Change: Proactive or Reactive? Selected Scripture Verses
Pastor Dennis Bone
11-22-15
We live in a world of change. Change is a constant reality of life and living; and sometimes change is thrust upon us. An event may happen to us that require that we change something; it’s not planned or expected thus we have to react. Reactive change is being acted upon and required to change. Have you ever had to change because you were acted upon by a person or a circumstance? Yes, it happens all the time. It may be something regarding your job or your health; or a relationship or a family crisis. It could be something small and relatively easy to handle, or something bigger and much more challenging. This change might just affect your plans for the day or maybe your plans for your life.
Yet many times change is something that we decide; we make a choice to change a job or retire or to get married or end a relationship. We choose to move to another house or to improve our heath by eating differently. We are proactive in seeking to plan this change. Have you ever changed because you took the initiative? You acted to make the change rather than being acted upon. Proactive change is taking the initiative to plan and act for change. In either case God is at work in our lives; and whether we react to change or proactively make changes, we are called to honor and obey God in the decision-making process; and trust in His providence.
Change can often be a combination of these two things. Esther is a good example of someone who responded to a change being thrust upon her and the Jewish people by Haman in a proactive way; Paul responded to prison being thrust upon him by the Roman authorities in a proactive way.
This is what God has always called His people to do, in both the Old and New Testaments: be proactive, because the principle of Romans 8:28 has always been true and is still true: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”
Twenty years ago this church started because of both reactive and proactive change. Grace Covenant Church came about or was formed in part to reacting to something unexpected and not planned. I remember talking with Steve Laug about planting a church in Vista many years before Grace Covenant came into existence. That is an example of thinking proactively, but it was in reaction to an unexpected event that caused many of you to be proactive in starting this church. God has richly blessed us in so many ways over the past twenty years and it’s a good thing to recall them and to give thanks for them, but this morning I want us to think about the next twenty years. Not all at once of course; but where we are going as a church and how might we get there?
Will we wait until we need to be reactive, or will we seek to be proactive? In other words, I believe that God always wants us to think proactively in terms of being prepared physically, spiritually and emotionally for the future – as individuals and as a church – so that when things happen that we may not expect or plan, we are better prepared so as to react or respond in godly ways; ways that will honor and glorify God. One of my professors in seminary said to make sure you preach sermons on grief and sorrow so that the people in your church will be prepared when tragic things happen in their lives. In other words it’s a good thing; and a biblical thing to be prepared for what is ahead and when possible, be proactive about it.
So I’ve been thinking and praying about how can we make our church better over the next twenty years and beyond; not for our sake but for the sake of Christ and His gospel, and for the many people in this community who still need to trust Christ and/or be discipled in the Christian faith?
Now I don’t have a twenty year plan this morning; and I really don’t have a specific plan at all, but I do want us to consider some principles around this need to prepare and to be proactive going forward as a church. Being proactive is not jumping ahead of God; nor is it making an excuse to do what you want in order to avoid doing God’s will; rather it is using the direction of God’s Word, the wisdom of God’s people and the power of the Holy Spirit, bathed in prayer, to move forward in positive and productive ways for God’s kingdom and for God’s glory. This is what we want to do as individuals and as a church.
A proactive person is one who acts in advance to deal with an expected or even unexpected challenge. In the Proverbs we read: “The prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” The person who is unaware and not prepared to change direction or course when necessary is not wise. As a church we want to be prudent and wise as we look to the future and face the challenges of sustaining and growing the ministry God has given to us in this place. The apostle Peter speaks to us about being proactive when he says: “Prepare your minds for action and be self-controlled.” Always think about and be mindful of the ways that you can obey God and be holy in the midst of a sinful culture. As a Christian be proactive, knowing that you will face challenges, but also knowing that God has equipped you with resources to overcome them. The same is true of His church and the desire to prepare ourselves for action and to both see and use the resources He provides for us.
Later in I Peter 3 Peter writes: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have within you.” Be proactive about your faith in Christ and why you believe what you believe. As a church this hope in Christ and in His gospel is why we exist and is foundational to our desire to move forward as a church.
This concept of being prepared and proactive as Christians is an important biblical concept and one that we see practiced throughout the Scripture. One of the great changes or transitions in ministry occurred when Joshua replaced Moses as the leader of God’s people. It didn’t happen overnight or by accident. God was proactive and He called both Moses and Joshua to be proactive as well. We all know the story and the history behind it but the key message and overriding theme given to Joshua and the people of God was this: “Be strong and courageous.” In the midst of change, some expected and some not, have the courage to move forward with the same trust in God and the same commitment in His Word that you should have right now.
