A few months ago, someone on Facebook asked me, “How has your thinking changed and developed over the years?”
Change is a sign of growth. So I got to thinking about how my thinking has evolved in recent years.
Here are seven specific areas in which it has. See if you can resonate with any of these, and feel free to add your own to the list.
* I used to think that when a person read a book or heard a message that deeply impacted them, the impact would remain. I was wrong. The drip-drip effect is required for lasting transformation.
* I used to think that the kingdom of God was a dimension of God’s Eternal Purpose. I was wrong. I’ve come to understand that the kingdom of God is just a different name for God’s Eternal Purpose. However, most of the teaching on the kingdom over the last 50 years falls dreadfully short, and the gospel of the kingdom is all but lost to us today. This is one reason why countless Christians don’t know what the Eternal Purpose is.
* I used to believe that those who claim to want deep relationships with other believers were willing to pay the price of time, money, and travel that’s often required to secure it. I was wrong. Few are willing to pay such a price, despite their claim.
* I used to think that if a book was endorsed by some of the greatest voices in the Christian world today, it would become a bestseller. I was wrong. Endorsements — even remarkable ones by remarkable people — don’t mean a hill of beans.
* I used to think that most Christians in their 20’s and 30’s were interested in the deeper things of God (due to the amazing people I’ve known and worked with in that age group). I was wrong. Very few in that age group care about the deeper things of God today (those of you who are in your 20’s and 30’s on this email list are the big exception, and that’s why I love you guys so much!).
* I used to think that if a person was formally excommunicated by a church for continuous unrepentant abuse against others, all who claim to be Christians would honor the excommunication (just as Jesus and Paul taught us to do). I was wrong. Many professing Christians will friend on social media abusive trolls who have been excommunicated multiple times by the body of Christ. (One of my friends wrote about this problem a few years ago.)
* I used to think that everyone who hosted a Christian conference wanted the best, brightest, deepest thinkers, and the most powerful speakers to unleash on the body of Christ. I was wrong. Very few do. Most are interested in “celebrity pastors” who bring in the big cash.
How has your thinking changed over the years? Share your answer in the comments section below.
