Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Is OLD a state of mind?


Is OLD a state of mind?

I've been talking alot recently in blog's about tradition, legalism, and things I believe are holding the church back and even hurting the church. Old fashioned is good when it comes to pioneer days and ice cream, but is old fashioned good or healthy when it comes to the church?

I really think OLD is a state of mind, because I know some young people who are very legalistic and I know some older people who are very progressive and open-minded.

Some people I'm not really for sure why they even go to church? They look like they were baptized in vinegar and sucked on a persimmon before going into church. They are unhappy, negtive, critical, judgemental, and condemning. Everything is wrong, sinful, or irreverent.

You can't sing new songs, because they aren't the good ole hymns they grew up on. You can't use a different version of the bible because I never have or it's not "authorized" (it's called "authorized" version because King James didn't want any other version used except His so he put that on there), you can't deviate or do anything different in our church services or programming because it's not the way we've always done it. People think if you change how you do things you're changing Jesus, but you're not. You are simply changing how you share Jesus. Methods change, message doesn't. It's not that God doesn't want change, He does. He wants us to change! It's people set in their ways who are holding the church hostage and refuse to allow change. They are quinching the Holy Spirit from working and moving in our churches.

People like this their whole christianity is based on negativity, unhappiness, rigid rules, and I'm not sure why? Jesus died on the cross! He defeated death, sin, and hell. He shows us unconditional love and grace, and He forgives us all our sins, and He gives us freedom in Him. Yet people continue to live and go to church like they are still waiting for Jesus to die and that in order to be a good christian, you can't allow anything new or change anything or that you have to be miserable. Jesus is supposed to change your life and give you inner peace and joy, so we should celebrate and be happy and share that with others.

Here is my question for each of us. Is the church your at growing? When was the last time someone got saved or baptized? How many kids you got coming to your church? How many young couples or people below 40 do you have in attendance? How old are the song books in your pews? How old are the pew? Does your church look like a museum? Does your church ever deviate from their schedule? Do you ever have any visitors?

Jesus may have died on the "Old" rugged cross but he had no desire for our churches or christians to act old, be stuck in the past, or refuse to change with the times. We must constantly reNEW our minds, our programming, our church services, and ourselves in order to be effective in reaching lost people and discipling members.

OLD fashioned, OLD ways, Old Fuddy Duddy's is a state of mind that we need to get out of our faith and out of our churches. Jesus is ALIVE, His mercies are NEW every morning, and each day is a NEW day to know Him, serve Him, enjoy Him, and worship Him. You should enjoy going to church, enjoy being a christian, and others should know you are happy by your actions and attitudes. When you have Christ, you are no longer OLD self, you are NEW Creation, so act like it. Stop holding the church back with your old fashioned narrow mind and enjoy Jesus. Enjoy going to church, enjoy any NEW change that refreshes your church or worship and attracts new people into the church. Jesus has made everything NEW.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17(NIV)

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