Emphasis Preaching Journal

Missionary Jerry Porter wrote in a sermon titled "From Generation to Generation" that Dr. L. Guy Nees visited him in Costa Rica when he was the rector of the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas. Nees granted him permission to implement some changes in the life of the institution, and in so doing taught Rev. Porter some valuable lessons that stuck over the years. Porter writes, "The Church of the Nazarene (any denomination or independent congregation), in her greatest hour has been liberal (through giving out the) message and conservative in method. The danger of passing the torch is that those who follow will change the message and stray from the God-path." He continues, "Some things are negotiable. Others are not. If the next generation clearly embraces the non-negotiable essentials, then the transaction is not extremely dangerous. We need innovative new leaders, who, as they reach their generation for Christ, will introduce creative changes to the life of the church. This is good and necessary. What we dread is a generation that tampers with the essential non-negotiable message. God's living water poured into any shaped container still retains its attributes. Just don't alter the chemistry of the water."

(Keefer/Strait, eds., The Wesleyan Preaching Annual [CSS Publishing], p. 225)