The First Epistle of Clement, the disciple of Paul, is an extremely encouraging missive. Writing to the Church at Corinth, somewhere toward the end of the first century, the Bishop of Rome was at pains to lead them to correct a grave injustice: The elders of the church had been summarily dismissed and replaced by a new slate. “Envy and jealousy” were obviously at work here on the part of those “who distrust the power of God” to order His churches the way He sees fit. True faith, and the good works which accompany it, had begun to lapse, and the unity of the church in Corinth was once again fractured and fragmented. The results were disastrous: “Your schism has subverted [the faith of] many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all.”

We aren’t surprised; this was, after all, the Church in Corinth, where schism, envy and jealousy, immorality, and sluggardliness in good works had wrought such damage in Paul’s day. Some churches, it seems, just never learn.

But I said this was an encouraging missive. Indeed, it is, for it seems that this most recent upheaval, to which Clement addressed his pastoral exhortation, had come after a season of revival, renewal, and restoration of the Church in Corinth. Clement was at pains to remind them of how powerfully God had worked in their midst: “For who ever dwelt even for a short time among you, and did not find your faith to be as fruitful of virtue as it was firmly established? Who did not admire the sobriety and moderation of your godliness in Christ? Who did not proclaim the magnificence of your habitual hospitality? And who did not rejoice over your perfect and well-grounded knowledge? For ye did all things without respect of persons, and walked in the commandments of God, being obedient to those who had the rule over you, and giving all fitting honour to he presbyters among you.” Remember your history, Clement seems to be saying. Learn from the mistakes and blessings of the past, and chart your course henceforth with a view to what God has already shown you in previous days.

Just as it is impossible to row across a lake without fixing one’s eyes on points in the receding distance, so the Church cannot hope to navigate the treacherous seas of postmodernity into a safer, more prosperous future if it fails to learn from the generations who have gone before us in the Lord. This issue of Worldview Church reminds us that we can only advance the Kingdom by maintaining the trajectory established by those who have preceded us. Whether it is in the area of worship (David Naugle), what we confess and proclaim (John Armstrong), our mission to the lost and their culture (Bob Lynn), or the work of pastoral leadership (yours truly), we must struggle into the future with our plans and projects firmly rooted in the Word of God and the lessons of our Christian forebears. Along the way we must remember to seek the Lord earnestly in prayer (Stan Gale) and be available for every kind of service, be it ever so humble or demanding, to which He may call us (Jimmy Davis).

There is much encouragement, instruction, and caution to be learned from paying attention to the lessons of the past (cf. Romans 15:4). Let us not be so foolish as to think we can simply throw out what God has accomplished and start the faith all over again, as the Corinthians evidently sought to do. Rather, let us remember where we have been, let us discern the lessons of our common past, and let us forge ahead into the future, safe on the trajectory marked out by the Spirit and the Word in the experience of the Church throughout the ages.

T. M. Moore
Editor

Worldview, Worship, and Way of Life
Dr. David Naugle
At the heart of this discussion has been the question of the priority of the first two of these elements—belief or prayer—and the relationship of both of these to the third—action and practice.

My Rather Idiosyncratic Worldview Reading List
Rev. Robert Lynn
My hope isn't only that you might find these particular books challenging and valuable for your own life and ministry. It is that this will also lead you to reflect on your own obedience to Christ's command to love him with all your mind.

The Value of Christian Tradition for Modern Reformation and Revival
Dr. John Armstrong
Evangelical Protestants have a checkered history when it comes to dealing with the concept of a living tradition. While the early Reformers maintained it, their heirs have almost entirely seen this word negatively.

Paying Attention to the Pattern
by T.M. Moore
Are we building our churches according to the pattern God revealed on the mount, or are we drawing on examples and models from the world of business and entrepreneurship to raise up a dwelling-place for God?

Mobilizing God's People for Prayer
An Interview with Dr. Stan Gale
Prayer, by God's design, engages us in the accomplishment of His saving purposes in the lives of those around us.

Book Reviews
In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
Reviewed by Jimmy Davis