Twenty years later

     I want to warn you right up front that some of you are going to get mad at this post.  Some of you will get irritated and be offended.  So if  you are that type of individual I would advice you to stop reading now.  My intent is not to anger or provoke, but to cause you to think in a different way.  Let me assure you that God has been working on me with a big stick and I still need Him to work on me some more.

     Years ago a popular movie came out called Crocodile Dundee.  There is a scene in the movie where Mick Dundee, hero of the Australian outback, checks into a hotel in New York City and looks around and sees a television in one corner of the room..  Mick responds "Television.  I haven't watched TV for twenty years."  He turns on the set only to find the opening credits to I Love Lucy rolling across the screen.  Mick mumbles to himself as he turns off the set "Yep, pretty much what I remember."

     What's the point?  How many people have returned to our churches after a long absence and discovered that nothing has changed?  We are singing the same songs and saying the same things and basically doing things the way we did it 20 years ago.  They walk into our churches and say "Yep, pretty much what I remember."

     Please do not get me wrong.  The message of the church never changes "salvation is found in Christ alone by grace alone, through faith alone."  Yet how do we package this wonderful message?  There are people today that need the message we have to share.  Some of them have left the church only to return at a later date.  Others have never attended church, but would attend if a friend invited them.  When they come what will they find? 

     What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts and dialogue with you about the plight of the church.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.