Paradigm Shifts

DateLine (4/18/07 – Nanuet, NY)

A good many years ago I was driving my Mom’s Volkswagen down a straight stretch of highway near my home. For some reason the thought popped in my mind to retrieve something from the glove compartment. Without thinking as I had on occasions before I pressed in the clutch pedal, turned off the ignition, extracted the key, and proceeded to unlock the locked glove compartment with my right hand; while still coasting down the highway steering with my left hand. DISCLAIMER: Do not try this under any circumstances – the reason will be obvious as I continue with the story

I’m claiming bad judgment that comes from being a teenage driver. It soon became apparent that the left-hand curve at the end of the straight stretch was approaching faster than I realized. Not too worry I thought as I gently exerted counter-clockwise pressure on the steering wheel. Nothing happened. Both hands now on the steering wheel applying significant counter-clockwise pressure on the steering wheel. Nothing happened. Panic now sitting in as the car continued on a straight path while the road started curving to the left. Then it dawned on me, this model of Volkswagen had one of those new-fangled steering column locks to prevent theft when the key was removed, and it was locked in a straight on position. All of this occurred in what probably was only a few milliseconds but in the thick of situation seemed like 5 minutes. In the nick of time, I slammed the glove compartment shut, removed the key and inserted it back in the ignition, unlocking the steering wheel thus freeing the wheel to turn to the left. Given another few seconds that part of the road would have been renamed “dead man’s curve.”

Now I’m fully aware that for some up you my IQ just dropped 50 points. For the rest of you I didn’t have you fooled anyway so it doesn’t matter. There is a point to this revelation of my bone-head move. You’ve got to realize that this occurred sometime in the 1970s. For the first 60 years or so of the history of the automobile there was no steering column lock. I know that the average reader cannot relate to that but trust me it’s true. For the rest of us who learned to drive in older automobiles, my “trick” was possible but now in hindsight not recommended. For newer automobiles, it’s not only not recommended, it can be deadly. I had experienced a “paradigm shift” in a way that endangered my life. This new feature had some downside if I continued to ignore it’s presence.

What does this have to do with the church? Churches can experience paradigm shifts. The cultural context changes in such a way that the “old way” of doing things no longer works and can be life threatening to the congregation. Now I’m not talking about having to change fundamental beliefs. I’m talking about outmoded methods. The church becomes so “wedded” to methods and practices that it negates its contemporary influence. Desperate people cannot hear the gospel because it’s wrapped in a package designed for an audience 50-100 years ago. The job of the church is to interpret ageless doctrines in the present culture. Our challenge is to use culturally relevant methods to proclaim a culturally neutral gospel. Let’s learn this lesson before we hit “dead man’s curve.”