BRIDGES

I have been watching with interest, the construction and preparation to replace the bridge over Interstate 20 at Well Road. I think they must be spending some of that economic stimulus money, (but what do I know!). I've been so interested because bridge building seems so complicated to me. I was surprised to see they had traffic flowing on the Interstate again by day 3! Amazingly smart people!

Bridge building can be a tedious endeavor--especially when that bridge is built to link different groups of people separated by age, gender, race, belief, style -- well, by more things that I can list here!

Enter the arena of worship. The natural tendency is for people to want things according to our personal preference -- you know -- the way they've always been done -- "yes, from my childhood!" "Don't change a thing, please!" And so there is work to be done -- building bridges to link the generations.

It has been a rewarding experience to lead CCWM through many and varied changes over the years and to see people so willingly lay aside personal preference for the common good. It screams "maturity!" when people who have been serving God for years and years are willing to adjust their expectations about the worship experience so their grand-children can relate to what happens in church and actually want to go! I for one, am not willing to watch succeeding generations walk away from the Church simply because I don't have enough foresight to build a bridge to reach them!

I'm not advocating change simply for change sake, and I am completely unwilling to change the message of the Gospel -- but our methods must always be tweaked and morphed to stay relevant to the culture. Jesus was a master at connecting with His culture. He spoke the language of the people -- and was always at ground zero with His audience. He often suffered rebuke and disdain from the established, status-quo, religious leaders of His day. "Friend of sinners" -- "wine bibber" -- even "Blasphemer" were the names hurled at Him because of His unconventional way of doing things. And even while some were offended at His methods -- He was building the Ultimate Bridge linking man to God and aren't you thankful for that!

So what action is mandated by Jesus' example? Bridge Building!

What say? Let construction begin!