| Personal Innovative pastor Ralph Neighbour published a book years ago with the title, "The Seven Last Words of the Church." What are they? "We never tried it that way before."
Over twenty-five years of pastoring, one of the constant challenges I faced was balancing innovation with tradition. When should we seek a new way to reach new people? When should we keep faith with the methods of ministry that brought us where we are? Some in our churches embrace change; others resist it. Pastors easily anger one to please the other.
Reading recently in Joshua 8, I was impressed by the Lord's strategic counsel in the battle of Ai. He instructed Joshua's men to "lay an ambush against the city, behind it" (v. 2). Then Joshua led a group to attack the city, then flee from it. When the warriors of Ai left the city to pursue the Israeli army, those laying in ambush were free to take the city. And so Ai fell to the Jews.
This strategy was completely different from God's direction in the battle of Jericho. As we noted in last week's Cultural Preaching, in Joshua 6 the people were told to camp in sight of this massive, fortified city, marching around its walls but not attacking its people. Then God caused the walls to collapse and the city to fall.
Which approach is better, the one employed with Jericho or the strategy used with Ai? The answer obviously depends on the circumstances. If Joshua had decided that the Jericho strategy was the only way to defeat the Canaanites, he would not have conquered Ai. Conversely, if he had not trusted God at Ai as he trusted him at Jericho, his army would have been defeated.
God has a word for each challenge as it comes. As a wise mentor once advised me, always stay faithful to the last word you heard from the Lord and open to the next. All of God there is, is in this moment. | |
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