Yes I do… My personal preference as a minister is to wear clerical clothing. Up until recent years I always wore a clerical collar for worship and preaching. When I commenced ministry I always wore a clerical alb and stole. My preference in worship is for the older and ancient hymn traditions of the church. But as time has gone on, I realised that I needed to accept change.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ desires to bring more and more people to Christian faith and the Church until the end of the present age. In Australia’s very secular society most people do not come from Christian traditions, and so the traditions of the church seem strange and they find it difficult to understand or relate to them. This also makes it difficult for them to hear and believe the Christian Gospel.

Jesus criticised the Pharisees – the ‘church-goers’ of the day – for letting their religious traditions get in the way of the good news reaching the lost (Mt 9:11-15; 23:13).

The Christian Gospel never changes, but our traditions do and must change for the sake of the Gospel. While holding absolutely to the truth of God, we need to allow our traditions to change so that those who do not have Christian faith find it easier to understand and relate to the Church, and to hear and believe the Christian Gospel.

As we embrace change for the sake of the Gospel, we will discover that all the riches of God’s grace in Jesus Christ will fill and overflow us so much, that we have actually lost nothing, and gained everything!

Grace upon grace, Jonathan.