When looking at how to improve and develop all aspects of the public assembly we need to first deal with a fundamental principle, the concept of church culture.
There are three concepts that provide background for church culture:
- Truth
- Tradition
- Taste
Truth: there are timeless, unchanging realities in our universe. The number one truth is "God is" and "God Never Changes". From the eternal and changeless nature of God come principles that are always relevant. Truth is never out-dated. Truth is not a trend. Truth is not a fad.
We believe the New Testament is our source for truth. Therefore, we respect the scriptures as being timeless and applicable to the modern church.
We believe the New Testament is our source for truth. Therefore, we respect the scriptures as being timeless and applicable to the modern church.
Tradition: God tells us what to do. That is truth. Often he does not tell us how to do it, so we must discover specific methods that enable us to do what God wants us to do and be successful. When our methods are productive we repeat them again and again. Our methods become habits. Our habits become traditions.
A tradition is a method of behavior that becomes a norm within our group. We gradually develop the opinion that our tradition is the only right way to do things. When we form that opinion then we find ourselves confusing truth with traditions.
Most traditions have a life-cycle. Traditions are born out of necessity and experimentation. As we polish them they become more and more productive (growth stage). For a long period of time they become the standard way to act (maturity state). Then, eventually they gradually become more and more ineffective (declining stage). Traditions fade when world circumstances change,
Taste: Taste is what we like and dislike. Most people like to live in a stable state where everything is orderly and predictable. Change upsets the stable state so most people dislike changes that upset the comfortable world of order.
Many people confuse taste with truth. If we like X, then X must surely conform to God's will. So, X is truth. If we dislike Z, then Z must surely clash with God's will. So, Z is evil. We hold to the irrational belief that God likes everything we like and God hates everything we dislike. We fail to grasp the concept that God's likes and dislikes have nothing to do with our likes and dislikes.
Religious Culture: Truth is above culture. Truth is from God. Culture is a natural product of interpersonal human activity over a long period of time.
Our traditions and our tastes are two manifestations of culture. When we confuse traditions and taste with truth we are showing our personal blindness to the reality of culture. We are behaving as though true Christianity is composed only of truth and nothing more.
Public Worship Development
Regards,
John Jenkins
John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com
Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com
Fibonacci: It's as easy as 1,2,3.
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