Living With Change

Change affects us all differently. some of us love it and others hate it vehemently!!

For the people of the USA things will never be the same following the election of Senator Obama to the place of leading the most influential nation on the face of the earth

Firstly, many Christians are going to have to account for the many false, misleading and straightforward lies they told in an effort to dissuade others from voting for the man that they have characterized as an "anti-christ" figure. There needs to be a serious holding people, especially Christian leaders and organizations accountable for the wild accusations that swirled around from those seeking to cause panic response to an unusual leader in the presidential race.

What has this to do with change? Fundamentally, everything! You see our Christian leaders who become embroiled in political activism catch the spirit of the secular organisation that they fight alongside. It will be a change of great magnitude if leaders, magazines and tv shows are actually called to account for their statements and called upon to repent as it becomes apparant that the accusations and innuendos are without foundation.

Change is also coming because some Christians have broken rank with tradition and with conservative leaders in an attempt to see that the Gospel has social as well as spiritual implications. For a long time independent organisations have gathered finance for such purposes as minsitering to the poor etc, and spent lavish sums on the money on themselves in the process. A new social conscience in Evangelical/Charismatic churches has been triggered by response to some of the truths Obama has promoted. This will put Christians in a place to challenge the idea that all those who are unemployed, sick, neglected and socially disconnected are simply "lazy bums who need to get a job". The words of Jesus concerning visiting the sick and those in prison are going to gain a new significance in the hermetically sealed world of evangelicals who spend so much time trying to change the nation through legislation, rather than through evangelism that leads to changed lives that will then change society.

Change is coming because the whole financial structure of life in the USA and the Nations is undergoing a massive shaking that will give a new sense of value to money and to the things people spend it on. Luxury living, never actually promoted by Jesus, and the "Great American Dream" have effectively turned into the Great American Nightmare. Christians who have bought into the prosperity message will need to study again the word and learn to live in the provision of God without expecting it to mean that they are in fact entitled to a high standard of prosperity as an obligation on Gods part.

The financial priorities of the Church in North America are going to change. A shift away from large expensive buildings to equally large but less ornate properties will see some organisations gaining a new credibility in their community as the buildings they have become harnessed to the needs of their community. Change also for young people as they express themselves as the church in brand new ways to meet the cynicism that has risen around "organized Christianity", an institution that many of them realise has become more political and financial than spiritual in its goals .

The Times they are a changing! This an echo from another generation but it is true.

Do I think Obama is some "saviour of America"? No not at all! I am conservative in my own politics, but could see little difference in the choice my American friends have just had to make between Obama or McCain... only the packaging and rhetoric were different!

Living through change is hard enough. Hopefully people wont identify the present world need for change to be simply a political program, but one where God is at work and we can co-operate to maximise its advantage for the Gospel. Like Joseph and Daniel and that wonderful woman Esther "we are come to the Kingdom for such a time as this"