TTWWADI in the Church

TTWWADI is an acronym that I was first introduced to at an educational conference. Dr. Ian Jukes spoke to educators and challenged them to recreate their mindsets about teaching children. The acronym stands for That’s The Way We’ve Always Done It. This is something that the Church as a whole must be cognisant of if and when they plan outreaches and minister to those that God tells them to. Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica:

2 Thessalonians 2:15 (King James Version)
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Interestingly, many people look at that word traditions and immediately think that Church is supposed to be conducted the way it was when Jesus was ministering to the Jews 2000 years ago. Fortunately, most Ministers of the Gospel do not ride in on a donkey. We tend to use cars, trucks, buses and aircraft because we can get to more places in the world in a more timely manner.

That word “traditions” is translated from the Greek as follows:

G3862 παράδοσις paradosis par-ad’-os-is From G3860; transmission, that is, (concretely) a precept; specifically the Jewish traditionary law: – ordinance, tradition.

Oddly enough, Paul was referring to the precepts that he was teaching us. God’s Principle’s are timeless, but how we live them out so that we can win the lost will change. Case in point, we do use updated modes of travel. Many Ministries and Churches have websites, twitter, podcast, broadcast and more to reach the lost.

I challenge you today. How can you win someone to Christ by doing something just a bit different?