THE TIMES, THEY ARE STILL A-CHANGIN’

 During the volatile years of the Vietnam War (1960s-1970s), protest singers made their views widely known with their challenging lyrics and catchy tunes.  Bob Dylan was one leading voice, among the many, who was heard and listened to around the world. In late 1963 he recorded his hit song: The Times They Are A-Changin’.  It was released in January the next year, and remained popular for years.  War, peace and hope were big issues back then.

 In some ways, we have revisited history, as if we learnt nothing from it.  America entered the Vietnam War and pulled Australia into it as well.  Back then the slogan was: ‘All the way with LBJ’ (after Lyndon Baines Johnson, who became president of the USA after John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963). More recently America went to war with Iraq and again pulled Australia into another war.

 Peace is as illusive now, as it was in the sixties (and perhaps always has been).

 In some ways, nothing much has changed.

 Yet, in other ways, a great many changes have taken place since those turbulent times of the sixties and seventies.

 Exciting developments are occurring in the field of medical science – from all sorts of new equipment used for everything as diverse as monitoring and testing patients to assisting surgeons with increasingly delicate surgery; many new discoveries in genetics, microbiology and related areas through to new developments in the fields of pharmacology – and much more.

 Technological changes and advancements have been most dramatic in the past decade. Increasing miniaturisation has significantly impacted the computer and tele-communication industries – with physically smaller computer equipment, yet greater capacities, through to smaller and more power telephones – especially mobile handphones, now with message texting and visual recording capabilities.

 There have also been significant shifts in social and community values, public and private morality. With changes in globalisation, world economics, travel, emigration policies, SARS, disasters and wars increasing refugee numbers worldwide – communities and cultures have been significantly affected and even dramatically altered. Cultural and religious pluralism have become the norm – especially in Western and developed countries. Religious perceptions have become more ecletic and confusingly mixed.

 All of these changes have had repercussions.

 Even in the Christian community – again, especially in the West – these changes have had their impact, as well as changes within the Christian community itself.  Significant changes and perceptions in Christian leadership have impacted churches.  Mega-churches, with executive CEO-style leaderships have been upheld by some as the only viable model for the new century.  And many small churches have closed or amalgamated.

 Yet at the same time there has been an increase in: devastating revelations of leadership abuse and manipulation; cries for personal relationships and a more relational leadership; disenchanted members leaving through the big-church revolving doors; the growth of new small churches and house churches.

 In the USA, George Barna, Christian researcher and pollster, has highlighted some recent trends amongst Christians in the US.  Some of these trends have relevance in Australia and other Western/Westernised communities, as well.

 Barna’s researchers recently found that Americans, committed Christians as much as non-Christians, are ‘gobbling up’ lifestyle technologies for entertainment and communications mobility.  There have been significant recent increases in the ownership of home theatre and surround sound systems, DVD players, mobile computers and gadgets (laptops/notebooks, palmtops, pocket computers, PDAs [personal digital assistant devices]) – also in the use of high speed DSL (digital subscriber line) connections as well as cable and satellite television access.  Two thirds of all Americans own a cell phone/mobile phone/hand-held phone, and further increases in sales are ensured with the latest mobile telephones with miniature digital photographic technology, able to take, transmit and receive real-time visual images. There has also been a significant increase in digital camera ownership.

 Evangelical Christians have bought into these technological developments as much as anyone else, the researchers found, but few had thought through the implications of such technology in relation to faith issues.  There was little to distinguish the use to which the technology was used by Christians and non-Christians.

 According to the report both Christians and non-Christians spend about the same amount of money and time involved in home entertainment and going onto the Internet. The indications are also that both groups of people seem to be equally influenced by their exposure to television and the Internet. Concern was expressed about Christian involvement in the new technology: ‘The widespread adoption of technology creates new battle grounds for moral choices to be made – battles that many Christians don’t even realise they’re waging.’

 The report suggested that there was a lack of sound direction coming from the Christian church regarding the new technology, its impact and appropriate use for Christians.

In another report the Barna group noted that, in spite of popular perceptions, all the changes had not affected people as negatively as assumed.  The majority of Americans polled believed that they were fairly in control of their lives and situations, felt reasonably happy with life, generally felt well connected to other people.  Here there were significant differences, with evangelical Christians being the most positive in their attitudes, while those who claimed to be atheists or agnostics being the least positive.

 While researchers found that religious faith had a significant impact on life attitudes, another major factor in such attitudes was money.  Most Americans, including evangelical Christians, put money and income at a similar level as faith, if not higher, in determining their satisfaction with life.

 Disturbingly, another Barna poll revealed that Christians have reduced their financial support of their churches.  The year 2002 saw an overall 62% drop in tithing (contributing at least 10% of their income to God’s work, generally through their local church) in comparison to the year 2001. 

 In the past few years churches and para-church organisations (mission groups and other specialised Christian ministries) have reported downturns in financial support levels.

The research and findings discussed above all relates to the USA – but some similar trends are apparent in Australia and elsewhere.  They raise challenging questions about faith commitment, the nature and future of church leadership, the need to develop a Christian and Biblical perspective to many of these issues, as well as the need for developing personal and community priorities and sense of Christian appropriateness.

 How are you handling the rapid changes happening all around you?  How do you believe the Christian faith can make a balanced and realistic contribution – at a personal, as well as community, level – to a society that continues to change rapidly?

 Stop, think, and take a closer look at the issues of change that are impacting society today. Ask yourself how you can make a positive contribution to your own life and the lives of other, with faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.