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Tradition for the sake of tradition

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by SaggyWoman, Sep 9, 2007.

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  1. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    Today, because I was at work this weekend, I went to the church that the residents in my cottage usually attend (I work at a children's home, and we attend a missionary Baptist church in the black tradition, members of the general conference, yeah yeah yeah.)

    I don't know whether to call it a traditional black service, because I am not traditionally black, but there are "traditional markings" in that they sing the doxology always after offering, they always do responsive readings, they always to call to worships, they always sing the Amen amen amen at the end.

    They also have this rote saying that they say all the time after introducing visitors. They have always had visitors every week I have been there.

    Until this week. No visitors. So, when the visitor introducer gets on stage and finds there are no visitors, she has everyone say the welcome visitor saying anyway.

    Sometimes I wonder why we do the things we do in church.

    Is there a similar story for you?
     
    #1 SaggyWoman, Sep 9, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 9, 2007
  2. TaterTot

    TaterTot Guest

    there are some older people in our church that think its really important that we stand for the benediction. But isnt alot of what we do tradition? Offering in the middle of the service, special music (wheres that in the Bible) right before the sermon, etc
     
    #2 TaterTot, Sep 9, 2007
  3. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    The ones who have it figured out is the ones that do the offering wherever, and do a song that fits in with the message.
     
    #3 SaggyWoman, Sep 9, 2007
  4. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    1. Tradition is part of being human, even as we do church. That's who we are. Even the new church around the corner is going to develop a tradition. It's inescapable.

    2. As you have done, the important thing is to recognize traditions are celebrate differences as long as they do not conflict with Scripture.
     
    #4 TCGreek, Sep 9, 2007
  5. North Carolina Tentmaker

    North Carolina Tentmaker New Member

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    I know of at lest two baptist churches around here that are now doing the offering last, right before the benediction. One of the pastors told me he did not want anybody to feel like they paid for something and then did not get thier money's worth.
     
    #5 North Carolina Tentmaker, Sep 11, 2007
  6. tenor

    tenor New Member

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    Actually these come from the Revivalist tradition that began in the mid 19th and early 20th centuries.
     
    #6 tenor, Sep 11, 2007
  7. tenor

    tenor New Member

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    Tradition is not in and of itself bad. We need to know WHY we do the traditional things. We often forget the why because we soon begin to do things out of habit.

    This is why we need to constantly be evaluating and to find out if things are still meaningful to our congregation and not overly confusing for guests, both Christians and non-Christians.

    Tradition can be very meaningful.
     
    #7 tenor, Sep 11, 2007
  8. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Long time ago I recall reading "The Seven Last Words of the Church":

    We
    Never
    Did
    It
    That
    Way
    Before!

    Not all traditions are necessarily wrong.

    I would venture to say that most folks tend to sit in the same place in the auditorium Sunday after Sunday. Why? Is that a tradition?
     
    #8 ktn4eg, Sep 11, 2007
  9. tenor

    tenor New Member

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    Not tradition, but the fact that they have "paid for those seats."
     
    #9 tenor, Sep 11, 2007
  10. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    Not all traditions are wrong or bad.

    What I was seeing was saying the welcome to visitors when there were no visitors there. I know it takes some thinking on the feet, but a "greet your neighbor" time would have been better.
     
    #10 SaggyWoman, Sep 11, 2007
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