What would you be willing to change? If God wanted you to– say– change the structure of your ministry, would you be willing to do that? What about changing your role in the community or the people you work with?
Often in ministry, growth– and even survival– requires change. Yet there’s a certain level of conflictedness that comes with the prospect of change. Consider what you are willing to change and what you aren’t.
What things are non-negotiable for you? It’s a good question, because there likely are things you shouldn’t change (e.g. the Trinity, the resurrection, the deity of Christ). There are other potential changes that might be difficult, but you may still be open to rethinking (e.g. your stance on baptism, your form of church government). Granted, to deviate from some of these positions may make you not Baptist anymore or not Presbyterian anymore.
One Lutheran pastor had an experience of the Holy Spirit. He began leaning charismatic, which was tolerated within the system. Then he felt the Lord leading him to become baptized as an adult. At that point, his denomination hit the eject button.
What would you do if you felt God calling you to rethink your position in certain areas?
Decide on your essentials. What hills are you truly willing to die on? Everything else is open for consideration. Let God be God– it’s a lordship issue. What would it look like for you to start down the journey of being open to whatever God wants? We need to give God the freedom to act in ways that are contrary to our theology.