There are some traditions that helped develop us because they taught us respect, discipline, and how to hold onto faith no matter what. We were taught to respect our elders and each other. We stood at the reading of the Word of God, recognizing His Reverence. We did not walk or talk during the altar call to honor the Presence of God as He met the needs of those crying out for Him.
But there are some traditions that are used to control. There is no actual foundation for the particular belief from the Bible, we just do things because previous generations did them. I am not saying that tradition is wrong; I’m saying that we need to make sure we are following the Word of God. For example, there are still churches that do not believe that women are called to preach, so they will not allow a woman to deliver the Word of God, unless it’s in a Sunday School class. Others believe that what we wear determines how saved we are. (If you would judge me for walking into your church while wearing a red dress or a pair of pants, you might want to take a moment to reflect right now.) God is interested in your heart, not in what you are wearing today. (I Samuel 16:7)
I grew up in a church with a female pastor. She unapologetically stood on the Word of God. My grandmother was like no other prophet I have ever met. She taught us the Word of God, and she modeled a life of faith for us. We were taught to seek the Lord in sincerity and to move according to His will. (And if we would seek Him daily, He would teach us how to live a life that pleases Him.)
