All In



Bro. Dean



This picture was taken at Centri-Kid Camp in Mississippi during the summer. I had painted my face to match my outfit...ORANGE! You see, the adult leaders were encouraged to be a part of the color coordinating of groups for the  big game day know as ORGANIZED MASS CHAOS! That's "OMC" for you novices. I figured if I was going to dress in orange clothes, why not have orange skin. Go all out! Do it up right! Completely commit! You know, be ALL IN!

How often do we take that approach with our ministry? Go all out. Be all in. It would be nice to say, "Always!" But you and I both know that is not true. You (and me) have days when you are not all in; you do not go all out. There are those days when you really don't want to talk to other people about anything.

So, have you ever stopped to think that it really isn't up to you. Scripture does not say "go and make disciples on the days you feel like it." We are to go out and teach and preach and live the Gospel. Everday!

So, get in line behind me and listen to that for a bit. (I am talking to myself right now.)

Get up and tell someone about how good God is. Tell them about His Amazing Grace. Show the dying world around you that you serve a Living God!

Wow! I am glad we had that little talk. I feel better already.

Change?!?!

Our comfort is found in what we know.

Sometime we find comfort in situations that are not necessarily the best, because that is what we know or have become comfortable with. This is absolutely true in Church Life! Where we sit in the Sanctuary, what music we like, what we wear, where we park and even when we go all become a tradition that is somewhat ritualistic. I sat in a meeting once and heard someone complain that the "quarterly" that they were using had changed the look of the cover. "The old way seemed to be just fine." Really?

What we find our comfort in is a funny thing.

I realize that change is hard; harder for some than others. What I challenge all of us on is the motive behind our discomfort with change. It could be the old way is better. Change for change sake is usualy not a good enough reason. However, change is the only thing that is inevetable. People change. Our culture changes. So, in church, change must come if we plan to impact the lives of those in our area of ministry. Hear me loud and clear, I do not imply that you change the Gospel! The Gospel of Jesus Christ must never change, but we may have to change the way we present it.

If you walked into any church in the United States today (2011), and saw children sitting in front of a flannel board listening to one lady in front of the room you would probably laugh. (You can Google flannel board if you are that young.) I remember Sunday School with flannel boards and that was high tech then. Yes, I am that old. Now, the technology is available and affordable so that a CD or DVD is expected as a minimum. Multiple people in each room, technology in place and kids moving around singing and dancing is considered the norm now. So, to get from flannel boards to multi-media in less than 50 years, change had to take place.

As change comes about, ask yourself, "Am I uncomfortable with this change because it is wrong or because I am just use to the old way?"

When we accept change as an opportunity to learn something new or to minister to a new generation for the Kingdom of God, it really makes a difference in how you see the change.

Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and accept change in order to impact the life of someone for Christ?

CHANGE!

It does a body good.