Our world is changing fast and on the move. People are urbanizing and economies are globalizing. Governments are changing. We have 24/7 “breaking news” and communication. People work, study and vacation abroad. Interracial and cross-cultural marriages are common. World views, cultures and religions mix together like a steeping stew of many ingredients. Rarely people live in isolation. However there are some things that never change. God never changes, His Word never changes and the meaning of His Word never changes. Another constant is the tug on our hearts as we think about the world’s needs and the lostness of the people around us.

As we study and are anchored to God’s Word we need to be aware of how our changing world affects how we deliver the Word, the type of building we meet in, the language we speak, the type of music we use for worship and the literacy level of those we minister to. Ministers of the Word need to adjust to countless new trends, technologies, crises and epidemics. New strategies and methods will have to be created to meet the challenges we face. In other words, our way of doing ministry may change from context to context. There are many applications of God’s Word and they vary due to thousands of specific situations but there is only one meaning. Studying God’s Word is essential to remain true to our unchanging mission and message.

What is our unchanging mission? The mission of the church is to worship God, glorify Christ, make disciples of all nations (people groups panta ta ethne), baptize believers and teach them to obey all that Christ has commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) It is too numerous to mention the different methods used to engage the world in this but Jesus’ last command needs to be our first priority. God wants all people to worship and obey Him. Pastor John Piper rightly said “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”

What is our unchanging message? It is the Gospel or Good News. It is laid-out by the “Romans Road”.

1. Romans 3:23: All have sinned and no one is innocent before God.
2. Romans 6:23a: The consequence of our sin is physical and eternal death.
3. Romans 6:23b and 5:8: Jesus Christ died for us! His death paid the price for our sin. His resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ death as the full payment for our sin.
4. Romans 10:9 and 13: Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sin, is available to anyone who will trust fully in Jesus Christ only as their Lord and Savior.
5. Romans 5:1, 8:1, 8:38-39: The result of our salvation is we have peace with God through Jesus Christ.

As modern day disciples of Christ we must be willing and able to change the methods we use to proclaim the Gospel to those around us and teach them to obey Jesus Christ. Let’s be students of God’s unchanging Word and of our changing world so that our ministries meet people’s temporal and eternal needs.