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Traditions and New Methods
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A people without traditions can lose its identity, a people stock in its traditions can also lose its relevance and disappear. Some traditions are positive, others can be negative. One thing I can assure you of, even positive traditions can become destructive when they keep a person, an institution, the church from moving forward.
Jesus kept some of the traditions of his time, however, when He noticed that traditions were keeping people from doing right He confronted the religious leaders of His day:
"And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" Mark 7:9
Today, even in church, you will find people who would rather do something just because "it has always been done this way." They will tell you, yeah the Bible says... but we believe that we ought to do it this way...after all this is how we did it back home. Some individuals will find a million excuses to force you and the entire church to follow their tradition.
At church, when young people come up with a new idea, it will, many times be shot down, just because it is new. Guess what? I have a wonderful quote written by one of my favorite authors regarding change and innovation within the church, she said:
"New methods must be introduced. God's people must awake to the necessities of the time in which they are living. God has men whom he will call into his service,--men who will not carry forward the work in the lifeless way in which it has been carried forward in the past…." --Ellen G. White (RH, September 30, 1902 par. 13).
Do not be a slave of tradition, respect it, as Jesus did, as long as it does not interfere with your spiritual growth and with the growth of your youth group, or your church. Don't fight those who would love to impose tradition on you and the entire world, pray for them and help to educate them through positive discussion. Use your Bible, after all nothing is more positive than that.
Paul said in the Bible: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8
Blessings!!!
pastor jose
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