Comments on: How to Handle Churches You Disagree With http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements Faith & Culture Sun, 24 Apr 2011 04:29:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mac http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-4659 Mac Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:26:43 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-4659 If there's a church that isn't good from a theological or social standpoint, and if someone asked me whether they should be going there or not, I wouldn't hesitate to tell someone to not go to those churches. I would never force my opinion on them. If someone doesn't ask me for my opinion, or pay for it, they probably won't value it. I would only use this logic in a generic situation. <br><br>In a more extreme situation, I would probably present a very strong opinion, whether someone asked for it or not. For example, if I knew someone was looking for a place of refuge in the church, I would never let them go to a church with a culture that's impersonal and lacking community. That's just one example. If there's a church that isn't good from a theological or social standpoint, and if someone asked me whether they should be going there or not, I wouldn't hesitate to tell someone to not go to those churches. I would never force my opinion on them. If someone doesn't ask me for my opinion, or pay for it, they probably won't value it. I would only use this logic in a generic situation.

In a more extreme situation, I would probably present a very strong opinion, whether someone asked for it or not. For example, if I knew someone was looking for a place of refuge in the church, I would never let them go to a church with a culture that's impersonal and lacking community. That's just one example.

]]> By: Mac http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-3280 Mac Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:26:43 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-3280 If there's a church that isn't good from a theological or social standpoint, and if someone asked me whether they should be going there or not, I wouldn't hesitate to tell someone to not go to those churches. I would never force my opinion on them. If someone doesn't ask me for my opinion, or pay for it, they probably won't value it. I would only use this logic in a generic situation. <br><br>In a more extreme situation, I would probably present a very strong opinion, whether someone asked for it or not. For example, if I knew someone was looking for a place of refuge in the church, I would never let them go to a church with a culture that's impersonal and lacking community. That's just one example. If there's a church that isn't good from a theological or social standpoint, and if someone asked me whether they should be going there or not, I wouldn't hesitate to tell someone to not go to those churches. I would never force my opinion on them. If someone doesn't ask me for my opinion, or pay for it, they probably won't value it. I would only use this logic in a generic situation.

In a more extreme situation, I would probably present a very strong opinion, whether someone asked for it or not. For example, if I knew someone was looking for a place of refuge in the church, I would never let them go to a church with a culture that's impersonal and lacking community. That's just one example.

]]> By: Jerry http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2953 Jerry Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:36:03 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2953 So then what are you talking with them about and how are they receiving it? So then what are you talking with them about and how are they receiving it?

]]> By: sammahlstadt http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2952 sammahlstadt Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:43:25 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2952 It is a responsibility of ministers to look out for people's hearts. I wholly believe that if someone is in a potentially dangerous situation, honesty is the only policy. If someone stays in an unhealthy place, and their growth suffers, being polite and non-confrontational is failing. Obviously, I wouldn't actively pursue people beseeching them to leave a certain local church, but when you are asked...it is an opportunity to have honest dialogue. <br>As long as the soap boxes stay put away, a lot of good can come out of those types of conversations. Being able to disagree well is huge. It is a responsibility of ministers to look out for people's hearts. I wholly believe that if someone is in a potentially dangerous situation, honesty is the only policy. If someone stays in an unhealthy place, and their growth suffers, being polite and non-confrontational is failing. Obviously, I wouldn't actively pursue people beseeching them to leave a certain local church, but when you are asked…it is an opportunity to have honest dialogue.
As long as the soap boxes stay put away, a lot of good can come out of those types of conversations. Being able to disagree well is huge.

