Being a space nerd, I’ve followed with amazement the many discoveries made through the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope, launched in December 2021, observes infrared light from the farthest reaches of the galaxy, shattering long held theories about the universe with each new observation.
The latest, made by an international team of astronomers, reports discovery of six massive galaxies in the oldest corner of the universe. In an article dated March 7, 2023, the Houston Chronicle’s Andrea Leinfelder wrote, the discoveries “have called into question what scientists thought they knew about how galaxies formed in the early universe.” The discovered galaxies are so large, Leinfelder notes, they conflict with 99 percent of cosmology models. Astronomer Joel Leja with Pennsylvania State University says, “(This finding) upends what many of us had thought was settled science.”
The lesson: There’s no such thing as settled science. The universe as God created it is so grand, there is always something new that, once we know it, shatters much of what we thought we knew. And so, the lesson everyone must learn is to stay humble and keep learning.
Which certainly applies to the church as much as it does science. Just when we think we understand how the church works, what makes us fruitful, and how to best please the Lord in our local setting, something new comes along to challenge our assumptions.
Don’t get me wrong! With both science and the church, our Lord has things very much settled. The truths established in His word are absolute. But in this fallen world, with our vision limited by worldly perspectives, we undermine Christ’s mission when we cling to extrabiblical assumptions concerning these truths.
How? Here’s an example. When I last pastored in Texas, our church served a rapidly growing Dallas suburb. At a time when Christianity in general held cultural favor, new residents (even unbelievers and unchurched) would visit our worship service giving us a steady flow of people with whom to share our ministry. So long as I preached the truth of scripture and our people treated the guests kindly, a certain number of our guests would profess faith, joining and eventually serving through our church.
Today, however, our faith no longer defines society. If I don’t learn to engage unbelievers out in the world, the church I serve will bear little fruit. Faith still comes by hearing, and hearing through the word. But to be fruitful for the Lord, I must change my assumption of how and where unbelievers begin to hear.
That’s just one example. The point is simple: sometimes God shows you things that conflict with what you think you knew about the church. So, once you measure it by the settled truth of scripture, learn and adjust to your new reality. Like the scientists, sometimes we need to unlearn a few things in order to be fruitful.
What have you learned lately that has led to a change in how you serve the Lord? Let us know in the comments below.
Blessings,
Bro. Jim