Stories of transformation

Transforming Times
by Steve Boots

The Lord said to the Israelites, “I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.” (Exodus 6:6,7a.)

The Lord did bring the Israelites out from under the yoke of the Egyptians, but first they had to spend forty years wandering in the wilderness. They didn’t like it there. They said to Moses: “Leave us alone, let us serve the Egyptians. It would be better to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” (Exodus 14:12)

It took the Israelites forty years to realize it was better to risk death than to live as slaves to the Egyptians. It took them forty years to learn how to trust God with the future.

It often takes many years for an urban congregation to be willing to risk death and trust God with their future. Too often we seek the known past even as victims, rather than accept the unknown in the form of the outstretched arm of God.

Communities have changed economically, socially, culturally and spiritually. Many of our small urban churches are struggling to stay alive. Even our larger financially stable congregations find themselves surrounded by victims of the increasing distance between the haves and have-nots. Many churches find themselves lost in a wilderness of change. Certainly there is fear, anxiety, denial, and despair in our communities and in our congregations. It’s easy for us to feel like victims.

Moses gave the Israelites another option. It is our option as well. The wilderness is real and the danger of death is real, but we need not continue to be victims. We have God’s power. We are God’s redeemed people. Some of our congregations and communities might be oppressed but they need not be victims.

Struggling congregations can be transformed from being victims by providing places for people of all ages and cultures to experience God’s grace and strength. They can bring people and groups together to build or re-build their lives and the lives of their families. Congregations can network with other congregations and organizations to bring economic, social and spiritual health to their communities.

Stronger congregations can respond to the mission opportunities on their doorsteps by providing opportunities for people to give of themselves to others. Becoming a missional church helps them to grow even stronger.

God Has Blessed Us.

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