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The Nashville Statement
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Name:Daniel
Home: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
About Me: I used to believe that evolution was reasonable, that homosexuality was genetic, and that people became Christians because they couldn't deal with the 'reality' that this life was all there was. I used to believe, that if there was a heaven - I could get there by being good - and I used to think I was more or less a good person. I was wrong on all counts. One day I finally had my eyes opened and I saw that I was not going to go to heaven, but that I was certainly going to suffer the wrath of God for all my sin. I saw myself as a treasonous rebel at heart - I hated God for creating me just to send me to Hell - and I was wretched beyond my own comprehension. Into this spiritual vacuum Jesus Christ came and he opened my understanding - delivering me from God's wrath into God's grace. I was "saved" as an adult, and now my life is hid in Christ. I am by no means sinless, but by God's grace I am a repenting believer - a born again Christian.
My complete profile...
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Daniel's posts are almost always pastoral and God centered. I appreciate and am challenged by them frequently. He has a great sense of humor as well. - Marc Heinrich
His posts are either funny or challenging. He is very friendly and nice. - Rose Cole
[He has] good posts, both the serious like this one, and the humorous like yesterday. [He is] the reason that I have restrained myself from making Canadian jokes in my posts. - C-Train
This post contains nothing that is of any use to me. What were you thinking? Anyway, it's probably the best I've read all day. - David Kjos
Daniel, nicely done and much more original than Frank the Turk. - Jonathan Moorhead
There are some people who are smart, deep, or funny. There are not very many people that are all 3. Daniel is one of those people. His opinion, insight and humor have kept me coming back to his blog since I first visited earlier this year. - Carla Rolfe
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Let not many of you become teachers... |
...knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
If the one who teaches does not live out himself the truths that he is teaching, what will the one who hears these truths think of them?
Why do you think it is, in this century and the last especially, or perhaps, "peculiarly" Christians are almost universally regarded as hypocrites? It is because our profession is not found in the way we live, but on our lips only. How does that happen? How many of us excel beyond what we see those in authority do? If the one teaching the truth walks apart from it, we learn that walking apart from the truth is "okay" since "pastor" does it too.
I want to encourage all of us who read the word of God and tremble, to take note of this encouragement - if you can't live it, you really aren't qualified (yet) to teach it. You can pass along the truth with your lips, but it will be hindered profoundly by the testimony of your life.
Sadly, I suspect that those who would benefit most from such an encouragement are probably so far into it, they wouldn't be able to do much more than nod and say amen.
May His grace find everyone who teaches, and make them fit for it. |
posted by Daniel @
7:16 AM
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3 Comments: |
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I want to make a sensible comment, but can't seem to organize my thinking so early in the day... So, I'll just say AMEN to this. Knowing truth is not the same as living truth, which is why me-thinks too many young ministers should not be in ministry until they have lived long enough to be somewhat along in the sanctifying process. There are many truths I have known for years, but would tremble to say out loud because I know how imperfectly I live it. Eunice
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"May His grace find everyone who teaches, and make them fit for it."
This is a great statement to which I give a resounding "Amen!"
In response to Eunice: I agree that pastors should meet the qualifications of their position. I disagree though that this is necessarily based on age. There are those in their late twenties/early thirties who are far more spiritually mature than many believers who are in their forties, fifties and sixties and occupying pulpits. 1 Timothy 4:12 says "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example to those who believe." So to line that up with this passage, if a believer is gifted to teach and able to back up their teaching in the way that they live, then they should teach if they're called to do so, regardless of their age.
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Jordan,
I totally agree with you. Age cannot predict spiritual maturity.
Maturity is just the word we use to describe someone who sets aside his own desires and pursues instead the desires of Christ (in all aspects of his life). That kind of surrender has nothing to do with age, and everything to do with a right faith founded on solid truth about who God is and what (..er Who) our relationship with Him is founded upon.
Thanks for the comment.
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I want to make a sensible comment, but can't seem to organize my thinking so early in the day...
So, I'll just say AMEN to this. Knowing truth is not the same as living truth, which is why me-thinks too many young ministers should not be in ministry until they have lived long enough to be somewhat along in the sanctifying process.
There are many truths I have known for years, but would tremble to say out loud because I know how imperfectly I live it.
Eunice