A Call for Tough and Tender Pastors in Controversy
Justin Taylor Blog | June 13, 2012
It seems to me that we are always falling off the horse on one side or the other in this matter of being tough and tender---
wimping out on truth when we ought to be lion-hearted, or
wrangling with anger when we ought to be weeping. . . .
Oh how rare are the pastors who speak with a tender heart and have a theological backbone of steel. I dream of such pastors. I would like to be one someday.
A pastor
whose might in the truth is matched by his meekness.
Whose theological acumen is matched by his manifest contrition.
Whose heights of intellect are matched by his depths of humility.
Yes, and the other way around!
A pastor
whose relational warmth is matched by his rigor of study,
whose bent toward mercy is matched by the vigilance of his biblical discernment, and
whose sense of humor is exceeded by the seriousness of his calling.
I dream of great defenders of true doctrine who are mainly known for the delight they have in God and the joy in God that they bring to the people of God---who enter controversy, when necessary, not because they love ideas and arguments, but because they love Christ and the church. . . .
[Acts 15:1-3] is my vision: The great debaters on their way to a life-and-death show down of doctrinal controversy, so thrilled by the mercy and power of God in the gospel, that they are spreading joy everywhere they go.
Oh how many there are today who tell us that controversy only kills joy and ruins the church;
and oh how many others there are who, on their way to the controversy, feel no joy and spread no joy in the preciousness of Christ and his salvation.
Comments:
June 13, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Everytime I read or listen to Wayne Grudem I think these thoughts.
June 13, 2012 at 09:50 AM
Frank, I agree with your sentiment about Phil.
June 13, 2012 at 06:09 AM
Too bad Phil Johnson retired from the internet yesterday. He was a pitch-perfect example of this.
June 13, 2012 at 03:24 PM
[...] feel this! And I fail at this! Go here to be encouraged and challenged. Like this:LikeBe the first to like this [...]
Jim Pemberton
June 13, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Perception is all-important in this. While there is absolute truth, it's rare that any two people agree on the finer, debatable points of it, much less the central, clearly revealed points of it. As it goes, the perception of meekness in someone is influenced heavily by the degree to which their profession of truth agrees with the one doing the perceiving. If the disagreement is severe enough, the perceived lack of meekness is mitigated by the degree to which one lacks boldness of profession. Just observe the recent melee in the SBC over Calvinism to see this effect. Any who don't know me and are now reading what I write here are wondering what side I fall on so they can tell if what I'm writing has an acceptable level of meekness behind it.
I offer Jesus as an example. The Pharisees and Sadducees doubtless didn't think he was very meek. But ask any of the multitudes who sought a miracle of healing, a free lunch, or who marveled at his teaching and you would likely get a different answer.
So in one respect a desire to balance boldness and meekness must be matched with a certain wisdom in how to achieve this practically. But in another respect an independently quantifiable meekness must be pursued because many people will not perceive meekness until boldness is compromised.
The question I don't know the answer to at this point is in what respects meekness involves intent and in what ways it is practical. But I know there are elements of both.