3-Minute Devotions to Laugh and ReflectSýnishorn

Tradition vs. Change

God never changes. Being omnipotent, omniscient, and perfect, he has no need. But people do change, along with situations, cultures, and even churches. Not surprisingly, conflict and confusion can arise as some people cling to meaningful “godly” traditions while others want to adopt newer worship practices, outreach methods, or music styles.

In an attempt to be more culturally “relevant,” some churches replace hymnals with on-screen lyrics, remodel church foyers into coffee bars, relocate stained-glass windows to a prayer chapel so they can brighten up the revamped sanctuary, and store the organ to make room for a rockin’ praise band. While some members delight in such changes, others see them as spiritual travesties.

With the plethora of churches in many areas, we can shop around until we find exactly what we want. Or we can stay put, dig in our heels, and loudly bewail every little change. Meanwhile, God reminds his church that we are to be one body. If we can’t agree on music styles or carpet colors, how can we unite on larger issues?

We would do well to follow the guidelines of Rupertus Meldenius, a seventeenth-century German Lutheran theologian who said, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”