I realized after I posted Wednesday that I might have ruffled a feather or two when I mentioned some of the guys who I listen to their podcast OR that I want to have lunch with. I can hear it now…
- “Perry wants to meet with Bishop Long—he must be into health and wealth.”
- “Perry wants to meet with Rick Warren…is he going to start wearing Hawaiian shirts and no shoes.” (NO! I have ugly toes!)
- “Perry wants to meet with John Piper…is he a Calvinist?” (Only if I was predestined to be!) “Perry listens to Rob Bell…does he agree with him and his views?”
- “Perry wants to have lunch with Frank Page…is he planning on running for President of the Southern Baptist Convention next year?” (Dang it—you guessed!!!)
- “Perry wants to meet with TD Jakes…is he going to begin a woman’s conference?”
Well…you get the picture!
For some reason there is this arrogance and insecurity among so many Christians that basically says, “If a person doesn’t think and believe and behave the exact same way that I do then I do not want to spend any time with them OR be influenced by them.”
AND…in my opinion…that is the dumbest decision a person can make!
I am SICK and TIRED of people saying on blogs, “I really like (BLANK), now, I don’t agree with everything they say…” Why is it that we feel like we must qualify that? OF COURSE you don’t agree with everything that person says…if two people on the planet agree on every single issue that could ever be brought up in a discussion then one of those people is useless!!!
It is time that the Christian community got beyond themselves…it is time that we begin looking for what IS working in other churches and ministries rather than sit around and criticize what is going on. Be secure enough to get outside of the circle of people who think, talk and act just like you!!! Having the way you think and believe about things is actually good!!!
The men I listed that I would like to meet and that influence me…I admire them…and I feel that God IS using them! With many their theology is different…and so is their methodology…but if I cannot learn from them then I am an arrogant, insecure fool that has doomed my church to my limited ideas on creativity and leadership!