Our world is certainly in a state of radical change as we enter 2009. There is a new presidential administration, new economic challenges, growing grayness and growing number of people of color making up the diversity of our population. There continues to be a growing number of unchurched and non-believers in our workplaces, schools, community clubs etc. How will your church respond to these shifts? Will you react or respond? Will you simply try to ignore them? How can we be faithful believers, Christian leaders as we seek Christ in our changing culture?   I will be wrestling with these questions in the monthly newsletters.  I would invite you into the dialogue by emailing me and occasionally joining me in FREE online webinars or teleclasses?

Reacting or Responding?

Far too often our spiritual leadership and churches react rather than respond to changes. Even Jesus took time to reflect, think and/or pray while he busied himself writing in the sand when he caught the woman living in adultery. Reactive response is typically an emotional knee-jerk reactions/comments or judgments.  “They shouldn’t do that!”; “Who do they think they are?”; or “Don’t they know that is wrong!” This reaction might move from words to demonstrations, sermons, news articles or simply lashing out at those we disagree with.  I would invite us all to consider here a few questions:

1. How do others in our community see our reactions?
2. What does our reaction communicate to the non-believers in our local community?
   
3. What other options do we have to impact that with which we disagree?

Responding is a more thoughtful reaction to something or someone.  We think, pray, dialogue before we react simply out of our emotion. Responding is about building bridges – reacting is more often than not about creating barriers. Responding is more about listening and understanding; Reacting is more about telling and casting judgment. Again, I would challenge us to consider the same questions listed above using a response posture rather than a reactive posture.

As our world continues to emerge and face changes how will you or your church deal with these new realities?  Will you react or respond?  What is needed now to prepare you for the next set of challenges?

Possible Avenues of Responding in 2009

As deacons and church leaders permit me to simply suggest some possible responses (rather than reactions) to some of the shifts and challenges we encounter in our community. How do we find Christ in our culture? Consider these possible responses to:

Unwed Mothers/Parents is a growing reality in many communities. What if..

• We planned a baby shower for the new born?
• We invited the unwed/parents a mentoring relationship with another Christian parent?
• We created emotionally safe forums for these parents to tell the story?
• What if we focused more on moving them forward that condemning their present situation? (not to condone but to offer grace and hope amidst their pain)

Multi-Cultural/Bi-Racial Relationships – is in many existing families and communities. What if…..

• We created a safe place for them to share how we might be more supportive of them?
  
• Hear and understand what issues they are facing in their relationship?
• We offered to help them celebrate their different customs, traditions etc and incorporate some of them in to our traditions and services when appropriate?

 Unemployed – are all around us these days. Young, old, experienced, blue-collar and white collar professionals.  What if….

• We create a means of them sharing with the church out of their wealth of experience and skill as their tithes and offerings?
• We created a job bank among those employers in our region or church that might tap some of the unemployed when they are able to hire?
• We created a mentoring and coaching relationship for the unemployed and their families to offer retooling of resume’s, family budget and expectations during this time?

©Eddie Hammett, www.transformingsolutions.org