We Played The Flute For You
Perhaps I read too much from the multitude of burgeoning experts regarding this thing called Church. I am finding sprinklings of truth emanating from many voices, but the conflicting suggestions and accusations from these analysts are getting to me. The light bulb just went on. They… are… getting to me. Time for a course adjustment. 
I am a pastor. I am a preacher. I am a teacher. Among other things, I am called to explain and proclaim the truth of God’s Word, as I understand it, and then urge people to embrace those truths in such a way that their lives are changed for their good, for the good of those around them, and for the glory of God.
Unfortunately, I have recently found myself preaching from a defensive position, or at least that’s what it feels like.
The bloggers, authors, interviewers, and analysts are coming to many conclusions about me and my clan. They are also offering suggestions or demands about how I/we ought to change. Some of what they say is true for some of us, but we are increasingly being analyzed in such a way that one is prompted to respond to the analysis in order to prove that “I am not that way”.
This kind of reactionary thinking from the Body of Christ isn’t good. I think the tail is wagging the dog.
By being a Christian and a pastor, it is assumed that I hate gays, that I have an unintelligent faith, that I unilaterally support the nation of Israel, that I am a Republican and a social conservative, that I am closed minded, intolerant, unloving, and don’t have a worldview that includes anyone but my clan.
Those accusations are true about some in the Church, but not all. Public opinion, however, is increasingly aligning itself with these analysts, and I am feeling the pressure of being misunderstood more than ever before.
Anyone else out there feeling it?
The purpose of this article isn’t to whine and say how unfair life is. What I want to emphasize is this: I cannot allow myself to become simply reactionary in my life. (You too, if you follow Jesus.) I cannot respond only to the accusers, the analysts, the “former Christians”, the victims of the church, etc. There are legitimate complaints to be made, to be sure, but that cannot and must not shape my life or the life of the Church.
I believe that Jesus faced this same kind of “dead end” analysis from his contemporaries.
He said…
Matthew 11:16-19 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.’ 18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
Regardless of what Jesus did, He was criticized. Christians are not unique in this. Everyone goes through it: politicians, soccer coaches, school administrators, etc.
But my world is Jesus, His Church, and how we are to live in the world, so that is what I am feeling.
What is the solution for me and my tribe? It is the same as it has always been. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Answer the honest questioners with gentleness and respect. Know when to move on to the next conversation. Make sure that God is the One we respond to, and not the critics, regardless of their motivation. Be led by the Spirit, and not just by the analysis of a rock star. Be counseled by the Word of God, not by an “ex- whatever”. Follow the leading of the Spirit, not the latest trends.
I do not discount the fact that God can and does use the public opinion to reveal truth to His church. The problem with public opinion is that it is fickle, changing, incomplete, and biased. Eat the meat, spit out the bones, and realize that there is only One Voice that leads us.
12 Responses so far
Tim Brown
October 26th, 2009
9:47 am
Excellent, Bill. Best blog yet – righteous anger expressing itself righteously. God has given us a job to do and if God sends a prophet, we’ll hear him. But all the self styled church experts, discernment ministers, culture shapers, spiritual entrepreneurs, and emergent critics become a cacophony of contradiction and a tide of flotsam and jetsam. Let’s give ourselves to prayer and the teaching of the Word and let others prattle on.
There is that which is helpful in all the categories I listed above – and the bulk of it is offered in good faith, no doubt. But it should be eaten like ice cream – not every day and not in large quantities.
Steve Hopkins
October 26th, 2009
10:07 am
Yeah Bill…best article you’ve written. Sobering, and challenging. Of course we don’t want to just settle for the S.O.P (Standard Operating Procedure) but neither do we need to hop on the “Evangelicalism” has got to go band wagon either
John Lukas
October 26th, 2009
10:08 am
A hearty AMEN Bill! One of the things that a good boxer will try toido with his opponant is to distract, him with movement, sounds, words, even “looks”,.. all designed to take a fighter off his fight plan, and make ineffective. I agree that we must stay the course no matter what the “others” may say. Sure sure we are to examine oursleves, but never by thier standards. I believe that it was Spurgeon who said in responce to not following what all the others were doing,… “I sit at my own fence and wistle my own tune.”,,.. let us all stay faithful to what Jesus has calkled us to, and sing praise to His name in the process. John Lukas
Sam Scotti
October 26th, 2009
10:36 am
I feel it. I always seem to have to re-evaluate where I am in this foundational part of my life with Christ of loving God and my neighbor. There is as much criticism and advice from within as there is from without and if I am constantly being moved to prove what I am or am not. I can miss the opportunities that God would have me step into, to do and be what I should (hope that made sense).
