I just read a column in the
Christian Post entitled,
"Advice for Pastor Leading Theologically Diverse Church." In the article, a pastor asked for advice on this question:
"What's your advice for a new pastor who comes into a church that has wide-ranging theological differences in the congregation and leadership?"
This is a thought-provoking question. It's hard to hold a church together when the central leadership is divided on theological issues. This is the essence of the way the columnist, John Piper, answered the pastor's question:
Piper believes that unity between the pastor and other church leadership is vital, because these are the people who are going to be guiding the congregation. In his view, if the church leadership is "of one mind," this eliminates confusion among the parishioners. He believes that even if it takes ten to fifteen years to put together a completely unified leadership board, it's worth it.
"I think the teaching office of the church should speak with one voice. The elders are the ones charged to be apt to teach and to teach, and, it says, to guard from error, and to correct people," Piper argues. "Well if you have the elders, one correcting this way and the other another way, the church will come to believe that theology isn't really very important and that doctrine doesn't really matter here."
Hence, Piper urges that the pastor should make it crystal clear where he stands on issues that other members of the church leadership don't agree on. He should make sure that the rest of the leadership board, as well as the congregation, understands what he considers important in his preaching. It's important for the pastor to emphasize that he depends on the Bible and not any man's theology.
If the pastor and his views are welcomed, he could then put together a unified leadership. If other church leaders don't agree with him on "important matters," perhaps the pastor needs to "pray them out and pray more people in." Most importantly, he should pray that the Lord brings truth to his church's leadership board.
How would you advise the pastor to deal with this situation? Do you think it's important for a church's leadership board to always be in agreement about theological issues? Do you agree with Piper's response to the question?
Comments (9)
Theological issues - absolutely! Confusion at the leadership level cannot clear up confusion in the congregation. If God has called the new pastor to that particular church, He has done it for a reason...assuming that it is God that has called him.
I respect Piper, but I think he's very seriously misguided here. Setting up a "my way or the highway" mentality in the leadership is a perfect setup to get the control-freak spiritual abusers in power.
There's an extremely dangerous attitude toward church leadership latent here: "If you don't agree with me on every detail, because of course all my ideas come directly from the Bible and other people's don't, then you're not helping the church's unity and I'm going to 'pray you out.'" Church unity = everybody agrees with me. I genuinely hope that Piper is wise enough to have more humility than that in his own church leadership (I don't know so I won't judge), but put this advice in the wrong hands and there will be Hell to pay.
It's worth considering that Jesus' own team of twelve included both Simon the Zealot (who wanted to overthrow the Roman government) and Matthew the Tax-collector (whose profession was a sellout to the Roman government). "Unified leadership"? Ha ha ha.
Of course if the church leaders are constantly battling over issues without any consensus, that's not a good thing. One of the requirements for any elder in the NT is that he be "not a contentious man." At issue though is not that there's a disagreement but that they're being disagreeable about it. I don't like contentious people even when they agree with me.
Which is more important: Theology, or the Gospel? Unification, or unity? Doctrine, or humility?
I love my church, and our leadership is unified but not stuck-up about it. But if I ever saw a church where the leadership team consisted of a Charismatic, a Cessationist, a Calvinist, and an Arminian who were all humbly working together in the name of Jesus, I would drop everything and join tomorrow.
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga - love my church, and our leadership is unified but not stuck-up about it. But if I ever saw a church where the leadership team consisted of a Charismatic, a Cessationist, a Calvinist, and an Arminian who were all humbly working together in the name of Jesus, I would drop everything and join tomorrow.
If you find one count me in as well! the closest I ever came to a group like that was a college bible study I went to.
I am going to have to disagree with piper too. The point of elders and leadership is to support the congragation and one runs the risk of tyranny if everyone is of one mind
"I love my church, and our leadership is
unified but not stuck-up about it. But if I ever saw a church where the
leadership team consisted of a Charismatic, a Cessationist, a
Calvinist, and an Armenian who were all humbly working together in the
name of Jesus, I would drop everything and join tomorrow."
You said it best, thanks.
p
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga - This is a well explained response that I agree with. It's not whether they have theological differences, it's whether they're making a big deal about them. So the real issue is not differences in belief, but in actions -- are they stirring up trouble? And if they're doing that, then I think something needs to be done to bring the leadership together in unity of purpose.
Speaking of which, unity of purpose I find to be a rather important unity among leadership. They may have theological differences, but those usually don't have much effect in day-to-day church life unless someone makes a big deal about them. But if there is not a unity of purpose for the church, it will be unfocused and will unravel, I believe. Then, in response to Piper's suggestion, I would say rather than "pray those people out," just pray for unity--all praying together!, because as you said, otherwise it's too easy to get on a power trip.
I disagree with Piper in that he doesn't clarify which theological issues. I think you have to pick your battles. Of course you don't want diversity of thought on core issues such as the diety of Jesus, the nature of salvation, the inerrancy of scripture. Find another church if you don't have a consensus on those things.
But there are issues where there are variance of opinion and thought that diversity should be welcomed. Eschatology, Calvinism vs. Arminian, charismatic gifts. I think it's possible to have unity in Christ and a difference of opinion on a staff concerning these things.
I currently attend a church that is non-charismatic. I am a charismatic. I love this church. While I do miss the charismatic element in worship and practice, it is not a hill I am willing to die on. The rest of the church is fabulous. We can agree to disagree. I stand there in worship and silently pray in tongues. I don't push my views on anyone else and I continue to worship and experience God the way I believe.
A church that is "of one mind" is far more likely to persecute those who don't agree.... There is no unity in a "my way or the highway" attitude.
This is a touchy area I feel. While I tend to agree with Piper to a certain extent, I can also totally see what the rest of the commenter's are saying. Having read Piper a bit, I'm sure he didn't mean it to sound like a "my way or the highway" thing. I do think unification is important. Imagine if the pastor is preaching on a theological doctrine (for sake of argument, let's say predestination), and he does a good exegesis of it - but then someone in the congregation has a converation with an elder in the church about his confusion regarding the doctrine of election/predestination, and this elder totally disagrees with the pastor, ------ that can only serve to create more confusion. A pastor's job is to shepherd the flock (like Jesus is the Shepherd) - and the elders are much in the same role. It doesn't help if the sheep are told one thing, and then the next day another.
On the other hand, I do think as well that the Gospel is the most important thing. Unification on the key doctrines of salvation is the most important.
How would you advise the pastor to deal with this situation?
It rather depends on the denomination he is in and how flexible the sheep are. I know of one church that has 8 pastors and they have differing views on the rapture. They have peace among them because they hold the view that - where the Bible makes a strong stand- they make the same stand- where the Bible is "Grey": Liberty within context/without malice and if silent Grace.
Personally, I would prefer them to all be on the same page but in a church that size (close to a thousand) more grace is required. Perhaps that is why I attend a congregation with only one pastor!