Same Storm. Different Boats.
For some, the past 15 months haven't really been all that bad. In fact, some would even say they have been greatly blessed by slowing their busy lives down.
For others, the past 15 months have been incredibly painful in so many different ways. Illness, loss of income, mental health, isolation, family death.
This storm has affected all of our lives very differently.
The same is true for churches.
Many factors have been at play in how churches have responded to the pandemic over the past 15 months. Things like location, building size, the average age of attendees, amount of staff, and even spiritual health of a local church, have all played a unique role in the life of each church. Every single church is different, lead by pastors and elders who are different from your church.
Personally, I have heard of many churches that have seen their ministries grow and thrive over the past 15 months. I also know churches that have nearly closed their doors permanently. I know pastors who have been very sick with the virus. I know leaders who have lost loved ones.
To paint every church in the same situation is the same as painting every individual in the same boat. It just isn't true.
So why do I bring this up?
Sadly, I have seen, particularly over the past 2 months since my province entered the latest lockdowns, an increase of social media judgment towards churches and leaders from Christians who do not attend these churches. These leaders are not their leaders. Harsh words like "heretic", "false teachers", and other labels are being thrown by people who love the church at people who love the church!
The Bible is pretty specific about what makes someone a false teacher. And it is not making decisions we don't like. It's not making decisions you think are unbiblical. It's not even about making mistakes in their teaching.
A false teacher, according to the writers of the New Testament, is someone who teaches, rejects the divinity of Jesus (1 John 4:3), follows their fleshy, sinful desires (2 Peter 2:2), prey on the weak and vulnerable (Romans 16:18), just to name a few!
A false teacher isn't someone you disagree with. A false teacher isn't someone who has come to a different interpretation of Scripture than you. Sure, they could be wrong. But so could you!
As followers of Jesus, we should be very slow with calling someone a false teacher. It is a very serious charge against a fellow believer.
More than ever, I believe this is a season where the church needs to rise up and do a much better job of loving one another, even in our differences. The past 15 months have done a lot to try to divide us.
Let's not let that divide get any wider.
We are all in the same storm. Let's build each other up.
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