Creeping Traditionalism
In my last article Brethren: The Increasing Rebellion I pointed to the changes taking place among educated young people among the Assemblies. Several factors push them into this direction, and one of them is the increasing traditionalism in the assemblies.
By "traditionalism" I mean a tendency to adhere in an inflexible manner to what was there yesterday, the day before yesterday, and the day before. For example, if only two songs were sung at the start all these years, anything less than that or more than that is immediately seen as anathema. If clapping of hands has been always absent, then someone who claps is seen as a weirdo, and so on.
I am not advocating that everything be broken down for that would be anarchy. Nor am I advocating an inflexible "order of service" for that would make us no different from the nominal churches. On the contrary, we need to regain the spontaneity that characterized the early brethren. Thy had both an order as well as flexibility. Unless we regain that healthy balance, we can expect in increasing defection from the assemblies. [Tambourine, Public Domain Image]
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I could not agree more.
Changing culture is a long process. Too many of our congregations are going through the motions, suffering slow decline and trying to hold on to the past.
Culture is the set of assumptions and perspectives that shape our world view. It is the things we take for granted and that shape how we think and act.
Much of the Church’s culture is sound and need not change.
We are committed to worship of the triune God, to offering Christ to a spiritually hungry world, to seeking justice for the poor and marginalized, to building community so that people will have meaningful relationships.
We have many other values such as integrity, diversity, effectiveness and connection that are strong and need only to be enhanced.
I believe when the church understands that the adenda of Christ is not the preference of the churched - but rather the needs of the unchurched. We need to embrace new worship forms - ideas, methods. Same Message different Methods.
Worship that is relational vs ritualistic I believe will help people experience God and celebrate God’s presence in our daily lives.
Anything with 2 heads is a beast… If the church is going to hold on to Traditionalism as if it is the gospel -
and then hold on to the Gospel - we will continue to marginalize and be unable to reach people.
The church should follow the Leader - Christ’s goodness extends to those who are caught red-handed. Jesus is a friend to Sinners - and went where sinners are - He traveled with the undesireables - He invited prostitutes to become his friend - thiefs, liars, cheats, … you know… People that are not perfect.
I think the Institutional church has done an impressive job of putting Jesus on the alter - up on the pedestal - placed Jesus on this higher level of existence that many just think is impossible to reach - impossible to follow - but easy to revere.
The Institutional church has done a great job of reminding people that if they act this way, dress this way, sing this song, behave in this manner -(worship in this manner and tradition) then and only then are they capable of reaching Jesus…
Is it any wonder that the world see’s the Church as ineffective ? as irrelevant ? as unimpressive - ? If following this Jesus means following this cookie-cutter act this way, dress this way, worship this way, walk this way … and revere this picture… but not Follow … then I do not want to be part of that church… and interestingly enough I do not think the world does either.
If today’s churches cannot realign their priorities - cannot change the method and not compromise the Message - then they cannot Follow the mission - they cannot Follow the Path - they cannot walk along side a path which is possible for the World to be reached.
If Jesus was a barbarian - if Jesus was an insurgent (after all was not this the reason why He was killed?) - then perhaps - this is what we need in our Institutional Church today. We need someone that will stand up and introduce people to the “I Am” to the “Way and the Truth and the Life” even if it (dare say) requires someone to use a different method - to bring the Message to the world.
Pastor Glenn
UnboxedChurch.com
Unboxing the image of God in …. You.
“Jesus does not allow me to create a god in my own image who serves me and my prejudices but rather Jesus gives me the freedom to see His image and Glory in others and realize the potential I can become due to His sacrifice.”