Cutting the Ham
How the Church should evaluate it's traditions.
An old story is told of a young woman preparing a holiday meal with her grandmother. As they were getting the ham ready for the oven, the granddaughter carefully cut the ham in half before placing it in the pan.
Curious, she asked, “Grandma, why do we always cut the ham in half?”
Her grandmother paused and said, “Well, that’s just the way my mother always did it. I suppose it helps it cook better?”
Still wondering, the young woman asked her great-grandmother, who was sitting nearby.
“Great-Grandma,” she said, “why do we cut the ham in half before we cook it?”
The elderly woman chuckled. “Oh honey, we only did that because the pot I had back then was too small to fit the whole thing!”
This little story is humorous, but it sticks with you. One of the most common phrases heard in the church — and one that makes most pastors shudder — is, “We’ve always done it this way.” Strangely enough, this doesn’t only show up in 136-year-old churches like ours. I’ve heard church planters say that just two or three years into their “new” church plant, someone inevitably utters those exact same words.
Why does this happen? People crave stability. Rituals provide comfort. And to be clear, tradition itself is not bad. It is the collection of practices passed down from generation to generation — often with good intent. As believers in an unchanging God, we can affirm that tradition can be a blessing. But we also live in a world that is constantly changing, and that means we need wisdom. We need a biblical understanding of when to embrace tradition and when to let it go. That tension is nothing new.
Let me offer a working definition: Tradition is the collective practices of a church or family passed down generationally. But tradition is not the same as doctrine. It does not include the things commanded and upheld in Scripture.
To think clearly about this, we need a biblical framework. Here’s one I call Tradition Triage — five levels to help us evaluate which practices we must preserve, and which we should hold with an open hand.
1. Directly Commanded in Scripture
Some things are not optional. They are commanded by Christ or clearly taught in Scripture, and they form the bedrock of a biblical church:
Singing
Praying
Preaching the Word
The Lord’s Supper
Baptism
Church discipline
Evangelism
Discipleship
These are not cultural choices. These are biblical mandates. No matter how old or young a church is, if these aren't present, it's not functioning as a New Testament church.
This is why Sunday morning worship is non-negotiable. Gathering with the saints to hear the Word, sing, pray, and take the Lord’s Supper is central to who we are. This is not just a tradition. It is obedience. If a church refuses to do these things, it may be time to close the doors. These are the things we hold with a closed hand — they are the hill we die on.
2. Implied by the Scriptures
Some practices aren’t directly commanded, but they are clearly modeled in Scripture. These are things that aren’t optional, but their form may vary. In a Southern Baptist context, this includes:
Congregational governance
Plurality of pastors/elders
Church membership
Financial giving
Regular gatherings (like the Lord’s Day)
You won’t find a Bible verse that says, “Have a monthly business meeting.” But you will find passages about order, accountability, stewardship, and congregational affirmation. Business meetings, when conducted in a spirit of humility and mission, are part of our effort to be orderly and faithful.
We also practice church membership because the New Testament speaks to belonging, discipline, and pastoral oversight. These things are woven through the biblical pattern of local church life. While the form may look different in different cultures, the function remains.
These are things we should be cautious about changing. If a church departs from this level, it must be for serious, doctrinally sound reasons shared by the whole body.
3. Helps the Church Fulfill the Commands of Scripture
Here’s where most of our current church traditions land. These practices aren’t found in the Bible, but they help us obey what the Bible does command.
Examples include:
Sunday School
D-Groups
Youth and children’s ministries
Wednesday night gatherings
Discipleship programs
Nursery care
Take Sunday School. Scripture doesn’t say, “Meet at 9:45 for age-graded teaching,” but it does call us to teach the Word and equip the saints. For generations, Sunday School has done that well. The same can be said for Wednesday nights. While not commanded, they provide space for midweek discipleship and prayer.
Youth ministry emerged as a response to cultural needs, helping fulfill the call to train up the next generation. D-Groups and other small group models can do the same, equipping the church to obey Christ’s command to make disciples.
We must never confuse these tools for biblical requirements. But they can be powerful tools in our toolbox — if they still serve the mission.
4. Supports the Church Practically and Contextually
This tier includes things that aren’t spiritual in nature but help the church function smoothly in its setting. These are about what works — not what’s right or wrong. They include:
Committees
Lay leadership positions (treasurers, clerks, etc.)
Pews vs. chairs
Bulletins
The piano or organ
Service structure
Cemeteries on church property
In our church, we have committees for various functions. They can be helpful — when they serve the mission. But when a committee exists just because it always has, it may be time to reassess.
We also have pews and stained glass, and I personally love the sense of reverence they provide. But let’s be honest — these are not biblical mandates. We could gather under a tree or in folding chairs and still be the church.
Even things like music styles fall here. Some people feel more connected to the Lord through hymns and the piano. Others respond to drums and guitars. Neither is more holy. The goal is not to preserve a sound but to pursue substance — worship in spirit and in truth.
5. Meets the Needs of the Moment
Finally, some practices are adopted to meet a temporary need — but over time, they can fossilize into tradition.
These include:
Livestream services
Outdoor or drive-in services
Special events or outreach programs
Unique seasonal traditions
Special Sundays (Graduate Sunday, Homecoming, etc.)
Special Sundays can be meaningful and encouraging, but they are not mandated by Scripture. We should evaluate each one through the lens of mission. Are we using them to celebrate God’s work and encourage the body, or are we just keeping them on the calendar because we always have?
During COVID, many churches began livestreaming services and holding parking lot worship. These met a real need in a real moment. But when that moment passed, it became important to ask: Do we still need this? Is it serving the body or simply lingering out of habit?
This level should be the easiest to change. We are called to be flexible, meeting people where they are like Paul, who became all things to all men so that some might be saved.
So What Do We Do with Tradition?
This kind of tradition triage helps us ask better questions:
Is this tradition biblical or just familiar?
Is it helping us fulfill the mission of Christ or getting in the way?
Are we preserving truth or just preserving comfort?
Here’s how I counsel our church to think about the five levels:
Level 1 (Commanded by Scripture): Do not touch. These are essential. To neglect them is disobedience.
Level 2 (Implied by Scripture): Be cautious. Only reconsider if there's serious doctrinal confusion or church-wide conviction.
Level 3 (Helps fulfill Scripture): Hold loosely. Evaluate regularly. Is it still effective? Does it still serve the body?
Level 4 (Supports contextually): Adapt as needed. These are practical, not sacred. If they help, use them. If they hinder, adjust them.
Level 5 (Meets a moment): Let them go when the moment passes. Be flexible. Stay on mission.
Final Word
As a pastor of an established Southern Baptist church, I understand the weight of legacy. But I also understand our calling to be faithful in this generation. We are stewards of truth — and of time. Let us not ask only, “How did we used to do it?” Let us ask, “Why did we do it that way — and does it still help us obey Jesus today?”
Sometimes the pot was just too small. And it’s time for a new one.