We cannot put new wine into old wine bottles

 

There is a reason why traditional churches are closing. It is not mainly because the world around the church has been hostile to it. There are dozens of reasons I can nominate.

For example, traditional churches fit elderly people who are probably frail already and not as energetic as before. They likely have lots of personal issues - it is time for them to sit back. Jesus said - pray to God for laborers to come to the harvest, night time comes when no one can work - and night time has come upon them, John 9:4. What would be the motivation for them to reach out to others and minister to them when in fact, they themselves need ministry? They cannot be bothered anymore. That is why the job of the pastor is to inculcate to his congregation the mission of the church in the Great Commission (Matt 28: 19:20). When the members of a church have no conscious duty to share the Gospel to their neighbors the congregation will soon die and close. They may as well, because as Jesus said – they have lost their saltiness. See Lk 13:6-9.

When a congregation sees that it is either their way or the highway, they get what the want, they get left alone. When the congregation does not reach out to the young, they get what they want, they become happy in themselves, happy in their ways as the Lord takes them one by one until they close their doors since their hearts have been closed to others. It is sad when a congregation is more attentive for people to follow their tradition rather than serving the needs of others – serving the Gospel and offering spiritual care. When the congregation thinks (and the pastor allows it,) that it is not their job but the pastor’s to win souls, then the days of that congregation are numbered, and so is the time of the pastor.

However, I have seen when the old members of the congregation mix with young people, when both can sing using traditional hymns and modern Christian choruses, that sight spells health and wholeness. It does not have to be an either/or situation but both/and. A congregation can have both the old and the new together. I have seen this in action, and it is wonderful when the mixture can coordinate.

If you notice, I do not go to worship wars. I have stopped my delusion that God has anointed me to be fides defensor. When something is an adiaphoron – it remains a matter of indifference. The unchurch could care less if you allow communion by intinction or give communion on a Good Friday. They are not even there yet so such subjects are irrelevant.   I found it laughable when someone wrote in an article that she has seen young people have their mouths opened as they listened to organ music - suggesting that the young are enamored with church organ music. I do not see evidence of this. I can believe some handful of them are like this, but not as a trend. I am surrounded by traditional blue stone churches, I do not see young people lining up to enter them. I have experienced and seen that in my street evangelism it is the young teenagers who are interested in the tract I hand out. People even young people need a community – when their hearts are turned towards the old because the old have welcomed and were kind to them, they will minister in return. We reap what we sow especially when we sow kindness.

The congregation does not have to choose either to stick with tradition or abandon it, there can be open understanding and both the old and the new can co-exist in the church – just like in a family. In a family uncles/aunts and nephews/nieces, grandparents/parents and children and grandchildren can go together.

Put it this way, everyone needs the love of Christ be they young or old. A Christian should always be Christ to the other person. Thus that should be our disposition towards strangers, our neighbors. Unfortunately when the congregation has its foot at the back, as Jesus said, night time comes and no one can work and sadly, night has come already for some congregations.