"We look forward to the future."
"We love the way things are always different."
"We're changing everything to suit the new generation."
"If we're going to attract younger people, we need to do it differently."
"We've got ideas that will revolutionise the way we do things."
Who is more likely to say these words? An executive at Disney, or the pastor at your local church?
Yes - there are some churches - some pastors - some christian movements - who are absolutely embracing the future. And there's no surprise that those are the churches that are really growing! But for many of us in Churchworld, the future is often seen as the enemy!
"Sunday School isn't nearly as big as it was back in my day."
"Young people need to understand that this is way we do church around here."
"I remember the good old days when everybody used to come to church."
"It will never be like that again, will it?"
We are the church who worship a God who controls the future. We believe in a God who is God of the future. We follow a long-standing biblical tradition where God has consistently led his people into the bigger and better future that he has planned for them. And yet, for so many of us, the glory days of Churchworld belong in the past.
One of my favourite Disney attractions is the "Carousel of Progress" - to be found in The Magic Kingdom in Orlando. It was originally built for the 1964 World's Fair - and is still running today. It features four scenes from American family life from the beginning of the 20th century through to the end - and even into the 21st century. At each point in history, the family looks at the inventions of their day which have made family life easier, and exclaim something like: "This is as good as it gets". It's funny to look back and see how much things have progressed since those olden days!
"We love the way things are always different."
"We're changing everything to suit the new generation."
"If we're going to attract younger people, we need to do it differently."
"We've got ideas that will revolutionise the way we do things."
Who is more likely to say these words? An executive at Disney, or the pastor at your local church?
Yes - there are some churches - some pastors - some christian movements - who are absolutely embracing the future. And there's no surprise that those are the churches that are really growing! But for many of us in Churchworld, the future is often seen as the enemy!
"Sunday School isn't nearly as big as it was back in my day."
"Young people need to understand that this is way we do church around here."
"I remember the good old days when everybody used to come to church."
"It will never be like that again, will it?"
We are the church who worship a God who controls the future. We believe in a God who is God of the future. We follow a long-standing biblical tradition where God has consistently led his people into the bigger and better future that he has planned for them. And yet, for so many of us, the glory days of Churchworld belong in the past.
One of my favourite Disney attractions is the "Carousel of Progress" - to be found in The Magic Kingdom in Orlando. It was originally built for the 1964 World's Fair - and is still running today. It features four scenes from American family life from the beginning of the 20th century through to the end - and even into the 21st century. At each point in history, the family looks at the inventions of their day which have made family life easier, and exclaim something like: "This is as good as it gets". It's funny to look back and see how much things have progressed since those olden days!
| The theme-song of this attraction is "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow" There's a great big beautiful tomorrow Shining at the end of every day There's a great big beautiful tomorrow And tomorrow's just a dream away Could we Christians sing that song? All Disney have is a future that depends on man's new inventions. And yet they are passionate about the future - and embrace it with gusto. We Christians have a much bigger future that depends on God's new creation. Do we embrace the future as passionately as Disney does? | |
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