New System

I've been training employees on a new data system. Previously, we've used a DOS-based system but we are transitioning to a Windows-based system. That's pretty cool. But different.

It's hard to move to a new system because we all keep thinking about the old one. When I took Greek and Hebrew in seminary I experienced the same phenomenon: I would look at the vocabulary words in the new language and try to make and English word out of it. I can never learn another language fluently until I stop trying to convert it into English. My coworkers are having the same struggle switching systems.

But I have confidence they will make the transition within a few weeks and look back wondering what was so hard about this. I think it's because they had such a wonderful trainer.

Have you ever tried to think otuside the box? Studies show us (and my own experience supports this) that churches that function today like they functioned just a few years ago are seeing a decline in attendance, offerings, ministry, etc. As people change, the way we reach them must change. I'm old-fashioned enough to be very careful about keeping the same message but I have to think outside the box to deliver that message in a relevant manner. I can think of no greater disaster than for a minister to be irrelevant.

Steve Lyon said that pastoral ministry is applying the meaning of the Gospel to a person's point of need. Relevance is mandatory!

So I have to change my thinking. I can't preach like I did 10 years ago because people don't listen like they did then. Our church can't continue to do what we've always done - we won't get results like we did in the '50s adn '60s because our neighborhood has changed and people change. It's time to think outside the box.