AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHURCH: To my fellow ministers, I greatly appreciate the challenges you face as a local minister and pastor in today's age. The culture continues to shift, and we are tasked with the burden of remaining faithful to our tradition while still finding relevance and opportunityin light of our context. It is not an easy task, especially with increasing social pressures, expectations and budgets. However, I am disheartened by how so many of chosen to respo...nd to these circumstances.
While I could cite various specifics, i will stick to the one most relevant and immediate: the present election. I do not care your politics, and I applaud you for not allowing your personal opinion to overide your responsibility as minister of the independent Gospel. What troubles me, however, is how many of you either stayed silent on our civic responsibility to vote or downplayed the implications of voting or the election, in general. I do believe that the Bible calls to not only be engaged in the religious community, but also the community as large. The majority of us are not Mennonite/Anabaptist.
But perhaps the greatest offense I have witnessed, from so many, is your, again, those who have attempted to downplay the implications of elections and human choices. Your "prophecy" to predict months in advance "what will happen on Nov 9" were trivial and dangerous. Of course, "God will still be on the throne. The Bible will still be true. And we, the church, will still need to proclaim the Gospel in an uncompromising way with 'Truth and Love.'" Amen. But, there will be a host of other 'truths' tomorrow, and some not so pleasant.
If I may...on Jan 30, 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. I'm pretty sure all your prophecies will still true on Jan 31, 1933, but life and society took a drastic downward spiral, too, and the consequences were horrific for generations! I am not comparing the present election of 2016 with 1933, completely. My point and emphasis is that ELECTIONS and human behavior do have consequences...and sometimes those consequences are huge! Do not downplay or dismiss them. You are called to be leaders, influencers, and persons who contribute to a better society. What do you appear to compromise or shy away from your task?
For the love of the Gospel and your calling, and for the sake of the people you have been appointed to care for, correct, build up, and affirm, do not compromise, my friends. Stay strong. Preach the Word. Hold true. Live out the faith of martyrs. Make a difference.
We are all counting on you.
VR,
JS
While I could cite various specifics, i will stick to the one most relevant and immediate: the present election. I do not care your politics, and I applaud you for not allowing your personal opinion to overide your responsibility as minister of the independent Gospel. What troubles me, however, is how many of you either stayed silent on our civic responsibility to vote or downplayed the implications of voting or the election, in general. I do believe that the Bible calls to not only be engaged in the religious community, but also the community as large. The majority of us are not Mennonite/Anabaptist.
But perhaps the greatest offense I have witnessed, from so many, is your, again, those who have attempted to downplay the implications of elections and human choices. Your "prophecy" to predict months in advance "what will happen on Nov 9" were trivial and dangerous. Of course, "God will still be on the throne. The Bible will still be true. And we, the church, will still need to proclaim the Gospel in an uncompromising way with 'Truth and Love.'" Amen. But, there will be a host of other 'truths' tomorrow, and some not so pleasant.
If I may...on Jan 30, 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. I'm pretty sure all your prophecies will still true on Jan 31, 1933, but life and society took a drastic downward spiral, too, and the consequences were horrific for generations! I am not comparing the present election of 2016 with 1933, completely. My point and emphasis is that ELECTIONS and human behavior do have consequences...and sometimes those consequences are huge! Do not downplay or dismiss them. You are called to be leaders, influencers, and persons who contribute to a better society. What do you appear to compromise or shy away from your task?
For the love of the Gospel and your calling, and for the sake of the people you have been appointed to care for, correct, build up, and affirm, do not compromise, my friends. Stay strong. Preach the Word. Hold true. Live out the faith of martyrs. Make a difference.
We are all counting on you.
VR,
JS
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