What?? What did she just say? Hold up; Let me explain. This post is primarily to leaders in our churches. The church has been in transition for years. I never imagined that it would take so long, but that’s how God operates; He ain’t in nobody’s hurry. That’s how He teaches us patience; by waiting (sometimes for a looong time) with a good attitude. Church has to change, and I say to you — church as we know it today will be nothing like it is in the future (I dare not predict when this change will occur). But this I will say: leaders that are consumed with doing things “their” way will be left without a church or will have a skeletal church; yep, full of dry dead bones.

There will always be laymen, as well as leaders, that refuse to change. These are what the Bible refers to as “old wine skins.” Jesus said that you can’t pour new wine (new revelation) into old wineskins (old mindsets, old paradigms). These folk refuse to give up tradition or “the way we’ve always done it,” but what about what God is saying? We are headed for the greatest outpouring of the Spirit of God that this world has ever experienced and if God cannot trust leaders that are obedient and pliable to His will, then He is going to remove them or leave them with a church full of dead dry bones where the glory of God is no longer present (Ichabod).

As people become hungry for God, they will no longer remain in these dry dead churches. They will seek places of worship where the Spirit and power of God is evident — where people are set free from sin and bondage, where they can experience miracles, signs, and wonders. If people are leaving these churches, their money is going with them, and everybody knows that it takes money to maintain a ministry.

People will no longer be satisfied with hype (talking loud and saying nothing) or a message that may be encouraging, but lacks substance (instruction or power to change your life by enabling you to live a victorious life). They will no longer be satisfied with dancing, shouting, running around the church, etc., but experiencing no true victory (success) in life.

If you are a leader that is easily offended or jealous, God can’t trust you. If you hold grudges or unforgiveness, God can’t trust you. If you won’t preach against sin or choose to remain in sin, God can’t trust you. If you are controlling, God can’t trust you. If you are a lover of money, God can’t trust you. If you are more concerned about pleasing people than pleasing God, God can’t trust you. If you walk in pride, God can’t trust you. If you are a religious snob (carry a religious spirit), God can’t trust you. If you don’t believe that God is the same today, yesterday, and forever, God can’t trust you. I could go on and on, but I’m sure you grasp my point.

The previous paragraph also applies to laymen, because anyone with that mindset will not connect with a place of worship where God is free to do as He pleases and where messages with substance are being taught and preached. These people are satisfied with just “churchin.” They don’t want to attend a fellowship where people are actually expected to “live right.”

Some leaders will be replaced, but some God will have to call home to heaven because they refuse to change. Others will be left with their dead congregations.

All this to say, change is coming to the church whether we like it or not, whether we change or not. We can either get on board with the plan of God or be a bystander watching God move in the lives of others.

I know where I’m gonna be; what about you?

Angela Smith is a minister and a resident of Salisbury.