Some Things Do Change

The old Moscow Sheremetyevo airport has a new terminal.  It's big and bright and high tech and welcoming -- a far cry from the dark, foreboding, unwelcoming terminal I walked into on my first visit to Russia in 1998.

Today is Election Sunday in Russia.  Young voters skeptically argue that it's really not an election but at least the power brokers are forced to subject themselves to the will of the people.  Opposition parties to the United Russian Party include A Just Russia Party and the Apple Party, which represents the Russian version of capitalism.  Opposition parties were sent to the gulag during the old Soviet days.

They say some things never change and I suppose that's true.  But some things do change.  I had two fascinating experiences with change today.  During the morning I worshipped with the established Wesleyan Church pastored by a former student and an old friend here in Vladimir.  I can only imagine how much the Heavenly Father enjoys hearing praises sung in the Russian language.  Russians have a much more reverent, mystical and reflective approach to worship compared to the dominant celebrative sounds of contemporary worship in America. But change is afoot here.  Today was the last Sunday for a group of about 10 Wesleyan church members who are launching a new work in another district of Vladimir.

This evening I spent 3 hours with the launch team of this new Wesleyan Church.  They are a group of high capacity, deeply devoted Christ-followers.  Any church planter would love to have them on a launch team.  Any pastor would feel their absence as they walked out the door for the final Sunday. 

I have a two-fold ministry this week:  to help equip the launch team of a new church and to encourage the leadership of the established church.  As good as this change may be for the Kingdom of God in Vladimir, change is still hard.  We know all the right things to say and we may even believe them in our heads.  I was so proud of my pastor friend as he shepherded his congregation on this morning of change.  Yet I also know how emotionally difficult his challenge is in the days to come.

There is an upside and a downside to everything in a fallen world.  So it is with every season of change.  You and I always have a choice to make.  Will we wallow in pity and bewail the downside?  Or will we move forward in faith and embrace the upside?  Somethings never change -- the downside and the upside will always be there.  Some things do change -- including our attitude to the changes God is bringing to our life.

Embrace the upside!
Blair