I confess that I’ve resisted engaging in the technological changes of our time and it has created a void in my ability to communicate with my children and grandchildren. I have not engaged in the social networking that they have so willingly adapted to. I watch them use technology to connect with people from their past, as well as the present, and to communicate daily with all their “friends.”

I don’t receive letters from them anymore, except for the occasionally birthday card or anniversary card. It is not their first choice in communicating with me. They would rather “text” me. It would take extra effort for them to send birthday greetings to me “my way.” They would have to get in their car, drive to the local mall, find a parking place, walk into the mall, and navigate the labyrinth of stores and shops. Once they find the store, they go to the card rack, read through 15 cards to find the “right card.” Back home they sit down and write their personal greetings on the card, place it in the envelope, address the envelope, get back into their car and drive all the way to the post office to mail it. You see, the mail has already been delivered at their home and if they don’t get it in the mail that day, it wouldn’t arrive in time for my birthday. “If Chappy (all my grandkids call me Chappy) had a cell phone, I could text him, tell him I love him, and wish him a happy birthday in just 20 seconds of what it took me three hours to do.” To my grandchildren, the purpose and message is the same. They want to tell me they love me and want to wish me well but my choice of communication is too archaic and inefficient for them. Many of you are saying, as you read this, “Oh yes! I know what he is talking about.”

In the last 20 years, our world and how we function in our society has changed more significantly than in the previous 100 years. Most of this rapid change can be attributed to the incredible technological advancements. Some of us resist the change, while others embrace it whole heartedly.

At a plenary session of the Annual Convention of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (CLB) several years ago, we were discussing stewardship and meeting the financial needs of our synod and churches. Someone made the point that 90% of the financial support comes from 10% of the constituents of the synod, and 80% of that 10% are people over the age of 50. That led to discussion about stewardship training for our churches and encouraging our younger people to give financial support for our synod and churches.

A young woman then stood and asked to speak to the issue. She clearly described how she paid all of her bills online. She told us she didn’t even have a checkbook and that she would like to contribute to the work of the CLB, but she couldn’t because our fledgling website had no way to give online. I remember sitting there thinking about what she said and saying to myself, “That is weird. How could anyone get along in this world without a checkbook?”

If you look at the CLB website today, you will see that one is able to give to the synod online. More importantly, you will find all sorts of great information about who we are as a church and how we are carrying out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. I was impressed when I recently reviewed the Synod’s website. There is more information available on the website than one could receive from two year’s worth of the Faith & Fellowship. It is all in one place, it speaks to every part of the CLB ministry, and it is current. How we tell our story is changing!

The CLB has made some huge changes during the past six years. The most visible are organizational and operational. The Ministry Boards, the Board of Trustees, and the Synodical Council have been eliminated. The Council of Directors has been established. Congregations have been organized into five Regions; four in the United States and one in Canada. These changes were made for the purpose of facilitating and enabling our local congregations to own and carry out the mission of the Church. We believe God has given each congregation his mission. The CLB mission is conducted from the perspective that the mission of the Church flows out of the local congregation. The responsibility for the mission is fully given over to the local churches.

Regional Pastors (RP) have been appointed to each of the five regions. The Regional Pastor encourages and facilitates clusters of churches to work as a family to share the gospel in our communities and in the world. The Regional Pastor provides assistance in shepherding and mentoring pastors in his region. He encourages, facilitates, and supports common and cooperative ministry among groups or clusters of churches in the region. He has a myriad of other responsibilities, all designed to enable the local congregations to do the mission of the Church. How we do mission is changing!

What hasn’t changed is the mission and vision of our Church. The CLB Mission Statement is, as always: “In response to God’s person and grace, we worship Him with everything we are in Christ, serve one another in Christian love and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people.” The mission of the CLB is the same today as it was when five independent Lutheran congregations (the CLB’s first cluster of churches) came together in 1900 for a common purpose. The CLB Vision Statement encourages the local congregations to take ownership of all aspects of the mission of the Church. “We see God stirring in our church a fresh passion to reach beyond our own comfort to all people among whom God places us. We embrace God’s mission to bring the life changing Gospel to unreached people in Asia and Africa, and we sense God convicting us to more intentionally reach out to people who live in our midst in North America as well.”

Throughout the United States and Canada we are seeing examples of what our local congregations are doing to provide ministry and mission to their communities, as well as regionally and internationally. One congregation has pledged to support, for five years, a missionary couple who will be sent to witness about Jesus to the Bagirmi people in Chad. Other congregations are considering joining in that International Mission effort. Clusters of churches are coming together for common ministry in their region. Gifts and resources of several congregations are being shared to support an outreach ministry. Several congregations are providing ministry in their churches for different ethnic people in their communities. Clusters of churches are combining their effort to provide youth ministry retreats for their region. Clusters of congregations are providing short-term mission opportunities for the young people in their churches. Regional Pastors have formed accountability and support groups to encourage the local pastors in their ministry. Clusters of churches are coming together for pastor and leader training. Local congregations are planting new congregations.

This year the Regions are conducting their first Biennial Conventions in lieu of the CLB Annual Convention. One of our Regions has had to cease taking reservations for its 2011 Regional Biennial Convention because there are more people who want to attend the convention than the convention facility can accommodate. I believe that twice as many congregation members and delegates will attend the Region Biennial Conventions this year as will attend next year’s CLB Biennial Convention. It is an indication that people in our local congregations want to engage in the greater mission of the Church.

These are just a few examples of how the major changes in CLB structure have enabled and encouraged our congregations to do what they are called to do – “to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people.” The Gospel Scripture for July 3, 2011 is Matthew 11:25-30. Verse 27 is quite revealing and challenging: “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” He has chosen all of us who know and love him to reveal who Jesus is to all people.

Yes, the Church of the Lutheran Brethren has made changes, all for the purpose of enabling you to tell all people who Jesus is. Most of our congregations and pastors are embracing these changes. As with all changes, there is some reservation. While it is your choice as autonomous congregations to choose how to embrace the changes, we pray that all of our CLB congregations in North America will totally unite in our efforts to support, share, and strengthen one another at the local levels to carry out the work the Lord calls us to do.

By the way, I now have a cell phone that I use to text my grandkids. I can even send them pictures I have taken with the cell phone. Oh yes, I am starting to pay bills online. Change does happen!

Chaplain G.T. Gunhus is a retired Major General of the U.S. Army and lives with his wife Ann in Underwood, Minnesota.