Slander & Criticism

Recently, I read a very well worded and thought provoking piece @ tinyurl.com/owtumxx and just wanted to give a thought or two. This in no way is intended to correct the author but to point out an additional view on the subject matter. The author is a wonderful Christian that I would heartily recommend.

First, the two words Slander and Criticism in our movement are consistently misused. Slander is when someone says something about someone else that is a lie. It is not when someone openly corrects someone else. The word "criticism" is not even a Bible term and is used to make Biblical rebuke look dirty and wrong.

As a pastor I would give the thoughts of Mrs. Lott's article a hearty "Amen" as it pertains to a pastor and their people relationship. However I find that the greatest damaging force to our movement in the last 30-40 years is applying these thoughts from preacher to preacher. This has been done to try to hush the mouth of those that would warn against teachings that enter in to the church by the door of a movement and/or popular national pulpit-tiering! Paul always encouraged preachers to mark those that caused divisions. He withstood Peter and called names of those that went away from truth. They were all fellow servants in Christ that turned out of the way. I think pastors should be approachable by their people directly after much prayer, study and thoughtfulness has been given to the matter the member would like to discuss. I also believe that other preachers need to be approachable by the same basic format but often pride prevents this. This is why church differences and national issues are handled differently. 

If I go to my pastor respectfully and he fails to hear me or to teach me I can choose to quietly leave and join a different church but if I am a pastor and my people are being directly or indirectly influenced by false teachings from another national pastor/evangelist then I will stand in my pulpit and warn my people publicly because I have no authority over that preacher and I don't control my people I lead them! I would not be concerned about my friendship of a man or his name's fame as much as the sheep God has given me to guard or the truth I am to contend for. Depending on my personal relationship with that preacher I may speak to him before I warn my people. When preachers openly publish, publicly speak or tweet statements that are not Biblical in scope then a counter statement in truth is justified and needed. It is pride that can't handle rebuke and pride that openly criticizes those who do the rebuking. It is the goal of many to cause others to keep their mouths shut. (Evil triumphs when good men say nothing!) They are called hateful and labeled as infighters. They are not. They care and wish to sharpen the brethren. I am sure our greatest problem is we have too many standing too strong and being too expressive of truth? This was Jack Schaap's attitude when he stood in Pastor School and said that "little pastors" were hurting Fundementalism because they told their people the KJB was the "Inspired" Word of God! (I was sitting on the front row with my entire family when it was said! This is not slander!) We all know how that brought our movement together! Most times when things are said the preachers reaction lacks humility or there is just no response at all. 

We do have church members that are not being taught how to address leadership but leaders don't teach how to be approached because they either don't want to be held accountable or just don't know how to teach it because they were never taught it. The last thing in the world I want my people to think is that I am untouchable and so I must teach them how to approach me. If these big time preachers could handle correction they could actually influence more preachers which would allow them to influence more preacher's people. Sometimes these guys just get too big for their britches! I have had them call me and whine! This sadly, is not an exaggeration! They didn't want to discuss the Biblical challenge to what was said just wanted to know why I would cause such division by saying it. They caused the division by making unscriptural statements that needed correction. 

So the issue of influence "needs" accountability or men will say, do and go anyway they want uncontested. There is no doubt that God can handle these guys without the "little guys" help but has anyone ever thought about how often God used other men to do this. Think about how many men in scripture God decided to just suddenly remove from the earth without rebuke from a prophet or preacher. Accountability by others standing for truth has always been God's method for correcting and warning of apostasy. Let's be careful not to leave out a clear teaching of how people should handle their concerns not just discourage them from saying anything.

Just sharing some thoughts that I had. I don't disagree with the need to be more gracious and kind when disagreements arise but we must be willing to stand for truth no matter the cost! 

The key to good Christianity is being able to give and take correction no matter what your leadership position is! - 

Pastor Reeves

North Platte Baptist Church