Three Questions I Ask When It Comes To Criticism (UPDATED) August 30, 2007

Let me set this up…

Back in 1996 I kept hearing about this pastor who “watered down” the Gospel and was leading people to “hell in a hand basket” named Bill Hybels. Every time his name was mentioned around me pastors seemed to get really mad. I was clueless as to who this guy was–but I figured if all the “godly” people I was hanging out with hated him then so should I.

THEN I found out that he and some other guy named John Maxwell were doing a conference together in Charlotte…so I went. (I had a friend on staff at another church who was forbidden to go by his pastor because Hybels was speaking!) I was armed with my pen and notebook on the front row, ready to catch Hybels in heresy, thus being able to participate in the tearing down of a fellow brother in the name of Jesus.

I was blown away! I watched this man weep–WEEP over people far from God (something I had never seen my “buddies” that blasted him do!) I listened to him as he taught on the spiritual gift of leadership. And I was blown away at how much he kept mentioning the name of Jesus…something I was told he did not do!

God taught me a lesson through that experience…a HARD ONE…and now, before I say anything critical of anyone I go over these three questions…

#1 – Do I really know this person?

I can honestly say that personally, around 99% of the criticism I receive personally is from people who have never met me…most have never been to NewSpring. It is really easy to take one sentence from a blog or a sermon and then come to hundreds of conclusions as to where someone “probably” stand theologically and morally…it is much tougher to get to know someone before you make a decision.

I remember when Joel Osteen was on Larry King Live and didn’t do so well when he was asked the question about hell. The next day blogs and websites were blasting him, calling him a heretic…and some even questioned his faith!

I remember being asked about it and saying, “First of all…I don’t know Joel. Secondly…I would HATE for someone to form an opinion of me based on a 30 second clip from a live television show!”

By the way…I had a chance to meet Joel last September and the dude is one of the most real and humble men I have ever met. He talked openly about the Larry King interview and admitting that wasn’t his finest hour…he also said that the next day his church issued a statement affirming their belief in hell–but that didn’t get too much press…the blood was in the water and the sharks came out!!!

#2 – Would I say this face to face?

The answer, the majority of the time, is no! I have discovered the internet, mostly, is a place for cowards who do not have the guts to do the Matthew 18:15-17 thing–but for some reason they think it is OK to send an anonymous e-mail or place a comment on a blog with a fake e-mail address.

I have heard of people who have been critical of me openly…and so when I see them I make it a point to speak with them. Not once has someone said, “Hey man, I think we differ on opinions here–let’s try to come to an understanding.”

I have some really great friends that I differ with theologically and in certain areas of methodology…but I have disagreed with them one on one…and in doing so have been stretched and challenged as to what I believe and why I believe it.

It takes guts to go one on one…anyone can blog!

#3 – Will I cause dissension among the brothers by doing this?

According to Proverbs 6:16-19 God HATES it when someone does this!

One night I heard of a church that was growing in popularity…but had some very different biblical views. I went to their website and listened to a message and, by the end of it, I was SO ANGRY. The speaker had basically butchered Scripture to affirm a very unbiblical behavior! I started to blog about this guy until…I thought, “I don’t even know this dude…and by doing this I am going to release a firestorm against him…is that right?”

Don’t get me wrong–I was still mad…but I did not want to participate in something that I knew God was going to hate–that would pretty much be considered sin!!!

The world is watching…and when Christians cause Christians to get mad at other Christians…somehow I just don’t believe God is pleased.

Those are just three questions I ask–they’ve helped me…maybe they will help someone else.

UPDATE:  God has a funny sense of humor!  This past week I have had two of the most direct, critical attacks that I have EVER received.  (I’ve also been more encouraged that I ever have as well!!!)  When I was attacked I wanted so bad to respond…to lash out…to vent…whatever the heck you want to call it.

I was considering blogging about the experiences and so I asked the opinion of my wife last night at supper.  I, of course, built a strong case as to why I SHOULD blog and, to be honest, was just seeking her affirmation.

She looked at me and said, “That post you have coming out Thursday…I can’t remember how you said it exactly…but what was point number three?”

BAM!  God used her to remind me that I was being hypocritical.  That, yes, I was free to blog about the attacks…but in doing so more controversy would come into the kingdom and the cause of Christ would suffer.

I want so badly for God’s people to act like God’s people–but at times I am just as guilty for the things I become angry at others for!  I am a work in progress…I know stuff like this is going to begin to happen more frequently and so my prayer is that I can ignore it and continually follow Jesus in whatever He asks me to do!