Our biblical values and principles should never change when change is required of us, whether it’s reactive change or proactive change. Moses didn’t expect this major change or transition, but he tells Joshua to be proactive. In Deuteronomy 31 we read: “Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you must go with the people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give to them . . . the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” I want you to notice one crucial point: the reason that Moses tells Joshua to be proactive in continuing this ministry is the exact same reason that Moses was doing it. Nothing substantive was changing. The same God who saved you will still be leading you; and you can trust the same promises.
The Word of God to you has not changed; it’s the same law that God calls you to follow and obey; and it’s the same mission, you will be successful in what God has for you. Of course I am not comparing any one to Moses or Joshua, and this is not the point, but I do want you to see the principle of proactive change. People who have strong core values and hold to solid biblical principles are not afraid of change.
Moses is telling Joshua and the people, many of whom are certainly very concerned about this change, to not be anxious, and to not “freak out” because nothing of substance should be changing. Yes there will be a change of leadership; yes there might be some different ways of doing things and different challenges, but God has not changed; His Word has not changed and your mission has not changed. So don’t react negatively, with fear of discouragement, rather be proactive and act in a way that is consistent with the truths you believe, confess and are called to live.
Moses sets the stage in Deuteronomy, but God confirms these same truths to Joshua in the book of Joshua, chapter 1. We hear these words beginning with verse 6: Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
God’s people faced huge challenges moving forward; and God’s message to them is: “Don’t focus on the challenges, focus on me and my word to you.” It’s easy for people to see or look at the challenges ahead simply from a human perspective.
Our church is very small; we are all getting older; we don’t seem to have that many resources, but we have the same foundational principles that God’s people have always had; and they are the basis to move forward in a proactive way. Like Esther, like David, like Paul and so many other examples in the Bible and in church history, things change but God and His message of the gospel does not change. Thus when we are considering changes in our own lives or in our church, let’s make sure that we keep our eyes on the truths that have always made God’s people strong; and that will always give God’s church the opportunity to be successful in the mission He has given us.
So in preparation for the future I want to briefly remind us of these three key principles from Joshua 1:6-9. The first one I already mentioned: Be strong and courageous. We should never be afraid of change because God promises to be with us. We all face the future with lots of uncertainties; and yes we need to be wise and prayerful in how we make decisions, but the one thing that we can be absolutely certain of is that our God will never leave us or forsake. Moses didn’t tell the people: “Joshua is a great guy and don’t worry about anything because he is going to make it happen for you.” He said, “You have a great God; and whatever comes up in this transition, He will be there for you.” It may not go the way you want or planned or expected, but the source of your strength and courage is in Him, so trust in Him.
The second principle is: Be obedient to God’s Law. The second time God says to be strong and courageous – in verse 7 – He is referring specifically to keeping the law. We must never be willing to compromise God’s word but rather stand strong upon it; and be willing to courageously act on this basis. This propensity to compromise or accommodate to culture was a big problem for the Old Testament church, and still continues to be one for the church today.
Change should never be about what is most convenient or popular, but always about the principles of God’s truth; and how they apply to our lives and to the life of our church. This leads us to the third principle we see in verse 8: Be immersed in the Word of God. We must not only take our stand upon it but we must be in it. God’s Word is not just what we say we believe but it must be what we practice and what is seen by the people around us. Thus God tells Joshua in verse 8: “Do not let the Book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
It is people who are immersed in God’s Word who will then be obeying God’s Word; and on this basis be the ones who are strong and courageous, as they move forward through the changes that come to them in life. True prosperity and success is when we are able to navigate through the changes in our lives in ways that honor God, obey His Word, proclaim His gospel and point people to Christ in our words and deeds. This is the work of the church; the work of we have been called to do for the past twenty years and one I pray we will continue to do for many more.
I don’t anticipate any changes next week or next month or even next year – that we know of – but as a church I want us to be actively praying for and actively involved in how we change and move forward in the future. We have the opportunity to do this proactively, not just reactively, and may these fundamental biblical principles be the ones we hold fast to and drive us to do it.
©You’re welcome to recycle these resources for your church free of charge. However, if you find them useful, please consider making a donation to the ministry of GCC.
