Jump Start # 3817
1 Timothy 3:15 “But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”
One of the comparative expression that God uses for the church is that of a family. We are the household of God. Our relationship is as siblings. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a father, and that is the Lord.
Life in the family changes. Babies are born and that really changes things. Life centers around those little ones. Then another baby is born and even more changes. The children grow. They take on more responsibility and there are more challenges. They mature, start driving, start dating. They spend more time with friends and dates than with mom and dad. In time, they go off to college. They take on a real job and move out on their own. They get married and start having their own children. Back at home, that once busy and noisy house, becomes empty and quiet. The family changes. The grown kids drop in now and then to see their parents. They bring their little ones. For a moment it seems like old times. A lot of noise, activity, fun and enjoyment. And, as time moves on, one of the parents passes away. The family changes.
What one learns is that life always moves in one direction. It never moves backwards. Grown children do not come back home and become children again. They have their own homes, jobs and families. The change is always one direction. A generation comes and a generation goes.
We’re experiencing that. Our children are grown, have their own places and their own families. Life changes.
But, the same happens within a congregation. Congregations change. It’s not so much doctrinally, but the feel and the atmosphere. Families move in and families move out. Members pass away. Preachers move. And, while the church building may look the same, the congregation isn’t. Some congregations shift to an older population. Others seem to shift to a younger population. Changes in the leadership. There can be changes even in the financial health of a congregation. As working men and women retire, others move away, some pass away, the flow of contributions changes.
I have seen all of that. Friends that were very dear to me and the heart of the congregation, move away. Things just do not seem the same for a while. Some who were very engaged in commenting in Bible classes and volunteering to help where needed, pass away. There is a change. There have been times that a congregation had to tighten it’s belt financially.
Here are some thoughts on all of this:
First, those leading, both in the home or in the church, do well to honor those who have meant so much to the family and reassure those that remain that all will be fine. Often those moments provide wonderful opportunities for others. It may be the passing down of a car to the next in line to drive. It may be the opportunity to lead singing, teach or serve in some capacity that had always been filled before. And, it is in those moments, that hidden talents become useful and seen by all. Some may have remained quiet in a Bible class because there were always others who did most of the talking. Now, that they have moved on in life, it is an opportunity for you to speak and share insights that you would have never done before.
Second, changes often lead to readjusting goals and plans. If the finances are not there, a family may not be able to take the vacation that they wanted. A congregation may have to cut back on bringing in guest speakers. As families change, adjustments must be made. These adjustments may lead to stopping some activities that had been done many times in the past. Maybe the family always took vacations together, but now, because of little ones in school, or newborns, that can’t happen. Being flexible both with our family and in the congregation will lead to trying new things and one may find that the new things work better than the old things.
We see this in the way Gospel Meetings are held these days. Some may remember, years gone by, that they lasted two weeks or even longer. Often the preaching lasted more than an hour each night. Adjustments have been made. How we do these things has changed. Is one better than the other? One suited the spiritual family then but we realize it doesn’t work well these days. Adjustments.
Third, visionary leaders anticipate these changes. They begin training young men how to be leaders. They see the day when the current leaders will no longer be able to serve. Understanding that a time is coming to pass the baton on to others, they work toward that direction. Rather than ignoring it or fighting against it, they use the time to build smooth bridges of transition.
The same is true in the home. Our little boys will one day be grown men who likely will be dads. Show them and train them. Little girls will be moms one day. Rather than wishing it would never happen and that things will always stay the same, build smooth bridges of transition.
Life changes. It always moves one direction.
Roger