Tearing Down Walls

Some walls in the church don’t look dangerous at all.
They’re polished, decorated, and passed down from generation to generation. We call them traditions — and many of them are beautiful. They connect us to history, anchor us in worship, and remind us that faith didn’t start with us.

But sometimes, tradition stops being an anchor and becomes a cage.

Not because tradition is evil, but because the human heart has a way of clinging to comfort more tightly than Christ.

This is the second wall we must confront: the Wall of Tradition.

Tradition Isn’t the Enemy — Loving It More Than God Is

Jesus Himself participated in traditions. He celebrated feasts, honored Scripture, and taught in synagogues.

Tradition becomes a wall only when it becomes a test of spirituality instead of an expression of love.

Jesus said it plainly:

“You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.”
— Matthew 15:6 (NIV)

The moment our customs matter more than compassion, we’ve crossed a dangerous line.

When Tradition Blocks the Door Instead of Welcoming People In

Some people didn’t leave the church because they hated God — they left because they felt judged for not fitting a mold we created.

Sometimes it wasn’t their sin we called out… it was their clothes.
Their background.
Their questions.
Their brokenness.

Tradition is at its worst when it polices things Jesus never even mentioned.

The Pharisees did this constantly. They cared more about hand-washing rituals than healing. More about Sabbath rules than mercy. More about being “right” than being loving.

And Jesus confronted them with holy courage:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law… you shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.”
— Matthew 23:13 (NIV)

Church should be the place with the widest doors and the softest steps — not the narrow gate of someone’s personal preferences.

Tradition Should Serve the Gospel — Not Replace It

Tradition becomes a wall when we start defending it instead of asking if it still points people to Jesus.

Does this tradition help the broken feel safe?
Does it make the gospel clearer?
Does it reveal God’s character?

If not, it might be time to loosen our grip.

Jesus never said, “Follow the way your church has always done things.”

He said:

“Follow Me.”
— Matthew 4:19

Tearing Down the Wall of Tradition Doesn’t Mean Throwing Everything Away

This isn’t a call to abandon reverence or throw out everything our grandparents cherished.

It’s a call to reevaluate.

Tradition is beautiful when it’s flexible enough for the Spirit to move and humble enough to change when needed.

It’s okay to ask:
“Is this drawing us closer to Jesus… or just making us feel comfortable?”

Let the Church Breathe Again

A church chained to tradition will eventually suffocate.
A church anchored in Jesus will thrive, even when everything else changes.

We’re tearing down this wall because the gospel is too precious and people are too valuable to lose to man-made expectations.

If you’ve ever felt pushed aside because you didn’t fit the mold — hear this:

You’re not the problem. The wall is.

And it’s time for it to fall.