Do You REALLY Want To Be Like Jesus? August 28, 2007

One of THE most overused phrases among Christians today is, “I just want to be more and more like Jesus.” HOLD ON–I am NOT saying that is something bad…it’s just that I don’t think that some people have a CLUE what they are talking about when they say those words!

People from a churched culture grow up with a “safe” picture of Jesus–he had feathered hair, wore a white robe with a purple sash, was a constant giver of hugs and carried a lamb where ever He went.

However, in reading Scripture that is NOT the Jesus I am seeing. I am discovering that if I want to become more and more like Jesus that I am going to have to drop my Sunday school perceptions and embrace the following…

#1 – Jesus Is A Warrior King!

Check out Revelation 19:11-16…never seen a picture of THAT in a Christian bookstore. One of my favorite stories is found in Matthew 21:12-16 where His passion is demonstrated by the fact that He whipped some tail! I am sick and tired of people saying that a Christian is always nice…a Christian is someone who is passionate for the things of God–which requires some table turning from time to time.

#2 – Jesus Purposefully Offended The Religious!

Keep something in mind–it wasn’t the atheists, agnostics or even the devil worshipers that murdered Jesus…but rather THE most religious people in that time period. Why? Because He was nice? NO! Because He…

• Healed on Sunday…which in their mind was SINFUL! DON’T MISS THAT–these people MISSED a MIRACLE because it did not fit into their formula…and they considered Jesus “wrong” for doing what He did!
• He hung out, even touched lepers…which was a no-no in that time period.
• He went to a tax collectors house for a meal…which was a social declaration!
• He went off in Matthew 23…calling the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs, sons of hell and snakes!”

Jesus was NOT concerned with making the religious happy–He was dangerous, on the edge–that’s who Jesus was!!!

#3 – Jesus Did Not Get Inward Focused!

Like it or not–Jesus didn’t go to a bookstore, get a theology book by a dead white guy, get a group of guys together that were just like Him and give the world the middle finger because He was obsessed with “going deep!”

If I meet one more group of guys who think they are becoming more like Jesus because they are theological superior to people (which, by the way, is PRIDE!) but do not know a lost person by name or refuse to exercise their spiritual gift…and yet claim to be godly…I am going to punch them in the throat! (For everyone who just got mad about that–please refer to #2!)

#4 – Jesus Offered Forgiveness, Not Condemnation!

Check this out…the people Jesus WAS nice to were the broken, the poor, the outcasts, the prostitutes…those whom society had thrown away! He didn’t yell at them! He didn’t look down His nose at them. He didn’t sit in a church pew and wonder, “Why are they here?” He offered them forgiveness–something that MANY churches today simply do not do!

You know what I mean…someone goes through a painful divorce and they are pushed out. A teenage girl gets pregnant and the other mothers in the church forbid their “angels” to hang out with her. I’ve seen it…so have you…and it ticks me off! Jesus NEVER told them their behavior was ok; in fact, He preached repentance…but He did not condemn them!

# 5 – Jesus Was Passionate About Obeying His Father!

Jesus had a passionate desire to obey God…He recognized His Father as the absolute authority on this planet…and went to the cross and gave His life as an act of obedience and worship.

Pastors will say that God reigns and is sovereign…and then they will back down before a board of deacons or elders because they fear them more that God. If you are going to be like Christ–obedience, not prostitution (being paid to perform a service) is required.

#6 – Jesus Had A Vision To Reach People!

I read on a website once that a vision could not be numeric…and I will have to say that I about threw up! Jesus had a desire to reach the NATIONS! (Matthew 28:18-20) Now I am not the smartest man on the planet…but that’s a lot of people.

Jesus said in Acts 1:8 to reach the ends of the earth–that’s a lot of people!

Jesus told three parables in Luke 15 about something lost being found…and then said the angels in heaven rejoice when people cross over the line of faith.

If Luke 19:10 is true…and there is a church out there that does not care about reaching people…I simply say you need to check your heart because hell is hot! Seriously–HOW could someone NOT care about people stepping over from death to life?

#7 – Jesus Was Not Normal!

Jesus, in His teaching and mentoring tactics, was different!

He taught with authority…He told stories…He didn’t go line by line, verse by verse through the OT…He used modern day illustrations…He connected with the hearts of the people…and they GOT IT!

He was not normal in who He surrounded Himself with–He didn’t go for the religious professionals but rather men who were crazy enough to believe and follow Him. He didn’t fit in with the religious system of the day…and they killed Him for it! (But He had the last laugh!!!)