Is theological uniformity required in order to trust the missionary intentions of fellow kingdom laborers?
It would seem that the new superpower among evangelical leaders in our era is a generous spirit of gracious humility.
It is increasingly rare to see a leader who walks with the steady confidence of spiritual conviction while tempered by a reflective intelligence that recognizes the limits of human perspective. The new breed of religious leader that competes for centerstage often demonstrates that he or she (most often he) is theologically-omniscient, ecclesiologically-certain, missiologically-indifferent, and angry.
This pseudo-spiritual swagger issuing from the most novice of pietistic leaders seems to require nothing but an ability to regurgitate, discharge and detonate a pre-packaged theological blitzkrieg at anyone who doesn’t conform to the opinions of his pre-approved author list (and no, we are not speaking of Scripture).
Poor JD Greear. He crossed the line. Although once himself considered approved, now finds himself on the wrong side of the law – and the jacked-up posse smell blood. The crimes? From a quick reading online there appears to be two. First, his outward success seems to have eclipse his rivals, which apparently inevitably calls his gospel faithfulness into question.
Second, he, as accountable under-shepherd to his church leadership and his heavenly King, canceled public worship for a Sunday. In apparent ignorance of the sanctioned ecclesiological injunction of not less than 52 worship experiences annually, his caricatured mugshot is now prominently posted among those whose differing opinions had previously ran afoul of the law.
He will certainly remember next year of his third accountability—to pacify the online theology police.
He should have known better.
This article’s intent is not ...
from
http://feeds.christianitytoday.com/~r/christianitytoday/ctmag/~3/PibQR7x0yi8/missional-atrophy-and-thought-police-missio-monday.html
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