Tradition is one of the binding forces of the church throughout the history of the church. It is not to be cast aside lightly. Those gray-haired people attending the conventions and sitting on the pews in the local churches provide the bulk of tithing and offerings in the church, and therefore the convention. These people love the Lord, their churches and the SBC – and they deserve respect from young pastors and young members.
Having been witness to the last 40 years of Southern Baptist history, two things stand out: (1) Reverence for God is seldom practiced in his house, and (2) the infighting over the direction of the SBC has been about power – who will control the money.
Rather than turn churches into the latest “hot thing,” why not turn to reverence for the Lord and respect for these older leaders, as Paul tried to teach Timothy?
People of all ages seek a place to worship God in spirit and truth, and that means an awareness of the presence of Holy God – reverence. It is not the thunder and lightning of praise bands with flashing light shows, but the quiet, still voice that people want to hear.
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