In a recent post over at Swerve, Pastor Craig Groeschel talked about the need to “let go of old assumptions about how to reach people.” In making his argument, Pastor Groeschel uses some troubling language to open his post: “The world is changing faster every day. Too many Christian leaders are working off old assumptions rather than new revelations.”
To be clear, this post is not an argument against new methods in ministry, or even Pastor Groeschel, whom I’ve never met. It’s just that his post got me thinking. I understand the importance of utilizing the latest technologies and implementing new strategies to reach people with the gospel of Jesus. My concern is that often times we buy into the myth of the new. As such we can easily turn the chasing of the latest fad into an idol for our ministry. It’s easy to get sucked into the mindset that new = better. And that’s just not the case.
We don’t need new methods for the gospel to be effective. Period. It is the Holy Spirit that works to make the gospel effective. Not our technology. Not our preaching methods. Not our music styles. And not our innovation.
As the writer of Ecclesiastes so wisely wrote thousands of years ago, “What has been is what will be. And what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
While some may dismiss this as poetic hyperbole that can’t be prescriptive, the reality is that there is much wisdom in this verse. God is ageless, timeless, enduring, the alpha and the omega. He is sovereign and the creator and sustainer of all things. But, “Man is like breath; his days are like a passing shadow” (Psalms 144:4).
As passing shadows, let’s not think too highly of our new methods and ways. I have a hunch that they too are like breath.
Rather, let our focus be on the enduring and unchanging Word and only Revelation of God – Jesus Christ.
We do not need “new revelations.” Though it doesn’t hurt to have new ways and tools to preach the Revelation of Jesus.
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Very true and profound article. I think some of this focus on “new” can be focusing on works of the flesh. They also can be a self focused approach and about what God can do for them, rather than the truth of the incredible reality of reconciliation with the creator of the Universe.
Can you fill in a bit what you mean by “we don’t need new revelations?”
Are you simply saying we don’t need stuff added to the Bible?