Tradition

It seems that tradition usually holds a significantly high place in many churches. Perhaps some more than others but no matter where you go there will be some kind of tradition in place. You can usually find your tradition very easily by trying to change something. Usually and elder member of your church will speak up and say something that starts with "but we have always done it this way". I used to be very insensitive to this kind of talk. As a younger person working in ministry I always wanted to change everything and I usually had big ideas, I am a visionary. But as I start to get older I am growing some more respect for tradition. Though I am only 27 I have crafted my own traditions in the church and I started seeing them all around me. For instance I know the day my church destroys its old Holt Chapel that will be a very hard day for me. I grew up as a young Christian in the building, its where we had youth group. It is where I gave my life to Jesus. But at the end of the day it is an old building that is falling apart.

So in some ways I am being more sensitive to people and their dealing with tradition, but with still remembering that sometimes you have to let go. Sometimes we have to release our traditions for the greater good of the gospel, to keep giving it life. And while it may come in more important items than chairs over pews, or building being torn down, new service times, or what kind of coffee we serve we must always put the gospel first. I think so many times in the church we have given way to tradition and man made laws. And I think the man made laws are what bug me more than tradition. While its still apart of tradition it seems man made laws that are not supported by scripture (or that claim to be poorly supported by scripture through poor interpretation) are what I always want to destroy. The church has been so destructive over its history based on man made laws. And we still do it today. So many churches are marked by tradition of man made laws that you cannot find in scripture.

I guess what I am getting at is that this is my caution, that people's law through tradition would never hold a place over scripture. When the church does this it opens a door for evil and becomes very destructive. And soon we start worshiping policy over gospel.

I hope I can let my tradition be to live out the gospel. That is a tradition worthy of fighting for.

-cheers