Most people don’t like change! They say they do, “No really I actually like change,” but they really don’t.  I think maybe it is seen as uncool by some especially in my generation to say that they don’t like change, to admit they just prefer the good ‘ole stand-by/status quo ways of doing things, so people say they like change. By the way you can tell if people really like change by how they respond to it and how long it takes them to wrap their head around an idea or if they resist at all. People that really like change don’t usually resist to every “change idea” initially.  Some people, I believe, think they do like change simply because they are able to change, but being able to change and liking change are two far different things! And most people don’t like change, and this is frustrating to me as a Pastor, especially as a pastor that likes change! Now let me be honest, I don’t like change in all areas. It took me a long time before I decided l liked Chinese food, Indian food, Thai food (I love them all now, but it took some time).  If you go to a Mexican restaurant there may be something wrong with me if I don’t order cheese enchiladas. I still prefer and use a hard copy to do list over the new technology that allows me to digitize all my tasks, unlike my good friend Rodlie who is In Lust Over Wunderlist. I still prefer baseball games that are a 2-1 pitchers duel over the crazy 10 to 9 games of the steroid era! So I don’t like change in all areas.

But where I do like change is in church!  Why is this?  Because 80% of all Adventist churches in North America are plateaued or dying and I personally cannot just sit around accepting things “as is” when so many people still need to be introduced to Jesus and to learn the full truth’s of scripture. Or while the church I love dies a slow death of irrelevance in North America. So what am I willing to do? I am willing to change in every area without compromising principles in order to reach people for Jesus! What I have discovered is that other people don’t feel the same way as me!  And this honestly has at times about driven me CRAZY!  Because I have interpreted often, which is what drives me crazy, that people who don’t like change, really HATE change and refuse to like anything different.

So what does this have to do with U2, Bon Jovi, & AC/DC?  All these bands are old!  AC/DC first entered the rock music scene in 1973, U2 was formed in 1976 and hit it big in 1980, and Bon Jovi in 1983.  These bands by the ever changing music world are old! Yet in 2010 Bon Jovi, AC/DC, & U2 were the top concert draws around the world! Old or not, people have gotten used to them and people like what they are used to. It doesn’t mean people don’t like other types of music or other music groups, they just like to come back to some of the old classics.

I think this is good for me to remember as a pastor…maybe it isn’t that most people hate all the changes, they may not like change, but they don’t hate it, they just hate that at least of the few “old classics” still aren’t around.  Like singing out of a hymnbook, pathfinders, old school evangelism, etc.  So maybe the thing to do is while in the midst of change to make sure we keep around a few of the “old classics” or to at least bring them out for a tour every now and then so that people can know that all they once loved is not completely dead.

Kinda like I have accepted that the new Heritage Singers are a better fit for the time and era in which we live:

I still like to go back and get a little of the “Old School” every now and then: