The opportunity at high tide

There is a scene in Shakespear’s Julius Ceasar that speaks of opportunity that comes with the tide:

“There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea we are now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.”

It is my feeling that the church today is at one of those high tides of opportunity. The economy has brought many to a place of reality where trust in God has come into the mix like never before. In times of prosperity, God gets left on the outside of many decisions. In challenging times, God is given a chance and is turned to as, in too many cases, a last resort. How tragic that we wait until we have exhausted many avenues of opportunity before turning to God. With the high tide come to opportunity to launch the boat. For many that opportunity is spent fastening hard to the old traditions and “safe” places in life. For some, however, the high tide opportunity is the time to move.

Leonard Sweet, one of my favorite authors, says : To be effective in a postmodern world, churches need to transform into an "AquaChurch" capable of navigating uncharted waters ahead. The Bible, tradition, vision, creativity, teamwork, need to relate to today's ever-changing world. Many churches across the country are ministering successfully to the postmodern culture while holding fast to the gospel of Jesus.

As a pastor, I want to be a part of one of those churches.