What do you think of this statement?
“If you are on of those who undergoes regular worldview sized shifts in your thinking; if your message changes every time a new fad or new best-selling book comes along, if you are by nature fascinated with new perspectives and radical doctrines- get out of the ministry please? People like that only sow doubt and confusion.” ~Phil Johnson: 2010 Shepherds Conference
I admit that I love this statement. I suppose I like it because my parents raised their boys to be resistant to fads (that’s not saying we always resisted). Perhaps it’s a deep interest in history that exposed the shallowness of always going after the next big thing. Put that in conjunction with the way that God’s Word has always remained unchanged throughout the many “fads” of history and an understanding that no human strategy can improve upon the truths of Scripture and more often that not detracts from it.
On top of that, having just finished preaching on Philippians 2:14-16 where Paul exhorts the believers to let their godly character shine as lights in a crooked and perverted world. And not only that but to hold fast and hold forth the Word of Truth (a.k.a. the Gospel). While Paul obviously used some various pedagogical skills, his primary message to the church was not “7 steps to become the next great orator/leader/etc”, but instead to know the Word, live the Word, preach the Word, don’t be ashamed of the Word, rejoice in the truth – and do it because of your love for Christ!
Ending question: How do you learn from the differing perspectives of popular motivational speakers/books without allowing it to become a personal fad?
Ending question #2: What about when a professing motivational speaker/book puts forth doctrine that is blatantly un-Biblical? What’s the biblical/apostolic response to such teachers?
I dig this, too.
In response to the first Ending Question, I think it can be a good thing to learn and hear out others’ perspectives and fads, because without a basic understanding of said perspectives, one cannot witness to those people in an effective way.
You’re right. To some extent it’s helpful to understand how a person is thinking and why they are thinking in that specific way in order to direct them to conform their thinking (via the transforming power of Christ via the Spirit) to God’s way of thinking.
P.S. I’m, like, totally psyched that you read and commented! Bonus points for you!
I too like the quote that you ahve put up there. I do think there are different levels of changing. If you understand something slightly different than before, building on what you have, that change can be alright. Of course, that depends on each situation. I agree that if you are making all these big changes on fads and what is popular, then yes, ministry may not be good for you. There are things that change with time as there always has been. Depending on the Tradition you are in, you follow the head of the church.
Question #1: I find that reading various books on spirituality gives me some insight into myself,but never radically changes things. For me, I come to a better understanding of myself within the Tradition I am in. Most times, I try to look for a Catholic writer, but others of other Traditions have equally as good things too. God takes on many personas, and which one is present to you. We have to be aware too, where others stand. In order tohave dialouge, we need to understand other views.
Question #2: This realy depends on what is being said. While something may be un-biblical, look under that. In many different Traditions, there are many ways to say one thing. On the flip side, it could be anti-everything biblical. I find that somewhere there could be some small strand of similarity. Then, you also have to look at how you are reading the book. Educational, personal, spiritually, and so forth. Everyone comes from somewhere, so it can be said that those opposite of your thinking, or my thinking, could be asking themselves questions such as ours.
“If you understand something slightly different than before, building on what you have, that change can be alright.”
This is true, and the speaker mentions that a little later on in his message. Glad you point that out.
Let me use your point to segue into something else:
I’ve heard this type of statement applied to scripture however and this causes much concern. In that context the author states that instead of Scripture being God’s revelation of himself to us, it is instead man’s attempt to understand God. Therefore from Genesis to Revelation, each generation of man builds upon the previous generations knowledge of God – finding out what is true and what is not. For this reason I’m quite suspicious of new doctrines forming out of “new perspectives on…” or “a new kind of….”. Our understanding of unchanging scripture changes, but when our new understanding starts changing scripture…watch out!
As for question 2 – When answering that question I look at how the Apostle Paul dealt with the issue. There were those that preached the gospel and yet did it out of pretense apparently slandering Paul in the process. In this situation Paul rejoiced that the gospel was being preached (Philippians 1). Yet later on in the book (and the entire book of Galatians for that matter) it is apparent that Paul took an entire different tact toward those who distorted and perverted the unchanging truth of Scripture.
Therefore, if one starts downplaying the atonement, justification by faith alone, grace alone and through Christ alone (as revealed through the Scriptures alone) I hope to be able to react as graciously and as firmly as Paul…and Christ for that matter.