“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” was a sentence I regularly heard over a decade ago in the debates about whether Australia should remain a monarchy or become a republic. Since then I have heard the same sentence often used in many situations to defend not making changes. So I wonder if it should also be applied to our church life?
Why would you say this?
I am sure there are many reasons behind why this sentence is used. It may be that for a variety of reasons some people just don’t want change regardless of any benefits that may come from change. It could be that if a product or process is doing the job and is fit for service, why expend energy changing it? My guess is that for many the uncertainty concerning the quality of what replaces the original lies at the heart of the issue. - to quote another line, ‘better the devil you know than the one you don’t’.
Some Issues
There are some issues to consider when it comes to our practice of ministry and whether it should change.
Firstly, it is Christians who are committed to change. I know we are often characterized as being the one group that never changes but that is neither true nor Biblical. As individuals we are daily being transformed from one degree of glory into another as we behold the face of God in Christ (2 Cor 3). God is taking us from where we are and making us more and more like his Son as each day passes. We are committed to change. You can see that in the The Book of Common Prayer, one document that never seems to change. The Preface declared the expectation that the book would continue to be revised.
Secondly, our world is broke. The world we live in is in hostility toward God and bears the marks of the beginning of God’s judgment through its failings. And even our church structures, because they are human activities are caught up in that brokenness.
Thirdly, and a very important consideration, is that some things must not be changed. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Mankind is still under sin, and the only hope is the salvation through the atoning death of Christ. These truths must be preserved.
Possible ways forward
I think
• we must always be looking for better ways to serve the Lord and others. There is no place for ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
• in everything we do, we need to ensure we understand the gospel purpose behind it, and seek to do the task better next time.
• often we will not be sure if a change is for the better, so we need to
- pray for wisdom
- think through possible solutions
- track the effects of changes. (recognizing that sometimes changes occur more slowly than the timeframe we give them, or the benefit is seen in areas other than we expect).
