Change Challenge

In the late 1800's and early 1900's when the Pentecostal movement was being born...or reborn, people did things their churches did not agree with, for the simple fact of experiencing God in ways they had not experienced Him before. When this began happening in the 60's and 70's again the church was not sure they wanted to accept what was happening. It was different...not what they were use to seeing or experiencing.

Today we are experiencing God again. Is it so different from previous years? The only thing different in each of these events is the way in which it was accomplished. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb. 13:8) He is the same, but it is important to look at the circumstances and the ways in which He moved and allowed the Holy Spirit to work. The ways were different, yet the Holy Spirit was the same...gentle and powerful. I believe God is the same as Hebrews says, but He uses the culture of the day to bring His will about and cultures change, so we must change.

God is a God of relevancy. He uses what we are accustomed to in order to reach the generation in which we live. He related to shepherds, fisherman, and tax collectors using what they were comfortable with in order to reach them. My question to the church and ministers today is, "Why is it so hard to allow God to use our culture to reach our culture?" We are not compromising the truth of God's word, we are making it relevant to a generation that needs God's word.

When the hymns, so many people love today were written, they were not the tradition of the day. Many were bar tunes with new words and the people loved them because they were telling the stories of their heart and what God was doing in their lives. This is what is happening today, but people are being inspired to write their own music with lyrics from deep within their spirit. People are using various ways to creatively reach a generation that is desperately in need of Christ, but it is difficult for some churches and pastors to grasp.

Take these thoughts to heart. Ask God to open your spirit to change. How is He wanting to work in you? Is it hard for you to change? Are you comfortable where you are at this point in your life? Maybe it is time to "upset the fruit basket" and allow the Holy Spirit to challenge you with change.

What can you change today that will benefit others tomorrow?