The 21st Century Retooling of the Church – Part XXIX
Who is the agent to construct this restructuring process of the Church? Who is the one who is willing to bring change even though the changes may not be popular? Whose is the one to take the “heat” when opposition comes because of the change? The answer: The Holy Spirit.
We, the church, always give the verbiage that we want “renewal”, that we seek “revival”, even dream of another “reformation”, yet we want it within the bounds or perimeters that we establish as “safe”. That is not how retooling works. Retooling calls for drastic measure during drastic times to save a cause, and nothing is safe or with in perimeters. It is a total restructuring effort. I believe that is why most true revivals have been “messy”. The Holy Spirit is messing with our mindsets, our safety zones, our traditions.
Insanity has been defined as “doing the same thing over and over, getting the same results, yet still doing it the same way.” Retooling will not allow the repetition of what doesn’t work with the hope that it just might work. It is scraping the old and constructing the new. Old buildings, structures, must be torn down before true urban renewal can be built. The same is with the Church.
It is important to know where one came from, but it is even more important to know where one is going, yet tradition seems to oppose revival. We say we want renewal, but we do not want to give up the old way because of its sentimental value to us. As the saying goes, “We want our cake, and eat it too.” True renewal, revival, and reformation demands a total break, “the old is gone; the new is here!” Yet can we trust the Holy Spirit in making the break. That is what faith is all about.
So what will the Holy Spirit do to bring this change? I have no idea; it’s not my call. He is in charge. All I need to do is be obedient to what he says because he always does the Will of the Father. His job is to bring glory to the Father, so if we can’t trust him, who could we trust.