08/14/2026
Here is our weekly “Pastor Ponderings”! We encourage you to reshare this post to spread the word with your friends and family!
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Romans 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what the will of God is—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Which standards do you follow? The standards of your household, your place of employment, your church, or of a disciple of Jesus Christ? Sometimes it is difficult to choose when two or more standards that we are used to following contradict one another.
In 1992, I was transferred from the Westinghouse Division headquarters in Pittsburgh to a wholly-owned subsidiary in Oak Ridge, TN, Scientific Ecology Group (SEG). SEG was a low-level radioactive waste processing and disposal company that Westinghouse purchased from its founder. The founder stayed on as the subsidiary's General Manager. Meanwhile, corporate decided to send managers and leadership from the corporation to Oak Ridge to put the corporate structure and standards into place. It started with the controller and then, over a couple of years, all managers reporting to him, including me, the Information Technology (IT) manager.
As the IT manager, it was my responsibility to reorganize the department and implement IT standards for software development and hardware. The most difficult part of the job was my dual reporting responsibility, both local (the founder and general manager) and corporate. Each had different ideas of the standards that I was supposed to implement. Whose standards do I follow? For example, I was responsible for ordering all the computer hardware. The corporation had two standard suppliers who provided significant discounts under corporate contracts. However, many engineers wanted different brands of computers or to build their own. This made it difficult to support them with software. In the early stages of personal computers, not all were compatible with the software and the networks we implemented. Plus, they weren't asking for corporate-standard personal computer systems.
I was bound and determined to adhere to the corporate standards. This did not please the founder and general manager. I had to make a presentation explaining why it was important to adhere to these standards. I thought that I made a pretty good case for it. However, the general manager did not think so, saying, “I don’t care if it is the standard. We don’t base our decisions on corporate standards.” However, with more discussion and support from the controller, we did follow the corporate standard.
I think this is Paul’s overriding theme throughout his letters. What standards are you going to follow? Are you going to follow the standards of this world or the standards of Christ? Obviously, as Christ’s followers, the answer is that we follow his standards instead of the world’s. This requires a transformed mindset. That’s why Paul says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
Instead of following along according to world expectations, give yourself completely to God. Your allegiance is not of this world, but with God
Instead of doing what our culture expects of us, let us respond to what God has done for us and what God expects of us.
As Christians, we are called to be countercultural. That does not mean we think of every aspect of culture as bad. But as Christians, we learn to discern and to evaluate. We think through each aspect of life and determine whether it adheres to Christ’s standards. That includes our work, career, marriage, family, school, community, and churches.
Adhering to the standards calls for training and practice in discipleship. That’s why discipleship practices are so important for us. When we do, we tune in to God. When we tune in to God, we are better able to adhere to the standards,
We as disciples are called to be all in, to live for Christ and follow his standards.
Paul knows that the 1st century and the 21st century need followers of Jesus Christ. People who will adhere to and stand by God's standards. Then infuse them into the culture. Let’s do this together. Let’s do this as a church!
Blessings,
Pastor Tom
