Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.” 1 Samuel 10:18

As we look back at the history of this congregation, we see that it is full of change.  Yet these changes were not simply changes for the sake of change, but for the sake of Christ’s commission to His church to grow the Kingdom as God uses us as His instruments to connect others to Christ and His church, and to lead His people to be His disciples in whatever their walk of life.

Think about that first change undertaken - a core group of people, leaving the comfort of their home congregation of Immanuel to the uncertainty of a new congregation, all for the purpose of reaching more people for Jesus.  A few short years later came another change - a move from the first place of worship in the basement of Immanuel School to a place to call their own.  Once again the move was made from comfort to challenge; this time the challenge was, in large part, financial in nature.

These are just a couple of the many changes in the congregation over the last 50+ years.  From other building projects, to changes in pastors, to the change of hymnals and in style of music, to additional services, to families moving in and out of the community, Peace has been in a state of constant change, moving from comfortable to challenged.

And that’s not even looking at the changes to the culture and community surrounding us!  Life in 2017 is very different from when the church was founded and even different from ten years ago!  For example, the evangelism programs used in decades past are no longer effective.  Relational evangelism is much more effective now than going door to door.  Another example is the use of technology.  People are more visually connected today than they were in the past, and that impacts how we preach, teach, and communicate within our congregation.

The difficulty happens when the church becomes comfortable with the status quo and no longer wants to change for the sake of the unchanging Gospel. Instead, it decides that it has reached its goal and loses its purpose. In the process, the church becomes resistant to change and self-focused rather than Christ-focused (more on that in later weeks).

In life, and in the church, change has always happened and will continue to happen.  Yet as changes happen here at Peace, be assured that it will be for the purpose that God has given us to reach out to those who need to know Jesus, and to disciple those who already do.  

May God continue to guide us, reveal to us His will, and guide us to make those changes which best enable our congregation to make disciples who make an impact for Jesus!

As we begin the next phase in the life of this congregation, change is expected, and change will happen even as we remember and celebrate the past (see last week’s article if you have not yet read it.)  Yet in the midst of changes, be assured that there are some things that will not change.

First, our mission of making disciples will not change!  This has been the mission of the church since Christ gave it that great commission before He ascended into heaven.  At times the greater church has wandered from that mission of growing up (teaching) and growing out (baptizing / evangelism) and leaned too far on one side or the other.  However, she has always returned to that Great Commission as her purpose on earth.

Second, we will always be a Bible teaching and preaching church!  While newer methods may be used (e.g. sermon series, outlines, and video clips on the screen), the Truth and His truths we teach and proclaim will never stray from the Word of God.

We will remain thoroughly Lutheran in our doctrine and in our worship.  Please don’t understand this to be only a certain style of liturgy or music, but a Christ-focused, grace-filled, Law and Gospel balanced service where we confess our sins, profess our faith in the Triune God, receive His gift of forgiveness through His Word and Sacraments, and respond in our prayers and praise.  As in the past, we have done so with different styles of worship, so we will continue to do in the future.

Above all, Christ crucified for the sins of all man-kind will continue to be preached, taught, and confessed through our words and actions.  He will continue to be glorified in all we do and say, inside and outside the walls of our building.

Yes, things will change in the future as they have in the past (more on that in next week’s article).  But what will NOT change are those things that make us distinctively who we are!

May God continue to guide us, reveal to us His will, and bless us as we make disciples who make an impact for Jesus!

In His Peace,

​Pastor Cory Burma

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.  Psalm 90:1-2
 
Change can be difficult, especially in a church.  After all, in order for Peace to be where we are today, great things had to happen in the past.  And it seems as if we are ignoring the great things of the past as we move forward with changes to address the future.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our past is still very important to us.  It made us who we are today.  We celebrate our beginnings over 55 years ago, the move to our first sanctuary (now our fellowship hall), and then to the current sanctuary back in the 80’s. 

We celebrate the hundreds of people baptized, students who confirmed their faith, couples who were united as one before our altar, and lives remembered at their funerals.  We celebrate all those who grew in their relationship with their Savior through the Word proclaimed and Lord’s Supper received. 

We celebrate the pastors and staff we’ve had who have led us spiritually over these years.  We celebrate the mission emphasis of our congregation in the past, growing in numbers and planting a congregation.

We celebrate our music, from the traditional choir, to bells and brass, to the contemporary groups, and to the youth and children’s teams who have enriched our worship life.

We celebrate a willingness to look forward, stepping out in faith with multiple building projects, a new style of worship music in the 90’s, an emphasis on children and youth with the calling of DCEs, and the initiation of a plan of cooperation with Immanuel to solidify the funding of the school. 

Most of all, we celebrate a faithful God, who has blessed us beyond measure in ways we cannot begin to comprehend.
No, we will not forget the past.  Nor will we make it our idol.  We will build on the past as we move forward into the unknown of the future.

I am excited, yet at the same time, apprehensive about the future.  There are so many more uncertainties in today’s age than in the past.  However, the same God who has guided Peace in the past is the same God who is guiding us into the future. 

May God continue to guide us, reveal to us His will, and bless us as we make disciples who make an impact for Jesus!

In His Peace,

​Pastor Cory