Change Begins with Me

Change. It is everywhere around us.

Our former pastor and his wife used to sing a song every once in a while back when we lived in the Washington, DC area. That song was “Change My Heart O God” and it was written by Eddie Espinosa. Here are some of the lyrics in case you don't know this praise chorus.

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

That song did not mean as much to me back then as it does today. Today, my life is all about change. There are changes at work. There are changes at church. There are changes at home. Change is everywhere.

Benjamin Franklin said, “There is nothing certain in this world but death and taxes.” And I would add one more thing to that list; Change!

But let me split a few hairs with the beloved Benjamin Franklin. I would suggest that external change is in fact inevitable. While internal change is not inevitable. So, while the world around me is rapidly changing, it is up to me do determine if I will accept those changes or reject them.

We recently elected a president in the United States who ran on a platform of “Hope and Change”. Not all change is good. Not all change is bad. But this much I know. God wants to deal with changes in me at a heart level. While I may want to make cosmetic changes on the outside. God wants to change me from the inside.

So, those lyrics that Pastor John and Amy used to sing are ringing in my ears today. And I say with them, “Change my heart, oh God.” Then and only then will I be able to be effective in ministry and demonstrate life-altering change the way that Jesus Christ intended.

What about you? Are there any big changes going on in your life? Are there big changes going on in your heart?

Change Begins with Me

Change. It is everywhere around us.

Our former pastor and his wife used to sing a song every once in a while back when we lived in the Washington, DC area. That song was “Change My Heart O God” and it was written by Eddie Espinosa. Here are some of the lyrics in case you don't know this praise chorus.

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

That song did not mean as much to me back then as it does today. Today, my life is all about change. There are changes at work. There are changes at church. There are changes at home. Change is everywhere.

Benjamin Franklin said, “There is nothing certain in this world but death and taxes.” And I would add one more thing to that list; Change!

But let me split a few hairs with the beloved Benjamin Franklin. I would suggest that external change is in fact inevitable. While internal change is not inevitable. So, while the world around me is rapidly changing, it is up to me do determine if I will accept those changes or reject them.

We recently elected a president in the United States who ran on a platform of “Hope and Change”. Not all change is good. Not all change is bad. But this much I know. God wants to deal with changes in me at a heart level. While I may want to make cosmetic changes on the outside. God wants to change me from the inside.

So, those lyrics that Pastor John and Amy used to sing are ringing in my ears today. And I say with them, “Change my heart, oh God.” Then and only then will I be able to be effective in ministry and demonstrate life-altering change the way that Jesus Christ intended.

What about you? Are there any big changes going on in your life? Are there big changes going on in your heart?

Change Begins with Me

Change. It is everywhere around us.

Our former pastor and his wife used to sing a song every once in a while back when we lived in the Washington, DC area. That song was “Change My Heart O God” and it was written by Eddie Espinosa. Here are some of the lyrics in case you don't know this praise chorus.

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

That song did not mean as much to me back then as it does today. Today, my life is all about change. There are changes at work. There are changes at church. There are changes at home. Change is everywhere.

Benjamin Franklin said, “There is nothing certain in this world but death and taxes.” And I would add one more thing to that list; Change!

But let me split a few hairs with the beloved Benjamin Franklin. I would suggest that external change is in fact inevitable. While internal change is not inevitable. So, while the world around me is rapidly changing, it is up to me do determine if I will accept those changes or reject them.

We recently elected a president in the United States who ran on a platform of “Hope and Change”. Not all change is good. Not all change is bad. But this much I know. God wants to deal with changes in me at a heart level. While I may want to make cosmetic changes on the outside. God wants to change me from the inside.

So, those lyrics that Pastor John and Amy used to sing are ringing in my ears today. And I say with them, “Change my heart, oh God.” Then and only then will I be able to be effective in ministry and demonstrate life-altering change the way that Jesus Christ intended.

What about you? Are there any big changes going on in your life? Are there big changes going on in your heart?

Is it time for a change?

That is one of the questions that face ministry leaders all of the time. Perhaps things are not progressing the way that you want them to. Or, perhaps your area of ministry is not as effective as you feel God would have it be. So, what do you do?

One of the things that will come to your mind will be the idea of trying something new or integrate something that the big Baptist down the street is doing. But is that the right thing to do? Well, only God knows for sure. And He will reveal it to you as you earnestly seek His face.

But here is the point that I would have you consider. Is change the right idea? Or is it better to evaluate and analyze what you are currently doing and seek to improve on the way that you are doing that ministry. Or, more succinctly put, is it a problem of design or a problem of execution?

Consider taking a prayerful and analytical view of your ministry before scrapping it in favor of something new and drastically different.

Check back here in the coming days for some more thoughts and ideas on this topic.

Is it time for a change?

That is one of the questions that face ministry leaders all of the time. Perhaps things are not progressing the way that you want them to. Or, perhaps your area of ministry is not as effective as you feel God would have it be. So, what do you do?

One of the things that will come to your mind will be the idea of trying something new or integrate something that the big Baptist down the street is doing. But is that the right thing to do? Well, only God knows for sure. And He will reveal it to you as you earnestly seek His face.

But here is the point that I would have you consider. Is change the right idea? Or is it better to evaluate and analyze what you are currently doing and seek to improve on the way that you are doing that ministry. Or, more succinctly put, is it a problem of design or a problem of execution?

Consider taking a prayerful and analytical view of your ministry before scrapping it in favor of something new and drastically different.

Check back here in the coming days for some more thoughts and ideas on this topic.

Is it time for a change?

That is one of the questions that face ministry leaders all of the time. Perhaps things are not progressing the way that you want them to. Or, perhaps your area of ministry is not as effective as you feel God would have it be. So, what do you do?

One of the things that will come to your mind will be the idea of trying something new or integrate something that the big Baptist down the street is doing. But is that the right thing to do? Well, only God knows for sure. And He will reveal it to you as you earnestly seek His face.

But here is the point that I would have you consider. Is change the right idea? Or is it better to evaluate and analyze what you are currently doing and seek to improve on the way that you are doing that ministry. Or, more succinctly put, is it a problem of design or a problem of execution?

Consider taking a prayerful and analytical view of your ministry before scrapping it in favor of something new and drastically different.

Check back here in the coming days for some more thoughts and ideas on this topic.