Pastor Dennis Bone
11-22-15
We live in a world of change. Change is a constant reality of life and living; and sometimes change is thrust upon us. An event may happen to us that require that we change something; it’s not planned or expected thus we have to react. Reactive change is being acted upon and required to change. Have you ever had to change because you were acted upon by a person or a circumstance? Yes, it happens all the time. It may be something regarding your job or your health; or a relationship or a family crisis. It could be something small and relatively easy to handle, or something bigger and much more challenging. This change might just affect your plans for the day or maybe your plans for your life.
Yet many times change is something that we decide; we make a choice to change a job or retire or to get married or end a relationship. We choose to move to another house or to improve our heath by eating differently. We are proactive in seeking to plan this change. Have you ever changed because you took the initiative? You acted to make the change rather than being acted upon. Proactive change is taking the initiative to plan and act for change. In either case God is at work in our lives; and whether we react to change or proactively make changes, we are called to honor and obey God in the decision-making process; and trust in His providence.
Change can often be a combination of these two things. Esther is a good example of someone who responded to a change being thrust upon her and the Jewish people by Haman in a proactive way; Paul responded to prison being thrust upon him by the Roman authorities in a proactive way.
This is what God has always called His people to do, in both the Old and New Testaments: be proactive, because the principle of Romans 8:28 has always been true and is still true: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”
Twenty years ago this church started because of both reactive and proactive change. Grace Covenant Church came about or was formed in part to reacting to something unexpected and not planned. I remember talking with Steve Laug about planting a church in Vista many years before Grace Covenant came into existence. That is an example of thinking proactively, but it was in reaction to an unexpected event that caused many of you to be proactive in starting this church. God has richly blessed us in so many ways over the past twenty years and it’s a good thing to recall them and to give thanks for them, but this morning I want us to think about the next twenty years. Not all at once of course; but where we are going as a church and how might we get there?
Will we wait until we need to be reactive, or will we seek to be proactive? In other words, I believe that God always wants us to think proactively in terms of being prepared physically, spiritually and emotionally for the future – as individuals and as a church – so that when things happen that we may not expect or plan, we are better prepared so as to react or respond in godly ways; ways that will honor and glorify God. One of my professors in seminary said to make sure you preach sermons on grief and sorrow so that the people in your church will be prepared when tragic things happen in their lives. In other words it’s a good thing; and a biblical thing to be prepared for what is ahead and when possible, be proactive about it.
So I’ve been thinking and praying about how can we make our church better over the next twenty years and beyond; not for our sake but for the sake of Christ and His gospel, and for the many people in this community who still need to trust Christ and/or be discipled in the Christian faith?
Now I don’t have a twenty year plan this morning; and I really don’t have a specific plan at all, but I do want us to consider some principles around this need to prepare and to be proactive going forward as a church. Being proactive is not jumping ahead of God; nor is it making an excuse to do what you want in order to avoid doing God’s will; rather it is using the direction of God’s Word, the wisdom of God’s people and the power of the Holy Spirit, bathed in prayer, to move forward in positive and productive ways for God’s kingdom and for God’s glory. This is what we want to do as individuals and as a church.
A proactive person is one who acts in advance to deal with an expected or even unexpected challenge. In the Proverbs we read: “The prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” The person who is unaware and not prepared to change direction or course when necessary is not wise. As a church we want to be prudent and wise as we look to the future and face the challenges of sustaining and growing the ministry God has given to us in this place. The apostle Peter speaks to us about being proactive when he says: “Prepare your minds for action and be self-controlled.” Always think about and be mindful of the ways that you can obey God and be holy in the midst of a sinful culture. As a Christian be proactive, knowing that you will face challenges, but also knowing that God has equipped you with resources to overcome them. The same is true of His church and the desire to prepare ourselves for action and to both see and use the resources He provides for us.
Later in I Peter 3 Peter writes: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have within you.” Be proactive about your faith in Christ and why you believe what you believe. As a church this hope in Christ and in His gospel is why we exist and is foundational to our desire to move forward as a church.
This concept of being prepared and proactive as Christians is an important biblical concept and one that we see practiced throughout the Scripture. One of the great changes or transitions in ministry occurred when Joshua replaced Moses as the leader of God’s people. It didn’t happen overnight or by accident. God was proactive and He called both Moses and Joshua to be proactive as well. We all know the story and the history behind it but the key message and overriding theme given to Joshua and the people of God was this: “Be strong and courageous.” In the midst of change, some expected and some not, have the courage to move forward with the same trust in God and the same commitment in His Word that you should have right now.
