I’ve just started reading “The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace-Wells that details the irreversible changes we have helped unleash over our planet which are now unfolding. I have to admit to being slightly traumatised. As I see pictures from a church in Shrewsbury which has been inundated with flood waters, and watch homes and roads disappearing under water, the conditions we live within are clearly changing before us.
It reminds me of something we learnt at the UCAN conference last week - that the climate and structure of our church must always be changing. It can’t stand still because then it would be unfit for purpose or its future size and shape. Whatever combination of systems and people you build, it is good for a season, and for a particular capacity. But it will naturally stagnate and will not be able to cope with a new circumstance or new people or new challenges. Because the future people in our church will be different than those today, change is inevitable and God-provoked.
As administrators and operations managers in our churches, our posture should always be to trust God that He is in control, and willingly embrace change without fear.
Romans 8:15 reminds us:
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
Resources from the UCAN National Conference will shortly be available to delegates and on general release for purchase in the next month.
Two topical resources have been released this month from the industrious desk of John Truscott – speaking into the areas of dealing with change, and applying environmental policies to our church buildings and community. If you would like to be on John’s own mailing list and receive details of his new and existing resources six times a year, email to ask for this or complete the online form.
Join us at the CRE Midlands (Christian Resources Exhibition) on 4th-5th March at NAEC Stoneleigh Park (near Coventry). Visit us to talk about all your church administrative and management needs. Click here to get your free ticket as a UCAN member.
Julian Mander
Executive Director, UCAN on behalf of the UCAN team.