WHY?

 “When you walk to the edge of all the light that you have
And take that first step into the darkness of the unknown
You must believe that one of two things will happen:
There will be something solid for you to stand upon
Or you will be taught how to fly”
 
                              Patrick Overton, Ph.D.
 
     Why take that step?  Why not just turn around and go back the way we came.  Live in what was certain, comfortable and in your full control.  Remember the “good old days” when churches were full? 
     In 1967, my seven siblings and I were seated at the dinner table one night.  Our father had an announcement to make.  He was offered a job as a boarding school cottage parent for boys from the Bronx who were on their last stop before juvenile detention.  He would make half the money he did building tin-feeder machines in a factory.  We children could not possibly know what a complex decision that was nor the consequences of living with less but something in his expression and voice radiated an excitement we never saw when he usually came home from work.  We encouraged Dad to take the job.  We would deal with the loss of income.  He quickly became a surrogate father to a few very troubled boys who became good men.  Only now do I realize what a brave step that my father took (having no college or social work experience) – a step we got to  take with him.
     Are you familiar with the term “discontinuous change”?  It refers to a type of change that may be subtle but irreversible.  Here are just a few examples of discontinuous change facing the Church:

• Systemic racism is going to be exchanged for racial and economic equity.  It will not happen soon enough but it will happen because God requires it, too many of God’s people have suffered and died for too long, and more of us are committing every day, to praying, building relationships and doing more advocating and work than ever before. (Galatians 3:28)
• Healthcare is going to become more affordable and available because God requires that we attend to the health of others and more of us are aware of the absurdity of being the richest nation in the world and knowing that too many are one serious illness away from bankruptcy.  Solutions will not be easy or inexpensive but it is too late to love a dead neighbor as you love yourself.  (Luke 10:1-12)
• The Church begun almost 1,990 years ago (with over 2.3 billion disciples of Jesus today) is going to invest less time, energy, and resources on maintaining lukewarm congregations and religious institutions and more on why the Church exists in the first place.  It will happen gradually but it is already beginning to happen because God requires it and more of us are realizing that siloed, self-serving ministry is a betrayal of the unified effort to carry out the Great Commission and live the Greatest Commandments.  (Matthew 28: 18-20, Matthew 22:36-40, James 2:14-17)

     With discontinuous change comes grief over what is lost and confusion about whether God is still in the redeeming business when good people get distracted and tired and forget their first love and their sacred calling to proclaim and model life as Jesus described.  But before grief, there must be a decision to resist and stand still or move forward. 
     As the Church in the 21st Century we are coming close to the edge of much of the light we think we have. What worked for religious practice in the 20th Century back when the rotary dial phone was finally a fixture in most homes no longer inspires the two youngest adult generations.  If we are to take that important step of faith into future forms of living Christian faith, we will need to remember why God has us moving in the first place.  Knowing “Why?” will help us to recognize a faithful “How?”
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God help us to help each other to remember why You called us to be the Church for all times and in all seasons.  We ask this in the precious name of Jesus the Christ.  Amen.