Being quick to listen and slow to speak goes hand in hand with testing all things and holding onto what is good, but I’ve found that too often I just react. I am trying more and more to be quite and face to the ground listen for what I should say (if anything) or do (if anything), but that takes vigilance, at least for me.
Thanks Bill, good words
Bill Holdridge
October 26th, 2009
10:41 am
Amen to the blog, “amen” to the amens.
We must keep the main thing, the main thing.
Jeremiah 23:28-29 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD. “Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
Praying Heart
October 26th, 2009
11:06 am
Hi Pastor Bill;
Welcome back from Mexcio!
What a wonderful blessing to celebrated the 6th annual Pastor, Locals and Leadership Conference on the NEW property that God put upon your heart to purchase 1,000 miles away from home in a poor community with a long, long, long and difficult drive down a long, long, long, narrow and dangerous, highway to bring Glory to Himself and to bring the Gospel Message to the ‘forgotten’ people in Vizcaino and the surrounding communities in Baja South.
God is making a difference in the lives of others through your obedience, faith and trust in Him, Pastor Bill!
It’s so wonderful to see all the churches and people who’ve come along side you in this vision to build a misson’s base to support the church you planted there.
All to the glory of God!
This has certainly been a faith-stretcher for all – and to see how God has provided all along the way is so exciting.
God’s doing a great work in our hearts when we walk by faith. – The peace of God freely given to us as we commit our lives and will to Christ is something the world cannot know – - – so even when we’re tested and our faith is tried, people without Christ are still in awe of what we have in Christ.,
Inbelievers will either jealous, envious, and critical of our faith and trust in God or allow God’s miraculous grace to touch and soften their hard hearts to receive His free gift of Life in Christ themselves.
There are only two groups of people, believers and unbelievers in Christ; –
There are only those who have hope in God by their faith in Christ alone or those who have no hope or false hope by placing their faith in anything else that can not save them from their sin.
It’s not our place to decide who has faith and who doesn’t, but to walk with Christ and do what He asks us to do by faith. He’ll take care of the rest.
Thanks for your encouraging words that we need to keep the main thing the main thing. JESUS!!!
pastorbillwalden
October 26th, 2009
12:01 pm
Thanks friends…
I value each of you and the place you hold in my life.
Jackie P
October 26th, 2009
12:48 pm
Bill,
It’s like you’re in my head. A little scary and yet comforting in an odd, surreal way. I, too, have been reacting to the “the institutional church sucks” diatribes instead of focusing on what God has called me to do in Christ Jesus.
Thanks for the words of wisdom, as usual.
Okie Preacher
October 26th, 2009
1:22 pm
Very good. I responded the same way for years; however, I am increasingly coming to the realization that I need not explain myself especially if my position and teaching is orthodox (that which has been historically accepted by the church as right and correct). In the final analysis, God’s in the only opinion that matters.
Jim Goodman
October 26th, 2009
5:37 pm
Good word Bill!
I have been marginalized, skipped over, but whatever – I always get in trouble whenever I try to explain or defend myself. I have come to a point in my life to just move on and keep going forward and let the fruit speak for itself.
Jacqueline
November 5th, 2009
2:07 pm
The enemy comes in all shapes sizes and voices.. His main priorty is to discourage us and make us question ourselves and beliefs. He looks for a loop hole so that he may weasel his way in very slowly and very quietly and if given him an inch he will take much more than a mile. Standing firm in Our Beliefs and Faith, no matter what the world may say or how badly they may judge is what we need to do. We fight the good fight for Our Lord as we are called to. We are not here to be popular we are here for Him who was the most unpopular…. Think of the Cross
Keri Goo
April 16th, 2011
3:44 pm
my heart is always to pray for our pastors and leaders
it’s a wonderful, and high calling
this calling, to minister to people, puts us and our families into a bright spotlight that sometimes is very uncomfortable and pretty much more than any Saint could bear. This kind of inspection or examanation is like a blow up picture of your face for every pore to be exposed x10
yes, there are plenty of good times, and good rewards heavenly and otherwise for the pastor and family
let’s just pray for them and remember God saved them too they are our brothers and a part of the body of Christ
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