It's Not Your Father's Oldsmobile...or Church

In the late 80’s, there was an advertising campaign meant to revitalize sluggish automobile sales for GM. The famous tagline from those commercials was “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile.”

Unfortunately, the slogan outlasted the car it was promoting, and it is still used to endorse products that have supposedly seen a generational upgrade worth a second look. Confession being good for the soul, I have resorted to using it myself at times to encourage attendance at something that was coming up at the church.

See, I pastor the church my father pastored for over 30 years, and, before that, it was my grandfather who had planted and pastored the church for the first 21 years in a newly developed community south of Detroit. Now, it’s me … did I mention we are all William Walker? There are a few in the congregation who have had three pastors but never had to learn a different name.

When I first was given the unique privilege of this position, I desired to establish the fact quickly; this was NOT my father’s church … or my grandfather’s. Change was needed and necessary, and it would begin immediately with my leadership. Wow, what a head case.

Experience has taught me that change simply for change sake doesn’t usually last and will at times implode on itself. However, change, combined with purpose, can provide potent potential; not just for temporary momentum, but lasting benefit with eternal significance. That is what happens when the changes we make have an outward concentration rather than an inward motivation. Read More