaders. They don’t think beyond
what they were heard off. The reason behind is nothing other than
“fundamentalism” Jesus was more concerned of what “we are” rather than what “we
do.” People today are more concerned and bothered about what they do will spoil
their spirituality than thinking that who they are?
Once one of my uncles said that
their Pastor taught them not to have food in “unbelievers’ (non-Christians)
houses either in wedding or other functions” he was following it fervently
forgetting that his pastor is a number one fighter and a man of rivalry. Most
of his believers are good in street fights and other unwanted doings. This
really spoil their image that’s what Jesus meant in Mark 7:15, “There is
nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the
things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man” There are some possible
attitudes we must change, what we think about the church. This is very
essential as we precede our journey as a believer in Christ Jesus,
The Power of the Church: Most of the times we
underestimate the small and less facilities churches. Only the mega-churches
are the place where God demonstrate His power. The size, musical instruments,
number of participants, facilities and other visible means used to determine
the power of the local church by many people today. But God has placed the
church in the “center of His plan” to reveal His power and might
to the society.
Ephesians 3:9-11 says, “And to
make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus
Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly
places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to
the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” Local
church is the place where God demonstrates His eternal power through Christ
Jesus our Lord.
The wisdom and power of the Lord
equally manifested with the mega church or choota (small) church. People
may mock at your ministry failures and less people attending the worship
services, but the power of the Lord is manifested through your church to the
society. We must able to have the “Changed” attitude of the power pack hidden
in your church. The church has enormous power to change the individual,
society, nation through the message of Gospel in Christ Jesus.
The Truthfulness of the Church: Every local church is a “family
of God”. The relationship between the pastor and believers should be a
familial relationship of parents and children. The elder believers and pastors
should teach the younger ones in the church as it is in the family. Universal
church is a “joint family (family of families).” Caring and guiding the
believers is the key aspect of a family which should be found in our church.
The truthfulness of the church will be displayed to the world once the
believers are faithful and lovely to one another (John 13:35)
The Focus of the Church: Matt 28:18-20, “18 Then
Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.”
The focus of the church is “making
disciples” there are four imperatives used in the passage “Go, Make
Disciples, Baptize them and Teach them.” among all the four “Make Disciple” is the
goal post of our church. Today churches are becoming the place of entertainment
– for two hours. The churches in cities are more luxuries than cinema theaters
with lot of sound and light effects. People attending the church not with the
motive of making disciples but to show themselves as Christians! We have to
once again turn into the original “Focus of the church” making disciples of all
nations.
The Complexity of the Church: Church in its nature is complex
in its activities. Therefore the leadership should be shared one. Church has
the participants from all tribes and tongues – the service has the mixture of
different type of people. Therefore it must be administered by “a team of
leaders” Most churches today have the one man army (leadership) that pastor
does everything in the church and the believers are only the spectators to
watch the services. In those cases the believers have less opportunity of
exercising their spiritual gifts.
In corporate world today we see
everything has team, team leaders …etc. but in the church the pastor leads the
singing, prayer, psalms and preaching. Pastors who cannot even sing in
bathrooms release music CD’s which is very common today. Team leadership works
everywhere in the world, which is a proven truth. Just as the cat closed eyes
and said the world is dark – the world cannot be dark. So also “if you say 100 times or even 1000 times
“multiple leadership doesn’t work” it cannot be false. Leadership in the church
should be multiple in making disciples, that’s what we see in the book of Acts
where Paul appointed “Elders” (notice the “s”) in the church – not a pastor!
(Act.14:23; 11:30)
Charles Spurgeon once said, “if you do not have the talent of preaching
vacate the pulpit” The period of individual talented preachers is over –
the time of super star preacher/pastors ended. In New Testament writings we see
Paul uses 1/3 of times he used his team members as “Fellow Workers” (See the
number of times Paul used “fellow” in his epistles).[1]
A well know story of kindergarten children (Rabbit and Tortoise race goes
like this ….)
One day a rabbit was boasting
about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle for being so slow.
Much to the rabbit’s surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race. The rabbit
thought this was a good joke and accepted the challenge. The fox was to be the
umpire of the race. As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the
turtle, just like everyone thought. The rabbit got to the halfway point and
could not see the turtle anywhere. He was hot and tired and decided to stop and
take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed him, he would be able to race to
the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle kept walking step by
step by step. He never quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He just kept
going. However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He
could not see the turtle anywhere! He went at full-speed to the finish line but
found the turtle there waiting for him.
The Next day Rabbit challenged
tortoise to have the same run in the same track again. The rabbit was so
curious to finish the race. As it decided to finish, it did and won the race.
The third day the Tortoise
challenged the Rabbit to have the race again but in a different track. The
rabbit agreed and started the race. Alas there was a river to be crossed to
reach the finish line. The rabbit ran so fast and being stopped by the river!
The tortoise slowly reached the river bed and jumped into the river, crossed
the finish mark…
The final day the rabbit
challenged the race again in the same 3rd day track! But with a
different rule as Rabbit is faster in the land, it must carry the tortoise in
its back, and in the river Tortoise must carry the Rabbit. What a wonderful
seen both of them reached the finishing line together. It is a simple story with lot
to teach about the “team effort,” it proves “Team work always works.” Therefore
our attitude of leadership must change along with other changes to achieve
great things for the Lord through our ministries.
Not only the “Attitude” to be
changed but also the “Strategy” must be changed as we head into a modern world
with lots of facilities.
2. Change in Strategy:
The following picture is the
usage of internet in Computer and in Mobile phones
It proves that every
scientific approach changes time to time. It would be hard to find someone without
a mobile phone in a big conference or meeting. The population of the world is 7
Billion (700 Crores), on or before 2017 the mobile connections in the world
will be more than the population of the world. By that time 71 babies will be
born all around the world while 406 new mobile connections will be given.
Mobile phones have all the needed accessories so that you don’t need to carry
even a torch light, watch, calendar, calculator …etc.
The generation we live “They hear
through their eyes and think through their hearts” earlier it was through their
ear and mind! What strategy we are going to use to reach this people. The
scientific world has everything in their hands – even to make Dosa they
watch internet for guidance (but won’t tell you to keep the pan right in the
stove). Fishing cannot be learnt in a class room atmosphere?
We need a change in strategy to
reach the people with the gospel. The youth in India (65% as BJP leader Modi
Says) need something from the church to be loved and shared! What are we going
to show the change in us? Are we still going to make them bored in the service?
if so they will start playing in the mobile phones (As we see in lot of
meetings today). May God enable us to find new
ways to impact the word with a changed attitude and strategies to win it for
HIS glory.
(This message was preached by
Mr. Watson, on a pastor’s gathering at YMCA Hall Salem on 3rd
October 2013)
[1] Paul’s Usage Of “Fellow” In His Epistles
1.
Fellow Prisoners (Rom 16:7; Col 4:10; Philemon 23)
2.
Fellow Workers (Rom 16:21; Col 4:11)
3.
Fellow Laborers (Philemon 1, 24; I Thess. 3:2)
4.
Fellow Soldiers (Phil 2:25; Philemon 2)
5.
Fellow Servant (Col 4:7)
6.
Fellow Helpers (2 Cor. 8:23)
7.
Fellow Citizens (Eph 2:19)
8.
Fellow Heirs (Eph 3:6)
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