The Danger of Criticism
Meditate on Romans 14
As I dig into this passage of Scripture I am particularly struck by Romans 14:1, which says:
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
As you and I lead our teams and ministries I think a lot about how God can lead us in creating a safe environment for people to share their hearts, opinions, and thoughts. The rest of Romans 14 talks about people’s interpretation of the Scriptures concerning what day someone thinks is more holy, what foods are good to eat or not, etc.
It’s important for us as leaders to help facilitate that sharing time, like in prayer, so that people can share who they are.
Now, does that mean there isn’t space for correction using the Scripture? Of course there’s room for that, but how we do that is equally important as creating a safe environment.
When I’m teaching through the Word in practice I am very mindful in focusing on the Scriptures as our main guide and filter. When it seems like there is something really off I try to avoid having that heated discussion in front of the whole group. I make time to talk to that person on the phone or through email.
Does that mean there aren’t appropriate times to correct someone in front of a group? Well, as you and I develop as leaders I believe our discernment in those situations will increase, especially as we dig into the Word, pray, and seek the advice of wise leaders, like your pastor.
Do you feel like your small group, worship team, or ministry team is a safe place for you to share your heart? Why or why not?
Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park
© 2012 – 2011, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
Honor your leaders – Part 2
Yesterday, in Honor your leaders – Part 1, we read through 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 to see the Biblical reason for honoring our leaders. And I wanted to emphasize that this week because we all at some point get frustrated with our leaders, don’t we? I know I do.
In the pursuit to becoming a multicultural Church I’ve come across lots of great ideas. And I’ve conveyed a lot of those ideas to my pastor at my last church and my current one.
Was I able to implement all those ideas? NO!
Have I try to fight tooth and nail, at times, to get those ideas implemented? Yes.
Was that the right thing to do? NO!
We have to remember that leadership is not easy, in fact at times it get be really difficult, so we need to remember to do a few things. God has put our leaders in place for a reason. We are to serve them.
Are they always right? Not necessarily, but they are certainly held accountable for those decisions by God. That’s why we need to pray for our leaders, especially as they lead us through the process of answering the call on the Church to become a multicultural one.
They need wisdom, they need encouragement, they need people who are willing to listen to their direction because God has put them there.
So, I have to ask…
- Do you recognize the spiritual authority that the people in your church have?
- In what ways have you made their vocation more difficult?
- In what ways can you honor them?
Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park
© 2011, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
Privilege and Resistance – Devotional
I want to take some time this morning to explain this past Tuesday’s blog post, Privilege and Resistance, where I quote Martin Luther King, Jr.:
…no one gives up his privileges without strong resistance.
This was said in the summer of 1957 where negotiations were started after a boycott of the buses had begun. City commissioners and leaders were greatly opposing any sort of compromise because they felt it will violate city laws.
Rumors were even being spread about Martin Luther King Jr. that he was not the right man for the job in leading the way in these negotiations. In fact, other rumors were spread that he was buying expensive vehicles for his own family.
This situation in many ways reminds me of Paul in Philippians 3:8-9…
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
Paul expresses that he had confidence in his own human efforts because of his ethnicity and strict upbringing. But he now knows that compared to knowing Christ that is not as important.
I think we can fall into that trap as well. We can begin to think to our ways, our ethnicity, our church traditions are the best way. And we’ll do everything we can to protect that.
But if we’re going to move forward together, believers from every nation, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to examine those things in humility. Every tradition in a person’s culture shouldn’t be passed onto the next generation.
For example, I am not taking part in the Korean tradition of drinking alcohol with my older relatives. This can be a sign of respect and bonding. But, as my own son is imitating and repeating this tradition.
I want him, of course, to understand the tradition and why it has been important. And he’ll have to make a decision in the future whether this is something he wants to embrace. But, for now, I need him to understand that he shouldn’t be drinking alcohol.
Questions for you
1. What traditions have caused you to resistant change?
2. What are some things about the tradition that are good?
3. What are some things about the tradition that are bad?
4. Could it be time to give up a tradition for the sake of Christ and of unity?
Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park
© 2011, Peter Park. All rights reserved.