We commit a great error when we ignore the past, especially in the church. We should not be afraid of but rather embrace the knowledge of how the church has handled doctrines, arguments, heresies, and practices in the past, not so we can merely imitate them, but so that we can learn from them, retain what is good and correct what is bad.
Church History and Historical Theology stand to the side of the theological disciplines, aiding their development all along the way. They also uphold the ministry disciplines that we practice.