Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should. Romans 14:4 NLTThey kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, ".... But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" John 8:7 NLT
As a pastor of the Christian gospel and a black woman, I feel uniquely qualified to offer a perspective on the current conversation. Particularly, since I have purchased and listened to tapes of Pastor Wright at length and repeatedly as well as read some of the church publications. Indeed at one point in time my husband, who is also an ordained minister and pastor considered joining the denomination.
Pastor Wright is an experienced and learned man of the gospel and the world. Jesus never calls anyone to serve for their perfection but for their willingness to humbly serve. Pastor Wright has demonstrated he mourns for the "least of these" in sermon and service. The call of a pastor is not make the world more comfortable.
Pastors, all pastors chosen of God, are called to persuade, compel, and cause humanity to recognize their preferences may indeed be prejudices when aligned with the principles of God. Moreover, pastors must awaken their generation from apathy and contentment that they might pursue purposes greater than their present need and beyond their personal greed.
Lastly, in America there is a historical and contemporary issue of race that permeates the culture which includes the religious life. Christians do not measure their relationship with God on religious traditions, trends, or talk but on the truth of the word of God. We recognize that the vessels chosen by God bring their experiences and emotions with them; pastors are working out their own salvation as they are leading us in the God-given vision. We can accept a pastor who is not 100% of what we believe because our faith is in Jesus Christ and Christianity is based on a deep and abiding personal relationship with the Lord. Barack Obama cannot leave his church-home or pastor until God directs him to do so.
For all we know God has Senator Obama there to show Pastor Wright a more excellent way.
As a pastor of the Christian gospel and a black woman, I feel uniquely qualified to offer a perspective on the current conversation. Particularly, since I have purchased and listened to tapes of Pastor Wright at length and repeatedly as well as read some of the church publications. Indeed at one point in time my husband, who is also an ordained minister and pastor considered joining the denomination.
Pastor Wright is an experienced and learned man of the gospel and the world. Jesus never calls anyone to serve for their perfection but for their willingness to humbly serve. Pastor Wright has demonstrated he mourns for the "least of these" in sermon and service. The call of a pastor is not make the world more comfortable.
Pastors, all pastors chosen of God, are called to persuade, compel, and cause humanity to recognize their preferences may indeed be prejudices when aligned with the principles of God. Moreover, pastors must awaken their generation from apathy and contentment that they might pursue purposes greater than their present need and beyond their personal greed.
Lastly, in America there is a historical and contemporary issue of race that permeates the culture which includes the religious life. Christians do not measure their relationship with God on religious traditions, trends, or talk but on the truth of the word of God. We recognize that the vessels chosen by God bring their experiences and emotions with them; pastors are working out their own salvation as they are leading us in the God-given vision. We can accept a pastor who is not 100% of what we believe because our faith is in Jesus Christ and Christianity is based on a deep and abiding personal relationship with the Lord. Barack Obama cannot leave his church-home or pastor until God directs him to do so.
For all we know God has Senator Obama there to show Pastor Wright a more excellent way.
1 comment:
You are wrong. Only the prophets of old were responsible to God who gave them specifically what to say. We as believers in the body of Christ are responsible to one another. In fact scripture like "... that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established" Matt 18:15-17, and 1 Corinthians 14:27, give us a glimpse into this insight, that no one is an island unto themselves in the body of Christ. Furthermore, this is the kind of thinking that has caused so much corruption in the Body; the idea that a preacher only answers to God is an Old Testament concept that must be weighed against N.T. understanding. We must begin to challenge words coming from each other far more than we do. I am my brothers keeper.
Furthermore, Pastors, as prescribed in the N.T. were to care for the flock. That was why they were given as gifts to the body. They are not above the body, they are part of it and yet have a humbling responsibility to care for it. This guy is not operating in the correct role. He is also committing one of the most basic mistakes a minister can make, that is that you never use the pulpit for personal attacks. As the bible says if you have an aught against a brother (in this case Barack Obama)you should go to him, Matt 18. What this guy seems to have in his heart is hatred.
As a student of the word and also a brother in Christ, I say he is out of order. His position in the church means nothing. I don't care who he is. The bible in James 3:1 says, Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment, (NASB. You who call yourselves pastors/teacher etc. are held to a higher standard because you like to tell others what is right. It is only fair that you receive greater scrutiny when you are wrong yourselves. We have placed preachers on too high of a pedestal. All flesh will fail, even so-called ordained flesh.
April 3, 2008 9:19 PM
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