Lately, I've been meditating on an issue that keeps coming up for me. Being in ministry, often times, everyone's eyes are on you. I've noticed many stylistic differences between churches, pastors, leaders, and teachers through the different churches I've attended, pastors I've worked with, leaders I've partnered with and teachers I've placed in classes or sat under.
There are many books out there to tell you the right way to do things. The best way. The most cutting edge way. Most of it is personal preference, personality coming into play.
I'm a bit of a vocal person. I don't hide my emotions. I don't keep everything private and put walls up around me unless a specific circumstance requires one.
It's been implied to us that we are doing things wrong. That it's not right for us to be who we are because it's not like them. I think as pastor's and leaders and people in ministry, we need to be careful that we are not making up rules and acting like they are Scripturally based. We shouldn't place limitations on people that are personality differences. We should hold Scripture and the Bible as truth and we should teach it as such.
Let us not use our positions to falsely condemn others or place the expectations of or comfort with ourselves on them. We can't claim preference as gospel.
"We can't claim preference as gospel."
ReplyDeleteSo true!
"We should hold Scripture and the Bible as truth and we should teach it as such."
Amen!
Preference is just that. We should always compare our preferences to Scripture and if in doubt, go with Scripture. God does offer us freedom in many instances (Romans 14), but NOT as an occasion to hurt others and offend weaker believers.
If in doubt, we should always honor others and sacrifice our "preferences" for the cause of peace.
Good post!