Looking to Those Who have Gone Before Us

This is quote from the introduction of The Faithful Preacher: Recapturing the Vision of Three Pioneering African-American Pastors, by Thabiti Anyabwile. I believe that these are wise words regarding where ones looks when consulting about the workings of ministry. New ideas abound everywhere and there is no slow down to people producing them. But when it comes to the important task of ministry, where should the bulk of our ideas becoming from, Thabiti writes,

Those who have gone before us, old friends with old ideas, have left us a proven track record of faithfulness and fruitfulness. and the two do go together: where there is faithfulness, fruitfulness is bound to follow.

We are from the time we are schoolchildren that "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Maintaining an ignorance of history will not result in replication of greatness and earlier success. Those who learn from history, who wisely consult those who have gone before, are the only ones who have a real chance at succeeding and avoiding pitfalls. Faithfulness and fruitfulness in ministry require wisdom, hard work, time, and the providential blessings of God, all of which are enhanced by a humble study of our predecessors. (p. 14)