The word for this week is…….Tradition.
The dictionary defines the word “tradition” as the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation especially by word of mouth or by practice.
Over the years, churches have fallen victim to tradition(s).
By that, I mean, “the church” gets caught up doing things a certain way which unfortunately cripples them and their ability to effectively teach the word of God. Traditions are pure and definitely essential to perhaps a family or generational existence. However, some church traditions are highly reverenced by believers and years later they find themselves honoring a tradition rather than the word of God.
Some churches have become victims to traditional repetitiveness simply because “change” is often something pastors and church leaders don’t want to contend with and if you push too hard, you will find yourself an outsider.
Many are satisfied with the normalcy of their weekly routines.
In some instances, only certain people are able to serve on committees; new ideas and approaches to ministry are deemed ineffective without even testing them out or the demand for the order of service to flow a certain way is enforced. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”.
As I think back over my years in church I realize a number of church “traditions” I believed in have evolved or changed completely in today’s church culture. Some of which I believed were a must if I wanted to be a good Christian.
What are some of the things you thought you had to do in order to be a Christian that have turned out to be nothing more than a tradition?
Check out my March article on Religion. Perhaps, this is what Kirk Franklin is talking about throughout his latest project entitled “Losing My Religion.”
Have religion and church tradition been lumped together subsequently blinding us to who God is and what it really means to be a Christian?
#whatsthaword #tradition #churchtraditions
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