Jims ThirdSpace

Why change

A couple of weeks ago I had a series of postings about change (see September 16 – 18). I want to add a couple of observations as change relates to churches.

40+ years ago my parents moved to Jacksonville and as a family we joined a church in the community. My family was typical of the 100′s of families that were moving into our community at that time. We were a caucasian family of four, parents were 33 and 35, two preschoolers and two grade schoolers, Dad worked, Mom was a domestic engineer, one car, and of a Christian (Southern Baptist) heritage. We were at home attending and worshipping in a church family that looked just like we did, and supporting the many programs of the church by our attendance at: Sunday morning Worship Service, Sunday School, Sunday night service, Church Training, Wednesday night supper, RA’s, prayer meeting, and choir practice to name a few.

Today the church we joined in the 60′s is all but dead. Through the years the world changed, and around that church the community changed. The church’s philosophy of ministry, style of worship, and general mindset has not. They are in big trouble, with old tired facilities, a greying population with only a few young families. It is sad.

Today I attend another church. A church where the largest group of attenders are adults 32 – 36 with two children (one preschooler, one grade schooler). Sound familiar?

The question in front of me, is will history repeat itself, or am I a part of a church, that realizes the message of God is the same, in the 60′s, now and in the future, but the way to reach an ever changing world is to be flexible in how it is presented to our community.

What kind of a church are you a part of?

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Tags: change, repeating history

Nobody likes change except a wet baby

This week I’ve had two postings about things nobody likes.  Many of you probably had some of the same “don’t likes” on your list that I gave. Something that is on everyone’s list is “change”; nobody likes “change” except a wet baby.

“Change” makes us uncomfortable, uneasy, unsure, unsettled, nervous, cautious, anxious, apprehensive, and slow to move.  Even those of us that say we like change have to admit there is a certain level of uncertaintity with change.  We may handle it better than some, but, there is just something about change that gives us “pause”. Doing life in a changing world is difficult if we stick our head in the sand and refuse to change.

Organizations are like people on a grander scale.  Change can be tough, because organizations are made up of people that all deal with change in different ways, at different speeds.  But just like people, an organization that sticks its head in the sand and refuses to change can have trouble doing life in a changing world if it refuses to change.

Churches are a poster child for organizations and how they deal with change.  Churches are at risk with impacting a changing world, by with how they deal with change.

Three choices every church can make are:

1. They can continue doing the same things.
2. They can try to do the same things better.
3. They can choose to do new things.

What kind of a church do we need to be?

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Tags: change

More nobody likes….

Ten more things nobody likes..

1. Plastic encased electronics
2. Loud obnoxious cellphone users
3. Workplace complainers
4. Wedgies
5. Paper cuts
6. Airport security lines
7. Jury duty
8. Old people drivers
9. E-mail FWD’s
10. Change

Got any more?

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Tags: change

Nobody likes….

Ten things nobody likes:

1. Getting old.
2. Running out of toliet paper.
3. Home owners association meetings
4. Stepping in dog doo
5. Bathroom lines
6. Middle school
7. Voice response systems
8. Cleaning out the refrigerator
9. Wet Socks
10. Change

What’s on your list?

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Tags: change