Rooted

I'm in the home stretch of my Master's Program right now.  I'm done attending classes, and just working my way out from under a mountain of papers! 

The educational journey has stretched my thinking in some important ways.  For example, it has given me a greater value for church history and tradition.  For as long as I can remember I've valued the first century church.  I've often dreamed of being a part of a church planting movement in which the Book of Acts was coming to life.  And I've preached more from the Book of Acts than any other book since we've started our church.

But while I've placed great value on the first 100 years of church history, I haven't thought as much about the last 1,900. Yet I know that Jesus has been actively building his church all along. 

That means that our emerging ministry models should be rooted not only in 1st century Christianity, but also in the lasting traditions that have been carved over the last 20 centuries.  I want to become a better student of church history.  I want to know the major players.  I want to study the most influential movements.  And I want to appreciate the epic legacy of which my life's work is rooted.

Leonard Sweet says that yoked foresight and hindsight yield insight.  In other words, we see further ahead when we use the rearview mirror.