No one speaks for the Church. No one can stand up and say, “Here’s the mood or here is the state of the Church.” The Church (on earth) is not monolithic – it is not unified. Someone can stand up and say, “Here are the moods of the churches or here are the states of the churches.” But no one person represents the Church. There is no one person that every church on earth looks to as its representative. The Church is not unified. It is divided.
So, with the Nation. No one can stand up and say, “Here is the mood of the nation,” for our nation has many moods. The state of the State is in many states. There is no single person that every citizen in America looks to for representation. How about the President? Think again! Those days are gone. Our nation is not unified. It is divided.
I cannot speak for the Church, for it is divided. I can speak of the Church, but not for it. I cannot speak for the Nation, for it is divided. I can speak of our Nation, but not for it. I can speak for God – He is one, He is not divided.
There are not many moods for God. He is faithful every day, and His mercies are new every morning. You may have to wonder what mood your husband or wife or kids or boss is in today, but you never have to worry or wonder about what mood God is in. Here’s Malachi 3:6 – “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” God is always for you. God always loves you. God will never leave you or forsake you.
The churches around the world are changing.
What do the Episcopalians believe? A lot of things – and this is dividing them. Beth Moore and Russell Moore have left the Southern Baptist Convention due to disagreements. The Southern Baptists came out of their annual convention dealing with issues that may have split the denomination. The center holds for now, yet powerful forces are may shred the Southern Baptists. Progressive Christianity has altered its understanding of the Bible’s authority and now embraces the LBGTQ+ agenda among other things. No one person speaks for or represents these churches.
God is not changing. He remains the same!
I am so glad that my calling is to speak for God and not for the Church or for our Nation. Though the churches rise and fall and divide and unite only to divide again, and though our nation is experiencing a sea-change when it comes to morality and virtue and public discourse, God is ever the same.
The Lord does not change, and therefore the sons of Jacob (Israel) are not consumed. People are being left behind and discarded in the evolving changes within the churches. People are being swept up and discarded in the turbulent waters of our shifting culture. When things change, some are left behind and some are crushed beneath, while others are dragged along, wondering what on earth is happening. Church and Culture chew people up and spit them out.
God gathers people up and hangs onto them. The Lord is a refuge and a shelter that never shifts, never sways, never shakes. What Christ has accomplished on the cross is once and forevermore unalterable. Although the churches may change their theology of God, God remains unchanged. Though the churches may adjust their creeds, God remains the same. Though churches may come up with new names to call themselves, God remains our Father, and the Jesus remains our Savior and the Holy Spirit remains our Comforter.
Jesus cried out and said, “Come unto Me all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” There is no rest to be found in church membership or in American citizenry. Neither Church nor America can promise you that they will be the same in five years. Neither Church nor America can assure you that there will be a place for you in five years. You may no longer fit the mold of church or nation. Here’s the Shelter in the middle of the storm: God changes not. Here’s the Refuge in the midst of the war: God remains the same. Here’s the promise in the middle of the confusion: Come unto Me and I will give you rest.
Let’s be always finding our rest in Jesus Christ. Let’s be always encouraging others to find their rest in Christ. Come to the Rock that does not change.
Tim Brown has been in some sort of ministry since February of 1973 – as a youth pastor, an assistant pastor, and a senior pastor. Tim planted Calvary Chapel Fremont in January of 1997 and continues to pastor there. Tim has been married since August of 1976 to Fran. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
