A new way
March 26, 2008 (Wednesday)
A local church in the Woodlands had 18 worship services over the past weekend, beginning on Friday, including Saturday and finishing on Sunday. Thirteen of those worship experiences were at the church’s old location and five of them were at the new location, a satellite congregation. Their slogan: one church – two locations. Attendance at the church is now 13,000. A few years ago, the church was still a dream in the hearts and minds of some believers. They dreamed, they worked, they prayed. Now they are reaching many people for Christ.
I rejoice in all such efforts in behalf of Christ. The people who lead in such churches are people who realize that the old, old story of Jesus and His love can be presented in many ways. As a result, many people with no background at all in the Bible or church are coming to know Christ as Savior. They are being reached with new methods of sharing the old Gospel. We should all rejoice that people are being reached with the message of salvation in Christ who never would have been reached at all if no one had tried a new approach.
Let’s face it. The world has changed. That change slowly took place over many decades and finally exploded in the 1960’s and beyond. Those who have understood the effects these changes have had upon people and the choices they make have been successful in touching their lives for Christ.
Not every church can or should do things the new way. But all can rejoice when lives are changed, homes are rescued and relationships are restored. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since I started out in the ministry 60 years ago. Our world has changed. So have we. Whatever we can do for Christ we must do – in whatever way is necessary, old or new (1 Corinthians 9:22).