Raymond Culpepper on Change...He loved it...He hates it...It's here.

Raymond Culpepper, General Overseer of the Church of God, recently released a Missional Message for the church. If you are interested you can watch it here: http://www.churchofgod.org/.

I have been thinking about it, and I have to say that, in part, I am excited. I also have to say, as usual, that I am skeptical. In fact, I think that I should warn you that I suffer from a bit of multiple personality disorder. The me that is an upstanding third generation church member and Sunday school teacher is often in disagreement with the me that is a left-of-center postmoderny hippie type, and both have distinctive reactions to this message. I will give a brief overview of Dr. Culpepper's message, and a good dose of unqualified commentary from each of my personalities. So, here we go:

“You know, I'm tired of hearing the word change.” This is his first sentence in a message about change. Sheesh...(This sheesh brought to you by the postmoderny hippie).

He says that change is an unstoppable force, and in itself, is neither good nor bad. In a wave of nostalgia he recalls that change was a friend to the Church of God during the twentieth century. He speaks about the Pentecostal outpouring during the first half of the century, the overflow from the Charismatic Renewal, and the blessing that came from the economic prosperity in the last part of the century.

(By the way, the postmoderny hippie wants me to tell you that the Pentecostal church of the early 20th century also gave birth to snake-handling, and that the economic prosperity of the late 20th century led to the propagation of the false Prosperity Gospel. Good times.)

To sum up his introductory statement, change was good, but now it's scary. The world is not the same, he says. “The tide of good times is over. The age of Christendom, born with Constantine in 313 A.D gasped for air and died.” I'm guessing he's a glass half empty kind of guy.


“Once upon a time, change was our friend," he says. "Now it is our summons to transformation.” (The Sunday School Teacher is looking around to make sure that the old people are listening.)

Dr. Culpepper brings out four facts that are the anchor points of his message.
1.The Church of God is not alone in a changing world. Every major church organization seems to be struggling against the current. Churches are downsizing, having to choose between ministers and mortgages. The words emergent and mosaic are 'hot'. The message of the gospel is being dumbed down.

2.God has not changed. God's purpose for us has not been fully realized or actualized. We have a multi ethnic, multi linguistic, trans generational transcultural commission. God has not changed his purpose or his mind.

3.The response to change is our choice. There is a normal cycle of growth and decline, therefore it is not a time to panic. We cannot deal with the problems we have by saying “ready, fire, aim,” nor can we deal with our problems by saying “ready, aim, aim, aim...” We must take prayerful, wise, deliberate action. We must think holistically; how will our actions affect the entire church? We must create a preferred future, remembering that our actions are dependent on God. We need miracles.

4.The Church of God will make a strategic difference. The church is filled with many capable leaders. Throughout the church leaders form a circle of God's favor and trust. Leaders are those who, when circumstances present themselves, rise to the occasion.

Dr. Culpepper wraps up his message by committing himself to the transformation of the Church of God into a 21st century missional movement. “The mission of the church,” he says, “is not just the great commission, but the greatest commission, the only enduring commission.” (The Sunday School teacher in me is really pumped up. Maybe my other personality will get saved.)


“May every church be a missions outpost, every pastor and member a missionary to post modernity,” he says. “The world is waiting. We have a mission.” (For once, both sides agree.)