Our biblical values and principles should never change when change is required of us, whether it’s reactive change or proactive change. Moses didn’t expect this major change or transition, but he tells Joshua to be proactive. In Deuteronomy 31 we read: “Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you must go with the people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give to them . . . the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” I want you to notice one crucial point: the reason that Moses tells Joshua to be proactive in continuing this ministry is the exact same reason that Moses was doing it. Nothing substantive was changing. The same God who saved you will still be leading you; and you can trust the same promises.
The Word of God to you has not changed; it’s the same law that God calls you to follow and obey; and it’s the same mission, you will be successful in what God has for you. Of course I am not comparing any one to Moses or Joshua, and this is not the point, but I do want you to see the principle of proactive change. People who have strong core values and hold to solid biblical principles are not afraid of change.
Moses is telling Joshua and the people, many of whom are certainly very concerned about this change, to not be anxious, and to not “freak out” because nothing of substance should be changing. Yes there will be a change of leadership; yes there might be some different ways of doing things and different challenges, but God has not changed; His Word has not changed and your mission has not changed. So don’t react negatively, with fear of discouragement, rather be proactive and act in a way that is consistent with the truths you believe, confess and are called to live.
Moses sets the stage in Deuteronomy, but God confirms these same truths to Joshua in the book of Joshua, chapter 1. We hear these words beginning with verse 6: Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
God’s people faced huge challenges moving forward; and God’s message to them is: “Don’t focus on the challenges, focus on me and my word to you.” It’s easy for people to see or look at the challenges ahead simply from a human perspective.
Our church is very small; we are all getting older; we don’t seem to have that many resources, but we have the same foundational principles that God’s people have always had; and they are the basis to move forward in a proactive way. Like Esther, like David, like Paul and so many other examples in the Bible and in church history, things change but God and His message of the gospel does not change. Thus when we are considering changes in our own lives or in our church, let’s make sure that we keep our eyes on the truths that have always made God’s people strong; and that will always give God’s church the opportunity to be successful in the mission He has given us.
So in preparation for the future I want to briefly remind us of these three key principles from Joshua 1:6-9. The first one I already mentioned: Be strong and courageous. We should never be afraid of change because God promises to be with us. We all face the future with lots of uncertainties; and yes we need to be wise and prayerful in how we make decisions, but the one thing that we can be absolutely certain of is that our God will never leave us or forsake. Moses didn’t tell the people: “Joshua is a great guy and don’t worry about anything because he is going to make it happen for you.” He said, “You have a great God; and whatever comes up in this transition, He will be there for you.” It may not go the way you want or planned or expected, but the source of your strength and courage is in Him, so trust in Him.
The second principle is: Be obedient to God’s Law. The second time God says to be strong and courageous – in verse 7 – He is referring specifically to keeping the law. We must never be willing to compromise God’s word but rather stand strong upon it; and be willing to courageously act on this basis. This propensity to compromise or accommodate to culture was a big problem for the Old Testament church, and still continues to be one for the church today.
Change should never be about what is most convenient or popular, but always about the principles of God’s truth; and how they apply to our lives and to the life of our church. This leads us to the third principle we see in verse 8: Be immersed in the Word of God. We must not only take our stand upon it but we must be in it. God’s Word is not just what we say we believe but it must be what we practice and what is seen by the people around us. Thus God tells Joshua in verse 8: “Do not let the Book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
It is people who are immersed in God’s Word who will then be obeying God’s Word; and on this basis be the ones who are strong and courageous, as they move forward through the changes that come to them in life. True prosperity and success is when we are able to navigate through the changes in our lives in ways that honor God, obey His Word, proclaim His gospel and point people to Christ in our words and deeds. This is the work of the church; the work of we have been called to do for the past twenty years and one I pray we will continue to do for many more.
I don’t anticipate any changes next week or next month or even next year – that we know of – but as a church I want us to be actively praying for and actively involved in how we change and move forward in the future. We have the opportunity to do this proactively, not just reactively, and may these fundamental biblical principles be the ones we hold fast to and drive us to do it.
©You’re welcome to recycle these resources for your church free of charge. However, if you find them useful, please consider making a donation to the ministry of GCC.
