In a previous post, I outlined the problem of division in the church. Today I seek to discuss the reasons why it takes place. I can think of four reasons why church leaders cause division over non-essentials: pride, misunderstanding, insecurity and idolatry.
On megachurch pastors and failure
The problem I see in society is that we have a celebrity culture which ascribes superhuman status to the lucky (or unlucky depending on your perspective) few who have been deemed celebrities. Celebrities can do no wrong and they always seem to get the benefit of the doubt.
The problem with power
The problem with power is that those who seek it are often the ones least qualified to wield it. This is no less true in the church than in society at large.
Tim Keller on the Gospel
It is quite easy to assume that if we understand the gospel accurately and preach it faithfully, our ministry will necessarily be shaped by it. – but this is not true. Many churches subscribe to gospel doctrines but do not have a ministry that is shaped by, centered on, and empowered through the gospel. Its […]
Thank God for the children
In my last post, I wrote about some church leaders’ misunderstanding of the role of the building in worship. This was in response to a note that I had gotten from a reader. In that note, the writer also said that the pastor of the church he visited made a comment about not allowing children […]
The church building is a tool
I received an email yesterday from a man who visited a new church only to be confronted by the pastor because the man’s wife brought a drink into the “sanctuary.” Lest you think that this is uncommon, it was not long ago that I attended a church where the pastor made a huge deal out of anything other than water being brought into the auditorium. Presumably, such rules are in place because of fear that coffee or other drinks might get spilled on the carpet and result in a stain.
