Two-Thousand Year Generation Gap? - The Danger of Forgetting History

(This is an article focussing on a subject from my last article, 'Two-Thousand Year Generation Gap?'.  To read the full, original article, click here)


It is the time-tested traditions, hymns, etc. that have defined the Church and nurtured its people since its humble yet powerful beginnings two-thousand years ago.  I find comfort in knowing that when I sing this hymn or that hymn, I am singing the same truths and words that shaped the thought and lives of men like St. Polycarp and Martin Luther.  These hymns link us to the strength of faith that has stood the test of time, and in fact link us to the time of Christ Himself!  In fact, Jesus Himself, when He worshipped in a religious service, did so in a liturgical manner!  And it isn't just the ancient heroes of the faith to whom we lose our connection; what about the elders in our own churches today?  How can we learn from their wealth of wisdom and experience if we want to create this gap between generations?  Is it not a bit arrogant to think thatwe're the ones who finally got it right and to call the faith of centuries of saints, martyrs, and history-makers "boring"?  I would go so far as to say that it goes beyond arrogant and deeply into the realm of dangerous. 

We already begin to see the deadly consequences of throwing off our history and our traditions.  We forget the hundreds of years of history that form the roots of the many different denominations currently existing and wonder why we so often see other denominations as completely removed from our own and why they cannot cooperate with each other.  There have even been pastors who, because of the antiquity of Scripture, have said to their congregation, "take out your Bible, now put it away; it has nothing to say to you." 

When we abandon time-tested doctrine we lose our ability to discern truth from shallow and even dangerous fads and often put "personal revelation" over the Word of God which has withstood everything time has thrown at it.  The Charismatic and Pentecostal churches especially seems to struggle with this (I am certainly not anti-Pentecostal or anti-Charismatic; I was in fact raised Pentecostal, often attend a Pentecostal church, and both my parents, from whom I often seek guidance, are ordained ministers in the Pentecostal church).  It is typically the churches that focus almost exclusively on the Holy Spirit over any other aspect of God or even any other subject that seem to be most susceptible to new movements that end in scandal.  Some famous examples are the "laughing revival", the Todd Bentley revival, and other movements that have led church leaders to, instead of teaching the Word of God, do absurd things such as getting down on all fours and making animal noises in front of their congregations for an hour.  When confronted with the questionableness or even absurdity of a lot of new movements, a common response is to accuse those doing the confronting of having the "spirit of doubt" or "disbelief" and tell them not to question the work of God with suppressive doctrinal testing, despite the Bible clearly telling us to be discerning and to test each spirit.  An Assembly of God pastor in Brownsville told his congregation one Sunday that he could feel the devil had sent "analysers" to the service, that analysis in church was dangerous, and to, "Let yourselves go: don't even think about what you are doing."  Is it not likely that if we stop checking ID's at the door, anyone with any dangerous lies and a desire to deceive can and will gain easy access???