Faith of our Fathers
At a recent teachers conference, I spent my days at an old Christian retreat center. Someone told me that this “used to be” a Christian center, just like I’ve seen old church building that “used to be” places of worship, but the many dwindled to the few and now the buildings are used for something else entirely.
At the retreat, the buildings were beautifully formed from rock not resembling architectural designs seen in modern conference centers. In the middle of the expansive property, there was a huge tower built with a cross on it, overlooking the woods and lake from an impressive height. I climbed up the old crumbling roads to find the tower and was met by territorial hawks who must have had nests at the top of the tower. The path there had been strewn with broken tree limbs and the building itself reeked of disrepair and disuse.
When I climbed back down from the tower, I saw an old railway car with a sign explaining its history. It was from the turn of the century and was labeled as a missionary car. As I peered through the windows, I imagined myself looking into the past. I saw the railway car filled with enthusiasm and joy, populated by people whose hearts were committed to Christ. I could almost hear the old hymns being sung at an old tent revival meeting where sinners were called to repent and turn from their ways. Just looking back into that history made me feel like I had roots, that my faith had not only a future, but a rich past.
I hiked a bit further to find my way back to the youth center, where I was housed. I noticed the smell of an old, non-air conditioned musty building as soon as I opened the door. The bathroom door had a hole in it and the cupboards were hanging crooked. The furniture was about 50 years outdated and the piano keys were stuck down, needing more than just a tune up. I mention this only because I know my colleagues noticed the stale air and the lack of upkeep in the accommodations as they commented on the “Christian camp” atmosphere. The buildings were solid, gorgeous buildings, but they had not been maintained well and as a result, no one was too excited to stay in those lodges.
As much as I appreciated a walk down memory lane and a little blast into the past, I wondered, “Has our faith become stale?”
“Have we weathered the years well, continuing to repair places where life has worn us down and fix gaping holes left by storms?”
“Have we become outdated, worn down, and something that used to be valuable in the past?”
I know that Christianity has had quite a solid history in America, but where are we headed in the future? Are we willing to make the changes we need to make so we can get back on that missionary train and continue to reach out to the lost?
How will our future look the same as our past?
I think it will be led by passionate people, who give everything to follow Him and bring everyone else along with them.
I think we will be rooted in truth, just like our ancestors were and we will stand firmly on Scripture, like they did.
How might our future look different from our past?
Maybe not as much as we think, but more than likely there are some things that need a little freshening up. Structurally, we ought to be solid, but a fresh coat of paint can make a big difference on curb appeal.
More than anything, I think we as Christians need to make sure we are maintaining the freshness of our faith and not resting on the way things used to be done.
How are you keeping your faith from getting dusty and musty? How can we as a Christian community make sure our presence is as strong in America as it was over 100 years ago?
Heather
What a great analogy! I think people look at us (Christians) and see us as old and stale. We also wait for the lost to come to the churches when our forefathers went into the byways and highways and met the people where they were. We need to get on that train!
Heather, these are great and challenging questions. I really like what I see from the younger generation; they are not afraid to share their faith. They are bold, an example for me to not hold back.