The task of the church is to teach all nations what the Lord has commanded. For those who take the Lord’s charter seriously, change is not possible wherever the Lord has spoken. In our series “Confessions of faith,” those who have come to our church have almost invariably appreciated one thing about us. We teach the Word of God. That should not change. So the first answer to the question about change is no. The church should not change its teaching as long as that teaching is based on the Bible.

But the church has changed over the centuries. We don’t speak Greek in our gatherings as the early church did. Nor do we read the New Testament in Greek, the language God used in the process of inspiration. Pentecost changed that when the Holy Spirit came and used other languages so that people could hear and learn about Jesus. Yes, the church changed. Latin, used for so many centuries, has also disappeared.

We don’t even speak German. We speak English, and even English has changed. We don’t use the King’s English any longer. Some may not prefer to speak the Lord’s Prayer in a new version. Instead, they continue to use the older familiar form. But we do make changes.

Some changes occurred quickly after Jesus ascended. The early church in Jerusalem grew, but its growth created problems. The Grecian converts complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The church instituted a change that helped solve the problem. They chose seven men to take care of the problem so that the 12 apostles could concentrate on “prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:1-7).

We’ve changed in many ways since then. We drive cars. We communicate by e-mail, cell phones, and satellites with people all over the world in an instant. We use electric lights, heat our churches in the winter, cool them in the summer, and use sound systems to make the voice of the pastor louder so people will hear God’s message.

The architecture of our church buildings is not commanded either. God gave specific directions for the building of the tabernacle in the Old Testament, but New Testament Christians are free to build in various styles. Some churches are Gothic, others Romanesque, still others contemporary. And in some of our mission settings God’s people meet in public schools, banks, or union halls.