You better start swimin'

Culture is constantly changing. I am constantly reminded of this when I look at current styles of music, clothing, and even language that is used in our nation and city.

This is challenging to our churches that have remained, for the most part, culturally unchanged for decades past.

For this reason, church services have become a sort of "refuge" for those of us who like the way culture used to but I am starting to feel like this is a form of selfishness.

When Jesus left heaven and became a man, He did so because he wanted to reach man. It would have been more comfortable for him to stay in heaven and not become like us, but he didn't. He came into culture because he wanted to save people, putting to death his own preferences.

He chose mission over comfort.

The more the news becomes doom and gloom about the future of the church in America, the more I wonder if we might need to change our game plan. Maybe we should try the "Jesus method."

Had Jesus not become a man just like us, we would not have listened to his message.

I wonder if the culture around us is not hearing our message because we do not look and sound like them.

What if our churches decided to modify its culture in order to look more like the culture around us for the sake of winning the people who don't currently look and sound like us?

If it worked for Jesus, I think it would work for us, too. Jesus didn't change his message. He just adjusted his methods for sharing his message.

I believe the time is coming and is at hand for us to put our own preferences aside for the sake of reaching the lost of our culture.

I believe the future of the church and the salvation of souls depends on it.