SOME THOUGHTS FROM AN OLDER MAN
by Dr. Glenn Mathews
On December 5, 2005, while on a mission’s trip to Thailand, I “observed” my 70th birthday. I sincerely hope that I am getting “older” but not “older” but not “old”. The previous month had marked the beginning of my 30th year as an Evangelist/Missionary. During the long hours of sitting on the planes, I had ample time to reflect on the past years and to note some of the changes that I have observed. The following thoughts are but a few of them. After reading them, you may want to write me and share your thoughts with me. I would certainly appreciate receiving your comments.
Changes in Communication: tremendous improvement! From TV antennas to Cable and Satellite interactive TV, the Internet, from reel-to-reel recorders to cassettes to DVD’s, from 8-millimeter without sound film to digital and video cameras and cell/picture phones, from mimeograph to laser printers, the list is almost endless.
Changes in Travel: improvement in Interstate travel, tremendous changes in the automobile, advances in aircraft speed, comfort and safety, hover craft on the water (what was once something out of sci-fi movies is now the norm) Changes in Church: without commenting on the “progress”, some things I have noted are the rise and popularity of Praise and Worship Music, the “dressing down” of the people, including the trend of the pastor/teacher to wear sport clothes and the congregation to be similarly attired, the tendency to make certain TV preachers “Media Stars”, the downplaying of the importance of Doctrine to the point that Doctrine is now seen as divisive and to be ignored in order to show “love and unity”, the rise of “user friendly” Christianity in America, the lessening of the importance of Biblically based principles, standards and convictions, the lessening of the importance of preaching in the church service, the corresponding rise of music, drama and dance as an integral part of “worship” a decrease in the matter of personal witnessing among the church membership a shift on the part of parents from praying that their children go into vocational Christian service to a desire for their children to make good money and to financially support those few who do enter vocational Christian service a decrease in the number of revival/evangelistic meetings held by the local church a corresponding shortening of such meetings, until we have come from the two-week revival to the one week revival to the four day and three day (and now in some places) a one-day meeting the rise of what I call the Christian Specialist.
Our emphasis has shifted from revivals to workshops, seminars and camps and retreats and to Christian counseling the increase of Christians who travel to such places as Bible and on short-term Mission Trips, Even the most remote parts of the world are now but hours away. What was once only dreamed of is now the usual!
As you might imagine, I could speak or write for a long time as to my feelings regarding some of the changes noted above, but I will forego that soapbox for now. I do imagine that I will add to the list and perhaps add some commentary at a later date. How does my list compare with your observations? I would really enjoy hearing from you. Write me, please and tell me if I am just an older man who is ram-bling or if my observations are on target. And while you are doing so, would you try to imagine what changes will occur in the next 30 years? My heart cries out, “even so, come, Lord Jesus!”