Tuesday, 19 May 2009
-
When and when not to criticize preachers.
One of the things I've been dealing with recently is my frustration when I hear pastors being criticized. It's something I've done myself, and I've repented of it, because in my case, I only listened to a very few things the pastor said, and read nothing he wrote. Perhaps if I listened to hours and hours of his teaching and read more than a few of his books I might be better equipped to rise against him...but I didn't. And I certainly hadn't read enough of the Bible to do so...and now that I have read more of it, I realize how far from the point of criticizing I actually am!
I feel that if a person is speaking/writing in the name of Jesus Christ, that we ought to be able to glean something, even if it's to learn how to discern the Holy Spirit within us dispute the message. But I've realized it is important that Christians discuss the faults and truths in the teachings of other human beings, especially in today's age of technology.
I've been praying about it, because I really didn't want to post on this. Make a single mention of what Joyce Meyer said, or that Joel Osteen wrote a thing that really touched me, and I get dismissed because I've listened to them! Well...they're human, and though I don't agree with everything they've said, they helped me to find Jesus when I was nearly trying to kill myself. You can understand, therefore, I'm going to be a bit loyal to them.
...and yet...I've lambasted ministers who I've not spent any legitimate time listening to.
This is a big thing for Believers; we need to be on alert against false teachings yet we also have to be open to whatever source the Holy Spirit might use to touch an area of our lives. We need to be careful about criticizing a servant of God, and yet we need to warn others about false servants or even a legitimately annointed preacher's digression from the truth. So where's the balance? Well, after I prayed, I found this:
"Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. What about me? Have I been faithful?
"Well, it matters very little what you or anyone else thinks! I don't even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that isn't what matters. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide."So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful. When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due.
"Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I've been saying. If you pay attention to the Scriptures, you won't brag about one of your leaders at the expense of another."
Paul said it, not me, and though he used the words "brag about", I'm going to, for myself, substitute the word "criticize".
Scriptures taken from 1 Corinthians 4:1-7, NLT
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Post a Comment
- Back to Cygnus33's Xanga Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in Cygnus33's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (7)
Good post. It's hard to know where to draw the line sometimes, especially when you know they're contradicting the word.
This is a big thing for Believers; we need to be on alert against false
teachings yet we also have to be open to whatever source the Holy
Spirit might use to touch an area of our lives.
I totally agree! The Holy Spirit can communicate not only through Christians, but also through nonbelievers. The allegory of the gospel of grace occurred because an atheist president of a forum decided to give me a chance to be part of the forum despite my breaking the most egregious offense. I had a chance to participate in my high school senior prom because my homeroom teacher, whose beliefs I did not know, provided - it was Jesus' providence through her. When I went bankrupt for not listening to Him (I thought I was crazy and schizo at that time), He provided a Buddhist family to provide a cheap place to rent and dinners each day. God speaks through any source He chooses.
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, >What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? Numbers 22:28
The only suggestion is to be anchor in His word daily so that we can hear His voice and know whether it is Him or not.
actually I have to say that we need to put teachings under scrutiny... not all pastors and advisers have merit in which to glean knowledge...
sure... in the spirit of humility... we can take our critics and what they say as sanctifying agents that will help us grow...
but... I would say that the Apostle Paul did his work in exposing bad teaching... and Paul even named those who he considered wolves in sheeps clothing... and he names people so that the church and those who are sheep and are Christ's won't attend their conferences, buy their books. or download their junk (contextualizing)....
Can God use anyone... yes... but His vessel is that of right teaching and Scriptural adherence... the world can only provide so much "wisdom" but it's broken wisdom and thus unredemptive... I would only go so far as to use bad teaching to expose error and false teaching and maybe even for comedic purposes... but never for the most part for doctrinal stability... or spiritual advisment...
I think the grey areas can come where a christian leader is doing something out of wrong motives (willfully) and where they're just mistaken. That's where things can get a bit foggier. The difference between deliberate manipulation and misuse of power and wrong theology or ignorance for example
Character assination is always something we have to be careful about, yet Jesus didn't spare the pharisees. Ever. He called them vipers and whitewashed tombs, sons of hell and hypocrites. Why? Because they were.
There's a difference between writing someone off (daming of a person as a person) and calling a spade a spade. Jesus called a spade a spade and yet he never ridiculed anyone for their sin. However ridiculing the hypocrisy of a person is doing just that - and I think it's called for at times because you're not actually ridiculing them, but what they're trying to get away with.
In the overall picture, I think that as long as we can say what we say with God watching and feel comfortable about it - we'll be doing the best that we can. - In fact I think if we always keep that standard in our heads, we'll probably become a lot bolder at denouncing sin and double standards or false teaching then otherwise. Because we know God expects us to do the right thing in every situation, and not hold back due to fear of rejection from other people, or being attacked and having to face an uncomfortable situation to stand up for the truth.
PS. Christians who have been around for a long time can be very good at justifying sin, particularly when they want to hang on to it. And preachers can be exceptionally good at it. That can require a lot more courage if we're going to challenge a situation if it's required. (And not all christian leaders are like that, obviously, but it can happen.)
We're ultimatly called to view a whole situation in love - and yet Jesus was doing exactly that when dealing with the pharisees.
Yet to back down for lack of courage is bowing to the fear of man over God.
As the scriptures say "touch not my anointed do them no harm"
Even as wicked as Saul was, it smote David's heart to even cut a small piece of garment from Saul.
If we are going to criticize a pastor it is safe from our knees to our Saviour the discussion should be and never with another. When something false is said it is best to correct the Man personally and not talk about it. If He be a real man of God, he will receive correction if not watch out!. (then in that case it is time to move on where one can be fed correct spiritual food)
I am strongly against tearing any ministry down, even false. Consider what the early Christians did, their biggest way of attacking the idol worships was by preaching and presenting the Love and Salvation of Jesus - not by pointing out the wrong.
And saying, sticking to exactly what the scirptures say.
Over the past couple of years I have listened to a few Joyce Myers services and a ton of Joel Osteens. In each of them I notice a very common theology. The common term applied to it today would be called "name-it-claim it."
As I listen to Osteen I hear him say so many true and wonderful things. Be a better husband/wife. Admonish your children with love and so forth. Awesome right? But what about his service is uniquely Christian? What is said in his messages that could not also be repeated at a mosque, temple or some self help clinic? The preaching of Christ and Him crucified for our sins should be the main point to every service. In an Osteen production the Jesus message is only tacked on in the very end via a pretaped clip. How can the 13 seconds of that clip compare to the privious hour where the message was all about keeping law in order to make God happy and obtain your best life now? Osteen has yet to preach a message about how to have "Christs life now."
You say that he has helped you and that is great! I am sure that I have gleaned some helpful things from him too. But I also have learned from Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, and other self help personalities. All can contribute to making my life better in the here and now. But what about the hereafter? I fear however that the gospel massage is being avoided by these preachers because they fear loosing their audience through the exclusivistic truth claims that the gospel message hold to.
Grace and peace!
~Michael