“Whenever a church
becomes static, its members begin to look only to the past.”
David H. C. Read
Though I have considerable admiration for David H. C. Read,
I would have reversed his comment above. I believe what is more poignant is:
“Whenever church members begin to look only to the past, their church has
become static.” The Bible celebrates a mobile God who continually calls His
people to be on the move. An eye cast backward instead of forward is the
clearest signal that vitality for imaginative ministry has waned and nostalgia
has overtaken a church.
What does it mean to look forward? Simply, a church that
looks forward understands that the church doesn’t exist for the members. The church
exists for advancing God’s mission. Make no mistake. The Bible is clear that as
the church advances God’s agenda each member has the responsibility to
demonstrate genuine concern and care for one another. Yet, there is a huge
difference between an organization that simply exist to care for one another
and the church that cares for one another while it pursues God’s mission.
Many years ago I heard a pastor ask his congregation this
question, “Why is the windshield of a car larger than the rear-view mirror?”
The answer is that what is ahead of us is far more important than what is
behind us. It has been said that the devil resist anything new in the church
because he may lose ground to Jesus. The most used and worn tool of Satan is
placing seven words into the hearts and minds of church members, “We never did
it that way before.” The implication, of course, “…and we shouldn’t do it
now.” But if that verdict wins, the
result would be a static church whose members only look to the past.
Joy,
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