When Traditional Structures Are Thrown Out In The Church

I spoke with a friend recently who attends a rural church. She was distraught because a new pastor at her church had appointed himself to throw out all the hymnals the church owned. They were found in a dumpster behind the church.

Below is a great presentation that discusses the tendency in modern churches– especially evangelical– to throw out all of the trappings of tradition. This might include hymns and worship spaces and perhaps other things also. The new pastor– or a new deacon or elder board– comes in and decides to change everything. It is a slash-and-burn approach to church leadership. Jon Harris argues that tradition can have major value and worth; and he makes the case why this is true:

A Defense of Tradition – Jon Harris pic.twitter.com/oRcf99xrkT

— Truthscript (@Truth_Script) October 9, 2025