Written by Jason Lehman

You know that feeling when a smell, sound, or sight instantly takes you back in time?
It happened to me just a couple of weeks ago. I was in a small store that must’ve used the exact same cleaning supplies as my fifth-grade classroom. One whiff, and I was right back there… new kid, new classmates, feeling that strange mix of excitement and unease. It was surreal how vivid it was.

We all know what that’s like. Those moments stay with us. And whether we realize it or not, they influence the way we lead.

The same is true for your congregation. Your staff. Your leadership team. Your community. Everyone has memories and moments that shape the way they see the world and the church. Memories of the past are important. They’re markers along the journey, and in Scripture we see God’s people often memorializing significant events. Think of the stones Joshua set up after Israel crossed the Jordan (Joshua 4:6-7) or the altars built by the patriarchs. These weren’t just nostalgia pieces. They were teaching tools for future generations, a way to remember God’s faithfulness. But there’s a danger when memories and traditions stop being markers of God’s work and start being limits on what we’re willing to do next.

The Subtle Shift from Gratitude to Resistance

Working with ministries all over the country, I’ve noticed a pattern:

New church plants and young ministries rarely say, “We don’t do it that way” or “We’ve never tried that before.” They’re in a season of risk-taking, trying new things, and making mistakes. And that’s healthy.

Established churches, whether traditional or modern, often develop a set way of doing things. Phrases like, “I’m not sure people would be okay with that” or “We’ve always done it this way” or “That is not how we do it” start creeping into leadership conversations.

This is nostalgia at work. It’s not bad in itself. Usually it comes from gratitude for something God did in the past. But it can slowly become a barrier to vision when it keeps us from asking, “What’s next?”

I’ve worked with churches that refused to change a 20-year-old vision statement even when no one could explain what it meant anymore. I’ve seen leaders avoid moving the stage setup because it would upset people. I’ve seen bulletins printed faithfully every week, even when the data showed almost no one used them. When “we can’t” or “we don’t” becomes our default, we’ve traded vision for preservation.

Something New
The Bible calls us toward newness.

“Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96:1).
“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19).

Yes, we honor what God has done. But His faithfulness in the past is not an excuse to avoid trusting Him for the future.

Three Steps to Break Free from Nostalgia-Driven Leadership

1. Identify Your “Untouchables”
Ask your leadership team: What are the programs, traditions, or habits we never question? Then ask why. If the only answer is, “Because that’s how we’ve always done it,” it’s time to reevaluate.

2. Test Every Tradition Against Mission
Take one ministry element and ask: Does this help us fulfill our mission today? If it does, great—keep it. If it doesn’t, consider whether it’s time to adjust or retire it.

3. Create Space for “New Song” Conversations
Set aside time each quarter to brainstorm new ideas without the pressure of immediate implementation. The point is to keep your team’s vision muscles active, even if not every idea gets used.

Nostalgia can be a beautiful gift. It reminds us of God’s work in our lives. But if we’re not careful, it can also keep us from the bold steps He’s calling us to take next. The challenge is this: honor the past, but lead with vision for the future. Because the God who was faithful then is still doing a new thing now

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