Is Everyone Right?

In 1980 I had a spiritual encounter while at a college retreat in North Dakota, while kneeling in front of a window overlooking a lake, the Holy Spirit spoke a simple word into my spirit, "I have called you to be a pastor!" From that time I have desired to pastor a growing congregation, a group of people who love God with all of their hearts, who worship with passion, who minister to others with zeal and a harvest mindset, who give generously, who believe in global missions and most of all, believe that life is all about God! Simple as it sounds, that has been my dream and mission for nearly 29 years. The Body of Christ is in a season of transition, shifting, a time of decision, we are seeking to follow Christ and to be all that we can be, and it isn't always easy. There are many voices telling us which way to go, conservatives that tell us just hold the fort, don't make any waves, traditionalist that are convinced they are the only way to go, moderates that say we must blend yesterday and today in order to reach tomorrow, and then there are the emerging, those that say the past really doesn't matter we must become the church eventually...We debate over styles of dress and worship, wear jeans and t-shirts, suits and ties, sing old worn out hymns and new found worship songs, it seems that we are trying to determine what is right. Could it be it's all right? Could it be that we need to hold on to the foundation of our faith given by our forefathers, that some traditions have a place, and yes, we are constantly growing, or emerging into what God has always desired for us to be? Is it possible that in some places jeans and t-shirts are ok, while in others suits and ties are more appropriate, and that what is happening is we are trying to create a cookie cutter church where everyone is just the same? For me, I believe we're in a crisis of faith, we must know what we believe and who we are, how we express it and what each church does to make their ministries effective is going to be different. Our foundational truth can never change, who we are deep inside must always be secure, truth never changes and the Word always works! Solomon said that when it's said and done we need to love and fear God, keep His commandments, this is the whole duty of man while on earth!