Church and Change

Churches don't like change. Whether it's music, liturgy, or the carpet, we like things the way they have always been. We've all heard the adage: "We've never done it that way." But change is a fact of life and as Diana Butler Bass demonstrates it is at the heart of Jesus' message.

Since we're on the eve of celebrating the birth of Jesus, maybe it is worth considering his message. Diana writes:

In the New Testament, Jesus asks everyone to change. With the exception of children, Jesus insists that every person he meets do something and change. The whole message of the Christian scripture is based on the idea of metanoia, the change of heart that happens when we meet God face-to-face. Even a cursory knowledge of history reveals that Christianity is a religion about change. The Christian faith always changes -- even when some of its adherents claim it does not." (Diana Butler Bass, Christianity for the Rest of Us, HarperSanFrancisco, 2006, p. 24).

We live in an ever changing world, and if the church is to navigate its waters, it must change. And change it will! Merry Christmas!

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