Acts 16 v4 As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Ac 16:4
So to see a strengthening in our faith (as the church as a collective body) do we too need decisions to be made by the elders, the leaders, the senior apostles of the faith, which can then strengthen us through the unity they create? Would a stand, for example prohibiting actively homosexual members of the church from being promoted into ministry, actually strengthen us rather than weaken us due to exclusion?
There is a time to be hesitant and cautious and then there is a time to make the hard decision and stick to it - realising when each time begins and ends can be difficult but is crucial I think as it can both strengthen and weaken the church.
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5 comments:
Hi Cat,
I just read that verse the other day and noticed it as well. For some reason I didn't think of quite such divisive issues as homosexuality :)
Rightly or wrongly I thought this verse as the leaders bringing clarity to things people were struggling to understand, eg things that cause confusion rather than polarisation. I certainly think that there is a place for the church leadership to take a strong stand against incorrect doctine, but I also feel that it is a pastors role to facilitate unity in the church and therefore to 'unless necessary' avoid controversial topics. (Titus 3:9) Where are pastor, teacher, apostle can be most effective is where they can bring light on to a topic or issue that is causing confusion. There is a lot less to be gained by bringing an opinion into a raging controversy.
Anyway it's a slightly different topic to what you were talking about but that's what I feel God's been teaching me lately :)
Cheers,
James
Hi James, thanks for the posting! I agree that it is the pastors etc role to remove confusion rather than profer opinion - the homosexual debate was just the first example that came to mind. However I wonder if this example is not one in which much confusion and misunderstanding is rife. I have my own opinions but am not sure adding them here is necessarily a good move lol.
I was more thinking of the leaders of movements - as the church in Jerusalem was (at the time it was the centre of all authority for the church) - making decisions and those being final on topics which cause much dissension and debate instead of unity and increased community (as opposed to leaders of individual churches).
At the time I believe (from memory of study last year mind you) that the decisions made were in regards to issues where there was a lack of clarity in teaching that had led to the development of incorrect doctrine and that were thus causing both debate and some to leave the church or unwittingly leave Christian doctrine. Instead of the church growing it was instead dividing.
Cat
I have to agree :)
The leaders referred to in this verse were undoubtedly leading more than just a single congregation. But I think that principle can be applied to leaders of individual churches too. The reason I was looking at it from that angle was I think that was more what God was showing me.
Keep up with the blogging, I love exploring scripture, and the Christian life with others.
- James
Fair enough!
I love the blogging its just really hard to find time to be perfectly honest - the home internet connection is a dodgy Telecom Wireless one need I say more? And well at church I'm usually focused on work - well I try to be!!!
Blessings
Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.
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