With centenary celebrations less than a month away, I hope you are looking forward to rejoicing in God’s grace to us over many years.!
One of the recurring issues for Christians across the history of the last hundred years, was how much the church should move with the times, and how much they should stand firm. Christians often differed over this issue. As a group, the churches were opposed to Sunday trading and lengthening hotel opening houses. They could see the negative impact these changes could have on families and community life (and how right they have been!). But they were often accused of being ‘killjoys’ or ‘wowsers’ because of their negative stance, and some churches decided to not make a fuss.
At the local church level, churches often moved their service times to fit around non-church community programmes and activities. At one point it was considered that Sunday was the Lord’s Day, and Sunday is for the Lord. This was challenged after the second world war when the motor car became commonplace. And the church adjusted to fit in. Sunday school changed to the morning, as families were no longer staying around all day Sunday. Then once television came in, evening churches fell away enormously, and again some churches ‘gave in’ and closed their evening services.
As Christians, how much should we meet the world where it is at, and how much should we stand out as different? It certainly takes wisdom and courage. Paul talks about being all things to all people to save many. The Bible also says that we need to call people to be like Jesus, not like the world. In what ways are you like the world? In what areas are you giving in to the world? What do you need to change so that you will be salt and light in the world around us?

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