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Commentary

Learning from History Comes through Age and Experience

By July 8, 2010June 20th, 2014One Comment

Why does the GARBC need an intergenerational emphasis? Some reasons have already been articulated in recent Quest posts. (See “Why the GARBC Needs Old People,” Parts 1, 2, and 3.) This topic actually seems opposite of what most associations and churches discuss. Most churches and denominations discuss the need for, and plan to recruit, younger members. However, unless we are willing to respect the past and work together with more seasoned members of the association, we have no future.

I want to explore the issue of history. Our association is critically dependent upon our older members for the sake of history-giving. I am currently preaching through the book of Exodus. Time and time again I have been captured by Moses’ emphasis on history-giving. God will perform an incredible miracle, or He will set up a poignant ritual for the people, and immediately Moses will follow up with the need to remember. The implication is clear: We are prone to forgetting God’s works, God’s hand, and God’s goodness. What is so interesting is the system by which God intended that history be passed down. Exodus 13:14 reads,

And when in time to come your son asks you, “What does this mean?” You shall say to him, “By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”

Here is an important insight: The text says when your son asks, not if your son asks. In other words, younger people will commonly ask, “Why do we do things this way?” Or, “What is the meaning of . . . ?” When those questions emerge, it becomes the responsibility of the older generation to contextualize history for the younger generation. This is something we need in the GARBC! We, the younger generation, need help understanding where we came from, how we came about, and why we function the way we do.

A couple days ago my wife and I were visiting a family new to our church. The husband asked, “So what’s with the ‘Regular Baptist’ thing? Are their ‘Irregular Baptists?’ ” I thought that was a fair question. Halfway through my answer, it dawned on me how indebted I was to Kevin Bauder and his ability to communicate history. The reason I was able to answer that question was because I had heard history explained in a relevant manner by someone from the “older generation.” (Sorry, Kevin, to classify you as such!) Hearing the story of our past helped me appreciate our identity as an association. It is only through age and experience that people are able to learn from history.

Someone has said, “The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.” That is so true. I have a request for the older generation of the GARBC: Please continue to be faithful in history-giving. Give us a sense of this association’s DNA. I have a request for the younger generation of the GARBC: Listen carefully to the historical insights of the older generation. We desperately need that insight in order to secure the future of this association.

Who has helped you appreciate history, or what associational history is most interesting to you? Please comment.

One Comment

  • Mike, Greg, Will, & Nat,

    I’m enjoying these posts tremendously. I guess I have to identify myself as part of the “older generation,” but I bristle at considering myself an “old people!” (I’m 54 . . . and resent all the AARP mail I get!)

    Over the years I have developed a great appreciation for our history. I was raised in a GARBC church, but I did not go to college or seminary at an “approved” school. My first ministry was not in a GARBC church. But I have loved our fellowship for years!

    Why? One reason is Murray Murdoch’s PORTRAIT OF OBEDIENCE. This biography of Robert Ketcham has really helped me appreciate the DNA of the GARBC. It tells our story in an interesting fashion, and it has helped me identify values that were critically important in our infancy – and that I believe are still important today.

    Church history classes (especially Baptist history and the history of fundamentalism) also were very helpful to me.

    Now, as a pastor, I have actually taught our history and core values through various sermon series (especially on Sunday evenings) in our church. I have also had the opportunity of sharing brief historical sketches in other settings, and I typically receive very positive comments from audience members. People don’t seem to have a good grasp of who we are, and especially why we are who we are! But they do seem to appreciate gaining a glimpse of our heritage.

    Second to understanding sound doctrine, understanding history really helps to put today’s events and issues into some type of perspective.

    I’m looking forward to additional thoughts!

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