Honoring the Past — Moving Forward Well
by Chuck Hill — Tuesday, May 27, 2025
This past weekend has brought a renewed awareness to me—the value of remembering and honoring. Yesterday, we observed Memorial Day, a day set aside nationally to pause, reflect, and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. “All gave some, some gave all.” Their sacrifices secured the freedoms we now enjoy, and remembering them isn’t just a patriotic gesture—it’s an act of deep gratitude.
Along those same lines, Lori and I had the joy of worshiping with one of our churches here in South Carolina on Sunday as they celebrated their annual Homecoming service. But this wasn’t just any homecoming—it marked 79 years of ministry! Nearly eight decades of faithfulness, fruitfulness, and the kind of gospel grit that quietly shapes communities for generations. Being in that room, surrounded by both heritage and hope, left a lasting impression.
All of it has reminded me: to move forward with clarity, we must first look back with understanding.
One of my favorite mental pictures comes from the game of golf. I’m often reminded—usually by the friends I play with—that every good swing starts with a solid backswing. (Side note: they share this advice out of sincere concern for my game… which, truth be told, needs all the help it can get.) But here’s the point: if your backswing is off, your forward motion will be, too. How you draw the club back determines how you bring it forward. In other words, where you’ve been shapes the path of where you’re going.
That principle doesn’t just apply to golf—it applies to life and leadership. In ministry, it’s easy to stay focused on the next event, the next Sunday, or the next strategy, and forget to pause and consider how we got here in the first place. As Deuteronomy 32:7 reminds us, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” Looking back isn’t just reflective—it’s instructive. It helps us move forward with greater clarity, wisdom, and gratitude.
Honoring the past—without idolizing it—is both healthy and essential. One of the most important reasons is that it gives us context. It reminds us of the vision that birthed our ministries, the sacrifices that laid the foundations, and the faithfulness of those who carried the torch long before we picked it up. Remembering well allows us to move forward not just with passion, but with perspective.
So how can we honor the past in ministry?
Let me offer a few simple practices:
- Tell the Stories – Take time to learn and share the testimonies of those who pioneered your church or ministry. Celebrate their faith and their fight. Let the next generation hear how God moved in days gone by.
- Visit and Revisit Foundational Values – What were the convictions and values your ministry was built on? Reaffirm those values even as you adapt methods. Vision often needs refreshing, but it shouldn’t need reinventing.
- Honor Living Legacy – Recognize and thank the faithful saints who have labored before you. Invite former pastors, leaders, or missionaries to share, pray, or participate in special moments. Their presence links the past to the present.
- Steward What’s Been Handed Down – As Paul reminded Timothy, “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:14). Our calling includes both innovation and preservation. We are stewards of a sacred story.
- Teach the Next Generation – Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord…” Let’s pass down more than buildings—we must pass down a burning heart for God.
A Challenge and a Prayer
So let me challenge you: As you plan for the future, remember the shoulders you’re standing on. Think of those who made sacrifices to craft a new path, those who gave their time and resources to establish a place of ministry, and those who took bold steps of faith when the outcome was far from certain. Their courage and commitment paved the way for the opportunities we enjoy today.
Don’t be so forward-focused that you lose your footing. Take a moment this week to look back—celebrate where you’ve come from, remember who helped get you here, and let their stories deepen your resolve to press on with humility, gratitude, and renewed vision.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the men and women who have gone before us—those who served, gave, prayed, and sacrificed to make the way clearer for us today. Help us honor them well. Let us be faithful stewards of the story You are writing, aware of where we’ve been, and fully surrendered to where You are leading. Amen.
Here’s to remembering well—so we can move forward even better.