Growth and Change

Growth and Change

In the natural environment we see that growth and change is normal eg. plants, animals, human beings. Church growth is no exception. Imagine an influx of new people coming amongst us? What effect would that have on us? It would certainly put pressure on each of us to relate, to adjust to things like different dress, thinking, lifestyles, perhaps ethnicity. We would have to listen to other viewpoints, think through our own more carefully, and carefully defend our own faith and beliefs non-defensively. It would probably mean having to deal with wrong attitudes, prejudices, and expectations. It may mean not getting the seat we want, or the songs we like, or the attention that we are used, or our own way at different times; or having to do things differently, arrange our lives and ministries differently etc.

The Scriptures demonstrate that God is not particularly pleased with people not willing to change eg. Jer.18:1-6; Acts.19:51; Heb.3:7-9. God calls his people to be willing to grow and change in their thinking Rom.12:1,2; their attitudes 2Pet.1:5-11; and of course their behaviour Eph.5:25ff. Our western culture promotes goals of security and comfort. These are not God's goals. God is concerned about the Kingdom growing Matt.28:19,20; Acts.1:8 etc., and about his people growing and changing. Unfortunately comfort, convenience and security as this world counts it, come a rather poor second. God promises He will provide all we need, and that even the seeking of life's staples is to be subordinate to seeking his kingdom first Matt.6:33. He calls us to seek his kingdom first in our personal lives, our relationships, as a church together. He calls us to change and grow, to be flexible and adaptable so this can happen, even as he called his own son to be flexible and adaptable and to change and grow. Much joy comes our way when we change and adapt to suit God rather than when we want life and others and God to adapt to us, to change to suit us - blessed are the changeable!