Change and the Unchanging
by Pastor Dick Bennett (Young at Heart)
I’ve been given several books lately that seek to address the status of the Church in light of our present world in which we live, and how to analyze it and address it. I found out that we already have a new generation, generation Z (What comes after that?). They have replaced the millennials. I was just getting used to saying that word.
Even generations are changing faster than they used to, which causes me to wonder – what hasn’t changed? Is there anything that remains “status quo”? And then I thought, oh yes, it’s the Word of God. That doesn’t change!! It’s the same yesterday, today, and forever, regardless of generational changes that take place. His Word abides forever, and there is nothing new under the sun. Sin is still sin, and it is in everyone’s DNA. And God is still God, and He is still redeeming people from their sin, changing hearts, and making people “a new creation.” I do understand that methods change with the times in conveying the message, and we live in a cyber world, but frankly, sometimes I get tired of those changes too. Call me a prude and I shall wear it as a badge of honor.
I do believe that the answer to all of the world’s problems is found in the Word of God! That’s why it is crucial that we keep preaching it and not water it down to accommodate generational change. That’s why it is inscribed on the wall over the main entrance to our Worship Center - in big letters.
My favorite new book is one just written by Dr. Jim Garlow entitled “Well Versed.” It addresses all of the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, and I highly recommend it. Jim is the pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, California. He is well known throughout Christian circles for his other books, “Cracking the DaVinci Code”, “How God Saved Civilization”, and “A Christian’s Response to Islam.” (I can loan them if interested.) He is a founder of the Alliance Defending Freedom, and he has appeared in interviews on most major TV channels, newspapers, and magazines. Jim and his church also have a satellite ministry in Washington, D.C. where they reach out to the needy and oppressed in our nation’s capital. All Christians should be “well versed” in the scriptures.