Mainline Traditional Churches and Pharisees

Jesus teaches us to go and make disciples in the Great Commission. Can we continue to do this in an ever changing world if we are not willing to change as well?

I think many mainline traditional churches have been afraid of changing because they would vary from their traditional values. And this might possibly get them in trouble with God. But is God more interested in how well we keep our traditions or how well we point to Christ?

I believe that there is the ultimate Truth that can never be changed. This is the Truth of Jesus Christ who came to save us and share God's love with us. If we are to do the same (or become Christlike as the term Christian infers), some traditional church values might get stepped on from time to time. And change may have to come about. But didn't Jesus do that to the Pharisees' values as well?

Didn't Jesus eat with what they considered sinners? Didn't he enjoy the company of prostitutes (not sexually) and tax collectors? Did these people drink and have a good time? Did they cuss? Were they rough around the edges? I bet so.

And he didn't expect them to clean up and come see him in the synagogue either. He went to them.

What about us? Do we expect people to clean up and adhere to our standards before coming to our church? Or are we willing to bite our tongues, be nonjudgmental and welcome those whom are like the ones the Pharisees called "sinners"? Are we willing to go to the streets to feed the hungry and homeless, inviting them to join us? Or will we wait till they find our church?

I don't claim that all Mainline traditional Churches are bad. I also am not trying to say that good can't come from tradition. I am trying, however, to say that we are called to be more like Jesus and less like the Pharisees. How might we go about doing this? And how would our world be affected if we all were more Christlike instead of more religious?

In the love of Christ,
greg