]]> By: Justin Wise http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2948 Justin Wise Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:53:28 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2948 When I lived in Los Angeles for a summer, there were always fruit vendors on the side of the road. Most of the time they sold oranges. It would be like if I went to a fruit vendor–a very nice orange vendor–who constantly had rotten oranges at his stand.<br><br>He sold the rotten oranges because he believed that's how oranges were supposed to be. He didn't know that oranges could be firm and juicy and tangy–only rotten. He wasn't a bad person, he just didn't know any better. His love for oranges was never in question, only what he truly believed an orange to be.<br><br>Not all of the fruit that comes from this church is bad. The LORD promises to send his word out and it will not come back void. They preach the word, in the sense that biblical passages are spoken aloud–thus, God promises to do something with it. However, I came to the realization that there seem to be more damaged oranges coming from this church than healthy, whole ones.<br><br>I realize that might be a stretch, but hopefully that helps illustrate my premise! When I lived in Los Angeles for a summer, there were always fruit vendors on the side of the road. Most of the time they sold oranges. It would be like if I went to a fruit vendor–a very nice orange vendor–who constantly had rotten oranges at his stand.

He sold the rotten oranges because he believed that's how oranges were supposed to be. He didn't know that oranges could be firm and juicy and tangy–only rotten. He wasn't a bad person, he just didn't know any better. His love for oranges was never in question, only what he truly believed an orange to be.

Not all of the fruit that comes from this church is bad. The LORD promises to send his word out and it will not come back void. They preach the word, in the sense that biblical passages are spoken aloud–thus, God promises to do something with it. However, I came to the realization that there seem to be more damaged oranges coming from this church than healthy, whole ones.

I realize that might be a stretch, but hopefully that helps illustrate my premise!

]]> By: Justin Wise http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2949 Justin Wise Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:53:28 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2949 When I lived in Los Angeles for a summer, there were always fruit vendors on the side of the road. Most of the time they sold oranges. It would be like if I went to a fruit vendor–a very nice orange vendor–who constantly had rotten oranges at his stand.<br><br>He sold the rotten oranges because he believed that's how oranges were supposed to be. He didn't know that oranges could be firm and juicy and tangy–only rotten. He wasn't a bad person, he just didn't know any better. His love for oranges was never in question, only what he truly believed an orange to be.<br><br>Not all of the fruit that comes from this church is bad. The LORD promises to send his word out and it will not come back void. They preach the word, in the sense that biblical passages are spoken aloud–thus, God promises to do something with it. However, I came to the realization that there seem to be more damaged oranges coming from this church than healthy, whole ones.<br><br>I realize that might be a stretch, but hopefully that helps illustrate my premise! When I lived in Los Angeles for a summer, there were always fruit vendors on the side of the road. Most of the time they sold oranges. It would be like if I went to a fruit vendor–a very nice orange vendor–who constantly had rotten oranges at his stand.

He sold the rotten oranges because he believed that's how oranges were supposed to be. He didn't know that oranges could be firm and juicy and tangy–only rotten. He wasn't a bad person, he just didn't know any better. His love for oranges was never in question, only what he truly believed an orange to be.

Not all of the fruit that comes from this church is bad. The LORD promises to send his word out and it will not come back void. They preach the word, in the sense that biblical passages are spoken aloud–thus, God promises to do something with it. However, I came to the realization that there seem to be more damaged oranges coming from this church than healthy, whole ones.

I realize that might be a stretch, but hopefully that helps illustrate my premise!

]]> By: Justin Wise http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2947 Justin Wise Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:46:28 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2947 Tony ... That's wisdom. Tony … That's wisdom.

]]> By: Justin Wise http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2946 Justin Wise Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:44:39 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2946 I like your last line. It's because of this weight that I stopped pretending that I was down with what this place was doing and became cautiously honest ;) I like your last line. It's because of this weight that I stopped pretending that I was down with what this place was doing and became cautiously honest ;)

]]> By: Jerry http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2944 Jerry Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:34:08 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2944 Curious for you to expand on how you compare the fruit coming out of the church vs the church itself. Are all fruit coming out of this church bad? Curious for you to expand on how you compare the fruit coming out of the church vs the church itself. Are all fruit coming out of this church bad?

]]> By: Mike Jackson http://bedeviant.com/church-ministry-disagreements/comment-page-1#comment-2943 Mike Jackson Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:32:03 +0000 http://www.bedeviant.com/?p=2533#comment-2943 Tom:<br><br>Just want to take a moment to identify with you...I have and can be the most passionately convinced wrong person I know :) Tom:

Just want to take a moment to identify with you…I have and can be the most passionately convinced wrong person I know :)

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