Truth vs Tradition

I had the privilege of presenting a section of the WMU program last night. I didn’t feel like I had enough time to say all that I wanted to say because there were at least 8 presenters and so my time was short. So, I wanted to continue my thoughts with you guys today.

Willie & Ozzie Jacobs are missionaries working in Memphis. As many of you are aware, Memphis is a really tough place full of crime, drugs, and as Mr. Jacobs says – spiritual warfare. Memphis is huge – over 1.2 million people live in the Memphis area and there are a lot of those people who need to know the Lord. Willie feels that one of the biggest challenges to winning those people over to God is changing the mindset of the missionaries – the Christians who are working to win the lost. He says that churches need to learn new approaches in order to reach people with the Gospel, and do it in a way that is non-threatening. You have to build relationships.

Personally, I think Willie is dead-on correct—not just in North America or Memphis, but in Bristol, and in Woodlawn. Yes, Woodlawn! If you think about Bristol today compared to the Bristol of 10, 20, and 50 years ago you will see huge differences in the city. The look of the city is definitely different and the mix of the people living here is too. We need to ask ourselves – how has our church changed in those 50 years to meet the new needs that have popped up in our city. I believe that satan is ALWAYS being creative and finding new ways to draw people into sinfulness, but I believe the church (church in the big sense of the word) has been somewhat stagnant. Are we doing enough to draw the people away from the bigger and better things that satan has to offer?

We cling to our traditions that may not even be relevant to the majority today. Don’t get me wrong! I think traditions are great. I love the traditions that my family has during various holidays. That is one of the things that makes us a family. Traditions do tend to draw families close – on the same note, traditions can also make others feel excluded. And we definitely don’t want to be exclusionary at our church. We need to strive to draw everyone-no matter how different from “our family” they are-to Christ.

We need to be flexible in our traditions. We should not be flexible with the truth of God’s word though. His Word can stand & is just as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. We just need to come up with new ways to present the Truth. So, if you aren’t afraid of change – I think you (and I) should push and push and push to move others in a new direction. Will it be easy? NO! You will receive huge resistance from a lot of folks who don’t want to change. But do it anyway—the world is counting on us! If you are one of those who resists change – lighten up!! When something new is introduced and it is different than the way it has always been done – just ask yourself I am just trying to hold on to tradition? If the answer is yes then have an open mind and try the new way. Never compromise the Truth but always keep trying to reach the lost. Just remember that your way is not necessarily the best way. Only God’s way is the best way and He wants us to reach everyone not just those who look like us and make us comfortable!!!