Traditional to Transformational

I just read an article that really sparked my attention. Well, actually it wasn't the entire article, but just part of one sentence in the article. A pastor, in describing the process of his church over the past 18 years said this, "we've taken the church rom traditional to typical to transformational." That's a great statement!

Everything in life runs in processes. For churches, and any organization really, if processes do not grow and change, then the end result is not health, but death. Many people argue over whether churches should be traditional or contemporary, but who can argue over whether a church should or should not be transformational. The gospel transforms lives and "be transformed" is the command of Romans 12:2, therefore, in discussions over worship style and church structure, I would like to suggest a new vocabulary today.

Let us no longer ask if our churches are contemporary or traditional, let us instead ask if our churches are performing or transforming. If we are merely performing because that is the way we have always performed, then rest assured we are not transforming our world for Christ. If instead we focus on the transforming nature of the gospel and the need for all to be transformed, I wonder how our churches would change to reach the world for Christ!

I'm Back

I have discovered that having a child is a huge experience. For those of you out there who already have a child, this is nothing new, but for me it was mind-blowing. Wyatt is the greatest gift the Lord has ever given to me and Angela, but he is also the most challenging responsibility. But, having finally caught up on some of my sleep and having made it to my office at a decent time today, I am able to attend to my blog for the first time in quite a while. Hopefully, I am back to a pattern.

I am thankful for the few readers that I do have, and for those of you from Malvern Hill, stay tuned because this blog is going to be a great place for you to connect with your new pastor. I look forward to leading you and to growing together in the Lord. I know that God has great things in store for us. It is our responsibility now to be certain that we live our vision to the world around us so that Malvern Hill does continue to become a place where people feel can comfortably belong to a community of believers and excitedly become a more devoted follower of Christ!

I'm Back

I know, its been a while since my last post, but there have been quite a few things going on in my life. Most importantly, my first child, Wyatt Connor Thompson, was born on Sunday, May 13. It is amazing how much a person can love another person who has really done nothing to deserve it. I am convinced that having a child and loving that child is about as close to understanding God's grace toward human beings as we can possibly get. When I look into Wyatt's eyes, I have nothing but unbridled love for that child.

Where, you may ask, is the grace in loving your own child? If we understand grace to be the giving of an undeserved gift, then it becomes clear. Wyatt has done nothing to earn or deserve my love. As a matter of fact, he has done much to the contrary to earn my derision. He has deprived me of sleep, personal financial gain, and some degree of freedom. Most horrific of his offenses is the pain through which he put Angela, my wife. For all intensive purposes, Wyatt should have earned my scourn, but instead I love him in a way that I can not really explain. God is so amazing to give us such wonderful gifts and to love us though we are unloveable.