Vineyard Church of Knox County
Ch-ch-ch-changes
When I was a kid with my own room, I would rearrange the furniture in it about every six months. In addition, approximately every year or so, I would repaint the walls. I loved the fact that simple changes could give me a new room so easily. I like change...good change. You've probably heard it said that "change is good" but I don't believe that; I know that change isn't necessarily good or bad. It just makes things different--sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. Our desire as Christians is to follow God's lead as He makes changes in us and in the church. God always changes us for the good.
Well, it’s that time of year again at which it is natural to make some changes in life, and we at the Vineyard also take this time (though this isn’t the only time) of year to evaluate the church and make changes as we feel necessary. Isn’t it nice to be in a church that is willing to make changes, a church that isn’t stuck in empty tradition that restricts growth and change; and isn’t it equally nice to be in a church that doesn’t make changes just to make changes? We don’t want to change just because we can or just because we want to make things seem “new.” We are willing and eager to make changes, though, to the ministry of the church at any time provided that it helps us to better accomplish one thing: the mission God has given us. We are regularly asking the question, “How does God want us to change?”
One of the ways we are experimenting with change is at our Celebration Services. We’ve decided to try a slightly different order to the service (why?) because we believe that it will help to accomplish our mission, specifically as it relates to developing our people into a worshiping community. By starting with our Family Time we will be able to welcome visitors right away and greet one another before worship begins hopefully making everyone feel welcome from the very start of the service. Also, moving straight from the worship to the teaching time without breaking for Family Time we feel will provide a better flow to the service. We’ll try it for several weeks and see how God wants us to proceed.
We all know that each of us has areas that need improvement (just like the church), right? The question is, are you willing to make necessary changes, and are you willing to allow God to decide what and how you should change? I can assure you that God wants you to change, and He knows the best way for you to change, AND He wants to give you (with your partnership) the desire and ability to change. Philippians 2:12-13 reads, “Continue to work out your salvation (grow and change!) with fear and trembling (that is, humble dependence), for it is God who works in you giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”
Maybe we should say it this way: “God change” is good.
Peace,
Chris
