| Making DisciplesThe Future Isn't What It Used To Be!
By Dr. Roger K.
Swanson
Director of Operation Evangelization
 What
the future used to be was more of the same. Through most of the
previous centuries until the mid-20th century, the pace of social and
cultural change moved at a snail’s pace. Today it is a roaring
tornado!
Part of what it means to be an “apostolic”
church is to be culturally relevant—that is, to be willing to make
the changes necessary for the Gospel to be heard by modern people.
There are three characteristics of apostolic or
missionary churches through the centuries. First, they believe they
are called and sent by God to reach unchurched people. “As the
Father has sent me, even so I send you.” (John 20:21) Second, their
message does not change, but is focused on what God has done in Jesus
Christ to redeem God’s lost creation. Third, like the early
missionary movement led by Paul and his companions, they adapt to the
language and culture of their target population to communicate
meaningfully their message.
Early Methodism was such an apostolic movement,
telling the old, old story in new language, with new music, with very
different worship styles.
The options for congregations today seem to be,
therefore:
 To bond
the gospel to cultural forms employed in the past; imposing on new
generations a form foreign to their cultural experience, and,
therefore, limiting its reach into our culture; or
 To
recover the vision of our founding fathers and mothers, to understand
the culture in which we are called to proclaim Christ and to translate
the ancient gospel into the current language, music and style.
One can only imagine how difficult this must
have been for a Jewish traditionalist like Paul. Yet, as he says it,
“I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means
save some.” (I Cor.9:22b)
Here in Florida, as elsewhere in our connection,
congregations often experience tension over this issue. Personally, I
enjoy the forms and music of an earlier day, but church isn’t about
what I like, but what God wants. And for me that is very clear: God
wills that lost people be found. May God give us the understanding and
energy we need to be faithful to this task.
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