Week 2: Working through Difficulties
Whenever people come together for a shared purpose, they should acknowledge potential difficulties. Each person has ways of communicating, expectations, or baggage from the past. These might be traditions, or unspoken ways of handling problems. They might be differing communication methods, or past hurts that people have buried. What are the difficulties that might be facing the new church?
9. Pray for an openness to new traditions.
“I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.” Gal 1:14
Traditions of any kind are difficult to let go. They provide a sense of status and order, of comfort and familiarity. The Apostle Paul appreciated traditions, yet he was able to let go and adopt new traditions. Some old traditions may stifle growth. They may no longer serve their original purpose, and may be unwelcoming and confusing to new people.
Pray for grace and understanding as the church decides which traditions to let go.
Pray for openness to establishing new traditions in this new church.
Pray for a creative caring spirit as the church develops new traditions that honor the merging of some new and some old traditions in this new gathering of people (including new people from the mission field).