I’m a pastor. In our church we have a great mix of new and old. I think that is the way it should be. We don’t want to live in the past, but we want to learn from it and build on it and respect it. I like to say that I want to pastor the kind of church my parents would like and our kids would like. (My parent and our children know and love the Lord). That requires a good balance of new and old, tradition and innovation. Some things need to change and some need to stay the same and never, never change. Knowing the difference is the difference between visionary leaders and apostates.
Sunday I preached thought Isaiah 53. The spirit in the church was intense and sweet. It was the first Sunday of Advent and it was Communion Sunday. The music was meaningful. Our son-in-law, Dale was leading. At the end of the message I led the congregation in the beautiful hymn “Before the Throne of God Above.” Most people don’t know that it was originally written to the tune of Sweet Hour of Prayer. That was in about 1849. In about 1997 Vicki Cook wrote a powerful new melody and adding the old lyrics to the new tune is going to make the hymn timeless and powerful. Old and new. Powerful.
That’s the kind of guy I want to be. I want to be wise enough to look back and courageous enough to move boldly forward. I want to be innovative enough to change what needs to be changed and resolute about defending what should never change.
You can enjoy the song here.
