The Change That Comes With Church Growth

We all have choices in life. Some choices lead us into good times, while others will lead us into bad times. And considering that we are free to make whichever choice we want, we should be very careful and use much wisdom, because most choices, good or bad, have far reaching consequences that we might not be able to see beforehand.

When I was a child, I had what was considered an ‘over-active imagination.’ It wasn’t mischievous, but it did get me into hot water on occasion. I remember when I was about eight or nine years old, and I was in my classroom at school. It was a spelling class, and I was as bored as bored can be in that class. It was one of those classes that was a ‘no-brainer’, and so it left me with plenty of opportunity to let my mind run wild.

One day, I was sitting in my seat, which was by the window. I looked out and saw the fields across the street. Instantly, I was on a horse, riding across that field and trying to track down the outlaw who robbed the bank. That is the kind of imagination I had. Whenever I got bored, it turned itself on, and then I was somebody else, somewhere else, doing something else. And in reality, I had much more fun in my imagination that I had most of the time in real life.

I think that was because I was in full control of what happened to me. At my age today, I don’t daydream like I used to, and I don’t even dream as much as I used to. Something else I have noticed is that when I dream at night, they are not as intense or vivid as they used to be when I was younger. But I still enjoy my dreams. Maybe one reason is that I dream in a world that gives me what I want; a world that caters to me. And everyone loves to be given good things, don’t we?

But things are not always like that in the real world. Sometimes, we either don’t have any control, or at least not full control, over what the world offers us. That sounds like we are pretty much helpless, but that is not the case. You may not have control over what the world offers you, but you have absolute control over what you accept from it.

So let us be very wise in what we choose to hold onto in the world, and be very aware as to whether it hinders our faithful walk with Jesus or not.

Have you ever wondered if our services could be different? I don’t know if all of you fully realize that CrossRoads is going through a major change at the present. A change, if done right, that will enhance this church for years to come, or a change, if done wrong, that could even cause us to have to close our doors.

Take our Sunday morning music, for instance. Dave has been willing to step up and give us something we have not had before; a worship leader. But until now, he has had no opportunity to practice with the rest of the praise team. Once they are able to get together and practice, I think we will all rejoice in their ability to bring us all kinds of songs to the people of this church – the older hymns, the songs we have been used to singing, and even newer songs that will help us praise the Lord.

Nearly everything we do is being scrutinized to see if change, or if a change in focus is necessary. Why are we doing this? We must do this to accommodate the new growth we have recently experienced, and the expected growth that we have been praying for. And as we grow, we must ensure that everybody gets fed as much as possible while they are here. All it will take is our willingness to have a heart of give and take.

Just like a tree. When a tree is a young sapling, it bends in the wind. That flexibility actually helps it to be stronger, so that when it reaches maturity as a tree, it will be able to withstand the storms. If it cannot bend as a sapling, then when it is a big tree, it will snap like a twig the first time a hard wind blows.

For those of you who have not had the opportunity of being in an actively growing church, it might seem a bit uncomfortable to you at first. But if we keep in prayer, and truly rely on God, not only will we get through it, we will be blessed as we travel this adventure.