Is Change Good?

When you're the young guy in the church, or the new pastor, you often times have to wrestle with change and how it ought to be handled. Unfortunately, some changes that are made are often times not really needed. They are preferences at best. However, my point in this post is not first about change within the church, but rather change within one's self.

Here's what I mean by that last statement. As I have recently come to a new church to pastor there has been much talk about change. The church expected change when I came. They were blessed with one pastor for the past 34 years. In fact, he was the first pastor of this church. That's right, in almost 35 years as a church I am the second pastor this church has been under. That means the church has taken on the personality and DNA of the previous pastor. By God's grace, that's a wonderful thing. However, they expected change. I've thought a lot about change and what it would look like in the church. My imagination has gone all over the place!

This, however, quickly turned personal. Many people resist change. Indeed, some change is bad and not worth pursuing. Other change, however, is not only good, but it's necessary. In fact, anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ must constantly change. After all, we are seeking to become like Christ. Each day ought to be filled with a pursuit of godliness that causes one to think and act differently because they are becoming like Christ. That means, each day ought to bring about some change in the individual. Right? These changes may be small, and even unnoticeable for some time. But if one looks back over the past year, or 10 years, they ought to see some significant change.

Now, the church is made up of individuals who have covenanted together in Christ Jesus. Logically this means that the church, made of of individuals who are changing daily into the image of Christ, must also change as time goes on. If this is true, and I think it is, then change is not only good, but change is necessary.

Thoughts?