All things new...

And he who was seated at the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 21:5

We stand here at the beginning of a new year, looking forward, probably a little exhausted.  At least I know I am.  This past year at First Baptist in Waverly has been a year of change.  Changes beyond the normal.  And change is tiring.  It takes the best from us as we scramble to figure out the new normal.  And all of the changes seem to come in the last half of the year.

We saw our parsonage taken down and replaced with a parking lot.  Before that, our pastor moved out of the parsonage.  It may seem like you’ve always had a pastor next door to the church, and now he’s not there.  And then, the house isn’t even there.  And it’s strange, different.

Then we had the change in services.  Last year we had gone to two services, with a traditional service still being held at eleven, but with a new contemporary service earlier.  That took half the people away from the eleven o’clock service.  That was strange, different.

Then in July we combined the two services again, only as a contemporary service.  This one was very strange, very different.

Some love the changes that have taken place.  Some hate the changes.  Some are staying away because of them.  Change is hard.  I know it is.  I’m feeling it too.  It was a lot of change in a short time. 

But I do believe that God is working here.  He is making all things new.  He is making us new. And He often uses change to do that.  He makes us uncomfortable.  He makes things strange and different.  And we come out of it different.  Different priorities. Different mindsets.  Different desires.

I don’t think that change is either good or bad in itself.  We have good or bad reasons for making the change, or fighting the change, but the change itself is neutral.  All change is good if it makes us grow, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.  And all change is bad if we don’t understand the reasons for it.  So in that sense, all change is both good and bad.  And remember, all change holds in it an opportunity for growth. 

Change happens.  Even change in a church.  And that change can grow us, mature us, and strengthen our faith.  So let’s take some time to catch our breath, to regroup in the body of Christ, and to unite with one another in the fellowship that gives us peace and belonging.

And we’ll patiently wait on the Lord together, as He transforms us from the inside out.