We stand on the shoulders of theological and technological giants but we’ve also been given the extraordinary opportunity to do things the world has never seen.
I want to give respect to those that are worthy of it (and who have earned it) but I don’t want the past to necessarily limit the “practice” of the future.
I want to think differently, not because I can nor because I should but because I am compelled to “do all things in order to reach some” and because what I can do today are things that were impossible then.
Give me wisdom to learn from my predecessors and courage to tell them that I’m going to do it differently.
Ancoti says
You can do things differently from the past as long as you do not ignore the truth of the past. Different may be better but not if it is false teaching.
JakeSchwein says
but to some different IS False Teaching…even if it isn't unbiblical.
Ancoti says
True. Some people are against change for any reason.
Graham Brenna says
It's key that we remember we're only doing it "differently". We should never get into the habit of saying we're doing it "better". Our predecessors were probably doing the best job they could given the tools they had. Our ways may now be more "effective"… but that doesn't mean we're "better".
JakeSchwein says
I don't know if I agree…People might have been doing their best, but honestly there is also a sense that things are done better. Not in everything, but in many things.
Josh Wagner says
I have to throw in a big "Agreed." here. Different is NOT always better. But the same is not always better either. Ask what is more effective.
Graham Brenna says
"Ask what is more effective"! That's the key… we are for sure more effective today.
@perrynoble just tweeted the following this morning:
"Had this thought…how freakin amazing would the Apostle Paul have been had he had access to the internet?" – Perry Noble
JakeSchwein says
Go your own way man!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDTVLY6oi0w
JakeSchwein says
Go your own way man!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDTVLY6oi0w
Graham Brenna says
EPIC 😉
stephenbateman says
I mean we talk about open-hand and closed-hand issues. While I'm not sure how much there is to update with respect to the Trinity, or the Resurrection, we certainly can improve on a slew of other things.
I love improvement, but at the end of the day, regardless of how tight my program is, it still boils down to trusting the Holy Spirit to do what I can't.
Jim says
Frederick, thou art dead, stop quoting from the grave.
Graham Brenna says
bahaha 😀
Adam_S says
There is a whole sense of that comment that no one seems to be talking about. He was talking about teaching. If we teach people to not value the thoughts of others then they will not value the ability to work through ideas to make something better. What I am more concerned about is that we teach people value "people" over "ideas". I read yet another facebook comment yesterday about "if they don't like it (xxx political thought) then they should go live somewhere else". There are lots of Christians like that. (This was a Christian, who was very offended when I pointed out the irony of her saying that in direct comment to another Christians.) These were not matters of faith, but they had begun treating matters of this world as if they were matters of faith and condemning people for difference.
Many non-Christians view Christians as closed minded, not for their views of Christianity, but for their lack of ability to engage on ideas that are not explicitly Christian or non Chrisitian.