By DANNY MINTON

Sometimes I get a little nostalgic and think back on things from my past, which we grew up with every day.

• Telephone Party Lines – Not the 1-900 kind but the ones where you shared your phone with two of your neighbors
• Manual Type Writers – That was my high school graduation present from my grandmother
• Slide Rules – Mine had scales on both sides
• Reel to Reel Tape Recorders – Mine was portable
• Vinyl Records –  Three speeds not less 78/45/33 1/3
• Clothes Lines – My mom had a hand wringer on her washing machine
• Three Dishwashers – My brother, sister, and me. 
• Hand Signals – One-half the cars on the road had no blinkers
• Black and White TV – Even the wonderful world of color was in B/W on ours
• Early GPS – A drawer full of free maps from Texaco, Gulf, and Mobil
• Fountain Pens – We had to buy a bottle of ink until they came out with cartridge ink
• Stove Top Brewed Coffee – Mr. Coffee wasn’t around for years
• Counter Checks – No one bought checks; the stores always had plenty on hand
• Dairy Queen was the only fast food place in town
• Drive-In Theater Squawk Boxes
• Cars with bench seats where your girlfriend sat in the middle – Of course, there were times when you could see a two-headed driver
• All the kids went to the movies on Saturday, especially if it was Sci-Fi
• AM Radio was the only thing around, especially during the World Series
• Stamped and mailed letters provided communication with friends and relatives
• Ditto machines used for copies – remember the smell?

Oh, how times have changed and people too. What today’s generation has grown up with is so much different than what many of us had. Everything I grew up with served a purpose and, to some extent, still does. But to relate to today’s people, it takes looking for ways in their world, not mine. Are theirs better? Not necessarily, just more relevant to them. I have to understand to learn both and know when to use them. 

People all over the land live in concern over who will be the next President. Our country remains divided over opinions and differing standards. No matter where you turn, there seems to be unrest, confusion, and fear. However, there is one thing that has not changed. No matter who runs the country, Jesus remains the King. It is my King that I will serve and follow first. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Heb. 13:8

Leaders change.  Methods change. How we present the Word can change and should for us to reach every generation. But the message is still the same. We can use different illustrations to reach the world, I think Jesus would today to be relevant, but the message would be the same. As followers of God’s Word, we must be careful that we don’t let a changing world influence us to change the Word of God. Whether the world likes it or not, God’s Word is still our guide. We must always guard against those who try to chip away at the foundation. We can change the house’s look and build what we see is best as long as we don’t touch the truth of the foundation on which it stands. When you weaken the foundation, what stands erected on it cannot continue to stand.

“If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” 1 Cor. 3:12-14

Danny Minton is Pastoral Minister and Elder at Southern Hills Church of Christ