To quote a line from one a great movie, The Princess Bride, “Let me 'splain. [pause] No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” There is much on this subject that I would like to make clear, but to do so would be an exhausting effort, so let me make a clarifying statement and then make my point. I have positional issues with some of the men I am about to agree with that would cause me not to have a close working or fellowshipping relationship with. I think they are men who love God but we have things that separate us. They are New Evangelicals, Emerging Church, Southern Baptist, Non King James, etc. etc. etc. With that said, I LOVE WHAT THESE GUYS DID!!!!!
James MacDonald, Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, Steven Furtick, Greg Laurie, Perry Noble, and David Platt all sat down and had a huge discourse over what they agreed and disagreed with each other on. They called it, "The Elephant In The Room" and they filmed it and put it out in public for people to watch. Again back to the clarification statement (I know what I believe and what I practice), so I am not talking about the content of their discussion I am talking about the tone and tenor of their discussion. They took some strong positions against each other but still treated each other with respect and kindness, dare I say even as Christians should. They called each other out on statements made, books written, and positions held but they were not unkind or hateful. Most of all THEY SAID IT TO THEIR FACE!!!!! Not in some “open letter”, or in a not so vague pulpit comment, paper, magazine, blog post, or in some chat room, they SAID IT TO THEIR FACE with specific references of when and where something was said. Not a clip posted on You Tube cut out of context, or half a truth, or one statement taken out of a life time of refuting statements. They called each other on the phone, they discussed it privately behind closed doors and then openly to for people to see and hear.
They all walked away still holding their same positions as when they entered but they knew why the other said what he said or what the context was. Their minds were not changed about the statement or the doctrinal position they held, but they had a better understanding of the reason. Fundamentalism has never been about full agreement on every issue in the world but on the cardinal doctrine of the faith. John Rice, Bob Jones, Lester Roloff, Jack Hyles, J Frank. Norris, Curtis Hutson, Tom Malone Sr., Roy Thompson, G. B. Vick, B. R. Lakin, and on and on each held different positions over some issues. But it did not hinder the fact that they loved each other, prayed for each other, preached for and with each other, and allowed God to use them in what would be the greatest days of evangelism and missionary endeavors. Again, this not about position, this is about spirit and attitude. Hold your position but don’t get a bad disposition. Don’t make it a personal and ugly campaign to destroy a man or ministry you do not agree with.
Yesterday I talked to my best friend in the ministry. There are some things we don’t agree on but there are so many things we do agree on! True friends are hard to find and I am not looking to lose them needlessly. We learned if you have a problem talk about it openly, Biblically, and as Christians who love the Lord and each other. Don’t assume, attack, or assassinate, instead ask questions. You may not like the answers but you do not have to unlike your friend or colleague. We have been down the road together and both still hold and believe the same eternal truths. He doesn’t like some things I do, I don’t like some things he does, but we do love each other in the Lord!
These men that I mentioned showed us that we can be very different on a position or issue but very kind at the same time. Fundamentalism needs to learn to express itself on the issues not at the personal level. I may not like what you do but I do not have to hate you. One of the marks of fundamentalism has always been our strong personalities. Unfortunately we have bred an environment of attacking people not positions. Stay focused on the position and not the personality because in the end an attack on a personality will come back to destroy you personally.
