Our journey, our faith journey, takes us by the cross of Jesus and the tomb from which he left. We sit around the tables of fellowship with friends, old and new. We put our hands into the hand of God, who takes us to experiences we had never considered.

We recognize the cross, and we seem to vaguely understand the true significance of the tomb. We want to linger at the table with old friends. But what of these new friends and experiences?

As a church we often struggle with who were are to be as a vehicle on the journey of faith. Are we the horse that was used when we were organized in the 1800’s? The large, strong cars of the 1950’s and 60’s? The pickup truck of 1970 and 80’s? The import and SUV of the 1990’s and turn of the current turn of the century? Each of us have a different response because we evaluate our journey through the eyes of our generation. My generation…those born in the 50’s may wish to see the church with a sanctuary filled with bodies and choir loft filled with robes and the parking lot filled with “grocery getters” (station wagons and large family cars”.

Look around. Where are the horses and station wagons? Where are the big Buick’s and Plymouth’s? In our parking lot there are old and new sedans and vans, trucks and SUV’s.

God is telling us to make a shift on how we do church. Not a change because our destination has not changed, the stops along the journey has not changed…how we get there has changed. Change brings fear. Fear of the unknown. There is nothing unknown about the church other than what today will bring. I want us to be ready to minister in today’s world, with the people who come to our doors and the people who’s doors we go through. For those who have fullness of life in what we are now, that will not change. The way we get to those places will have an impact on who we are able to impact with the Gospel of Jesus…the good news. God is telling us daily to not change our destination but to shift our focus. Shift from what We Like…from what We Want…to what He Demands and what He Expects.

The book “The Purpose Driven Church”( by pastor Rick Warren) begins by reminding us that it’s not about us. It’s about God and how we are to live in His world.

Pray for the shifts we will make for God.