Most Needmore folks stood pretty solidly on what they believed.

Has anyone else noticed that the more we have tried to fix and update both the church and the Bible so that they will be a better fit for these modern days, the more problems we seem to have with real lasting growth, including the numbers of baptisms and new commitments of faith.

Most of our new members seem to come now from mad members from other churches, thrill seekers who jump from church to church looking for the latest style, rebaptisms of old members, and very small children who often seem a little confused about what they are doing. But they do make our baptism numbers look a little better.

Have you ever wondered if it might just be better to allow the Bible and the church to be used of the Holy Spirit to work on us. Just study it, preach it and attend it, and see what God can do. Our leadership seems to panic every time a new report comes out showing another drop in baptisms. So we try to reinvent ourselves.

New program with a new name. Some more evangelism training.

New order of church services. More modern language Bible.

We are quick to put down those who try to hold on to old ways, old names, old doctrines or old Bible versions. They say we are the problem if we tend to be a little old fashioned. Well, I am not so sure that is the way it is. Oh well. I guess we could try a newer version of last year’s new version of our new plan.. and if we only had a couple more breakout sessions, interpretive dance, and less preaching. By the way, seen any newer Bible versions lately? That might be the key to the whole thing.

…Not...

Or maybe we should stop trying to build a congregation and just start building conglomerations. That would get rid of some of our old outdated ideas and truths. Maybe we could even stop using the words Bible and church. They seem to strike a sour note with many modern people. I have noticed that most atheists and moslems don't like those words. We sure do need to be politically correct, lest we offend some group.

Just mark me down as one of those Bible Believing Baptists and not ashamed of who I am and what I stand for. "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." As for me and my house I think we will keep trying to serve God in the way we have been for a while now. Oh by the way If you don't like what I write.

Don't come to hear me preach, because sometimes I can get more blunt than this... grin.