Alva Review-Courier -

In the late 19th century, Charles Darwin, while visiting the Galapagos Islands, observed finches that seemed to change the size and shape of their beaks. These finches have since been dubbed “Darwin’s Finches.”

The size of these bird’s beaks would change depending on the amount of rain the islands receive. So, says the evolutionist, there is proof of evolution. However, this is not proof of evolution on the macro level, because they are still finches. Darwin did not observe finches changing into another species, he observed changes within the species. This is clearly an example of adaptation, because in the end they are still finches.

I am no proponent of Darwinian evolution, but I think that there is a valuable lesson that the church can, and should, learn from Darwin’s finches. These amazing birds learned to adapt to their surroundings. As conditions changed, they adapted to ensure their survival. They changed certain features to survive in changing times, but they never ceased to be finches. Their essence remained the same, but they changed what they needed to in order to survive. Therein lies the lesson we need to learn.

We are living in challenging times. The world is undergoing a dramatic metamorphosis before our very eyes. In my 51 years of life, I have observed changes in our culture that I would have never imagined, some good and some bad. However, if we are going to fulfill the Great Commission (make disciples of all nations), we are going to have to adapt to meet these changes. We are going to have to transform the way we “do church.” If we continue to do things the way we have always done them, we are going to go extinct. If we do not adapt, we will not be able to survive in this new world, without even mentioning reaching this world for Christ.

Moreover, meeting the needs of this rapidly changing world will require our adaptation. We cannot meet the needs of contemporary culture with 1960s solutions. However, if we are going to fulfill the Great Commission, we must also continue to be the church. If we lose our identity we have nothing to offer the world. Thus, we must change things we do, but we must never change who we are. We must adapt to the changing culture without changing our species. It is not until we start changing the gospel, the essence of God, or the identity of Jesus Christ that we have to worry about changing our species. As long as we do not waver on these things, the options before us to minister to this changing world are unlimited.

Do not be discouraged. We can do this. We can adapt to changing times without losing our identity. We can change the things we do, and the way we do them, without changing what we are. We can be just as Christian singing contemporary songs as we are singing hymns. We can be equally Christian worshiping on Saturday night as we are on Sunday morning, or meeting in small groups instead of Sunday evening services. Our attire does not change our identity, so long as we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

The Apostle Paul gave us a great description of this in 1 Corinthians 9:20-23 when he said, “To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

Paul was willing to adapt to the cultural diversity of his day, in order to win these various people groups to Christ. He changed the way he presented the gospel. He even made adaptations to the way he lived. But he never changed the gospel, or who he was in Christ. He adapted to the world, but he retained his Christian character. He was willing to adapt as long as it did not change the nature of what it meant to be a Christian.

The truth is, if we are not willing to adapt, we will surely become irrelevant in our world. We will become archaic, out of touch with the world, we will be unattractive, and even repulsive to the world we are called to reach. We cannot make disciples out of people that we repulse. But we can adapt in such a way that we are winsome, and welcoming to this changing culture, without change who we are.

Maybe there is a good lesson that we can learn from Darwin, after all.