A good reminder
David Wayne, with some help from Paul Johnson and G. K. Chesterton, considers how history, in Johnson's words, "is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance." Here's David:
Amen.
I am thinking that it would do us all good to either laugh heartily or yawn sleepily whenever an exciting idea for church growth, or theology, or a paradigm shift in whatever is marketed to us as new. Now it may be new to us, it happens all the time that I learn something I didn't know before. But nothing is new. I am thinking it would do us a great deal of good to assume that, even if we don't know anything about this new thing, that somewhere in history something similar was propounded. Thus we ought to look to the past to evaluate the idea rather than listen to the future promises this idea proposes.
Amen.
posted by Milton Stanley at 12:42 AM
6 Comments:
The truth that "there is nothing new under the sun" really hit home for me this past year after reading numerous articles on religion found on the internet. These articles were written from the 1700s through recent decades. In these articles it was often commented that the subject matter being discussed was unique to that particular generation. Yet, the articles were addressing the very same things that were concerns in other generations, including our own. For instance, according to one article I read, in the 1920s there were the same kinds of megachurches held in theaters using entertainment to draw in the crowds as we have today. And small groups were a big thing back then. But today we see all these ideas as new and refreshing, cutting edge and relevant. But they are just the same old thing. If we would check history now and then, we might be able to avoid some mistakes, throwing out the bad ideas and keeping the good ones.
Wonder how big the first church in Jerusalem was?
The verse anonymous is referring to here is Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.”
Way to take the wind out of the the "pop-Christo culture" book author’s sails! Books/programs are okay for their purposes in stimulating the mind to sharpen us, but they should all be filtered through God’s Word. The true measurement is whether they measure up to Scriptural Truth.
To the point; "We have the technology" were the opening remarks on The $6 Million-Dollar Man TV series in the 70's. The "technology", or bluepring is the WORD. We need to be adherents to the Bible and teach that alone. Discernment is the key.
Pragmatism speaks of earthly knowledge that doesn't leave room for the Miraculous.
Merry Christmas. Don’t be surprised if He doesn’t outdo Himself again this year by reminding us of something new and fresh-for His promises are new every day. Be looking for them! Hallelujah….Even so come quickly Lord Jesus-even on Your birthday Lord!
Very true, anon. Thanks for sharing your observations.
I agree, tcc. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Grace and peas.
Who needs to keep reinventing the wheel. Lets press on with the gospel. Its strange, particularly at this time of year, I talk to people and they're looking for the new thing for 2006. I'm only eight years old as a Christian but I'm hpapy to keep on the old story. I gather its done the church well through history, will do for me then!
Amen, BF.
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