Climate Change

Hello!

This month I haven't been as consistent in my weekly blog. I apologize. Last week I was at a conference in Phoenix, Arizona that shared with us the shifting culture we live in and it challenged church leaders to discover new ways to be in ministry with our changing culture. It was a good conference that offered a great deal of food for thought.

As I processed everything I learned at the conference, I realized that climate change is alive and well in the church. We hear alot about climate change in our media, the government, and some scientific institutions. I am not hear to argue for or against, because, quite frankly, my main concern is the obvious climate change that is happening within the church itself. We all know that "church" as we have come to know it is changing. Some see it as a threat to the gospel. Others welcome the changes with open arms. While most people are trying to figure out how the changes are going to affect them.

We all know that we live in a culture that has become increasingly selfish, me-motivated, and highly relativistic. These characteristics have worked their way into the church and to combat these challenges, the church is having to change the way in which we are in ministry with one another...the way we are the church together.

The younger generations (I am included in that) are becoming increasingly skeptical about the institution of church. It has become a political system more than a spiritual one. It has looked out for itself and its own survival more than it has looked out for "the least of these" among us. It has focused more on being right (theologicall, doctrinally, etc.) than it has on being right (righteousness) with God. To be honest, the church has lost its right to be an authority in the lives of those it has been called to serve. The church has lost its way on many fronts.

I have mentioned before, that for decades the church has slowly but surely abdicated its authority and responsibilities to government and other social and civic institutions. We have turned turtle and gone inside of ourselves. As a result, we are growing generations of Christians who are biblically illiterate and spiritually bankrupt. We have grown members, not disciples.

This is not just my opinion, but the research and statistics prove it to be true. As a result, the church's climate has changed and a new generation is rising up and saying, "We need to change the climate again. We need to get back to being the church, putting our faith into action, making Jesus real through the relationships we build. The church can once again be a transforming power in our lives and in our communities, but we are going to have to change the climate." And, that is not always easy.

Here is what I suggest. Yesterday, was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of our Lenten season. Often times, and rightly so, our focus during Lent is on our individual relationship with Jesus Christ. We confess our sins and seek our Lord's forgiveness. Some of us give something up that has been keeping us down. We substitute that with something that will bring growth and health to our lives (exercising, reading Scripture, strengthening our prayer life, becoming more vulnerable in our relationships, etc.). These 40 days of Lent lead us to resurrection...to newness...where the old is gone and passed away and the new life is lived!

Maybe we should also focus ourselves as a church. Maybe we should also honestly assess our ability to be holy and spiritually healthy. Maybe we should confess the ways we have turned people away and seen ourselves as "to big to fail". Maybe we should journey together toward resurrection, newness, and LIFE! Instead of being afraid of the climate change in the church, we ask God to direct us and lead us to new ways of reaching people and building relationships for the sake of our Savior. Maybe we embrace the change and thank God for using us broken vessels to carry the living water of hope in Him.

What do you think? Are we too entrenched in the old way that we won't allow God to make us new? Or, are we broken enough, empty enough, open enough, for God to restore us to new things?

Almighty God, forgive us when the lives we lead bring recognition to ourselves and do not point to your greatness and mercy. Forgive our arrogance and our piousness. Restore us and make us new again. Restore our relationships with each other. Strengthen our relationship with you. Help us to see this world with new eyes and serve this world with renewed purpose so that Your Body may be what you originally created it to be. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.