Back Home Again in Indiana

This past week I was "Back Home Again in Indiana", attending the 52nd General Council of the Assemblies of God in Indianapolis. I grew up about 45 minutes north of Indy in a town called Frankfort. Yes...I was a Frankfort Hot Dog! (no, really). Believe me, it wasn't easy being a wiener :) I had a few open hours between meetings and a friend suggested we check out Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I hadn't been there in years and looked forward to seeing it again.

When I was a kid, Indiana was all about Hoosier basketball and the Indy 500. My favorite driver was Mario Andretti. Every year on the last Sunday in May, we would gather with friends, cook out, and listen to the race on the radio. They blacked it out from TV in Indiana.

The race track will be 100 years old in 2009 and has experienced multiple changes over time out of both necessity and technological advances. As culture changed over the last century, Indy owners sought to keep their product relevant by creating a place on the infield for the cars and crew to work (Pit Row), revamping the infield with a golf course and hotel, adding additional seating and luxury box suites, rebuilding the historic Pagoda building at the start/finish line, etc. Each time, the changes brought people back to the track where today more spectators attend the Indy 500 than any other racing event. It is the "greatest spectacle in racing." In reality, the track's long term success lies in the owners' ability to recreate and welcome change.

This is a lot like the challenges that many in the church world face today. There has been a serious cultural shift away from church, which many believe has become irrelevent. In some cases, they may be correct. In order to continue to experience success in reaching people for Christ, we have to be willing to change the way we embrace the lost and answer their questions about life, faith, and purpose. We can take a lesson from the ol' Brickyard. Let's be willing to improve our reach, embrace creative change, and win The Race.