Change?

Today's blog was contributed by Allyson George, Director of Children's Ministry.

After listening to Pastor Clayton preach on the subject of 'intentional Faith development, I realize that we are called to change. Change? It would be so much easier not to change, to just float along, not make waves, not dive into the word, stay static. However, this is not who God calls us to be. I joked in children's time about how 'I know everything there is to know about the Bible!' How far from the truth that is and the older I get the more I realize I have a lot to learn.

Grow and stretch and change. These are all words that Pastor Clayton discussed yesterday morning. But my nice comfortable 'couch potato' christianity is just right and I don't want to have to work hard on being a good Christian (make sure you said that in a whiny voice). Ok, not true, I love those moments when I am in a Bible Study and we all get excited about understanding a Bible passage a new way. I love the moment when a child answers my question in a way that challenges me to find a new way to explain a theological thought to a four year old. I love being challenged by my teenager about my faith and engaging in a dialogue that makes me realize how she is maturing spiritually. Yes, I also get frustrated when I cannot find words to communicate my faith to a friend, or I have had a tough week and yet it is time to 'go the extra mile' for a friend in need. It can be tough when I have ten children sitting in front of me in worship and they just don't seem to be 'getting' my wonderful teaching moment.

But as Robert Schnase wrote in 'Five Practices of Fruitful congregations,' "Christian faith is not static but dynamic." Just like a relationship with a friend, our relationship with God needs to be intentional and not an afterthought. In order to grow in our faith, we have to get up off the couch and keep trying, keep learning, keep studying, keep praying.