Welcome to the Pastor's Page - July, 2008 - RESPOND TO:  kenthross@aol.com

    Should pastors be peacemakers, or should they jump in to controversy and stir things up? Interesting question as most people would say they should be "peacemakers," but what does that mean?    
   Does it mean being quiet, humble, walking softly, answering meekly. Maybe that is what churches want today, but that isn't the biblical way. It doesn't mean to go out of your way to be controversial but neither does it mean avoiding controversies if they would be problems for Christ's church and His people. 
   In one church I served we had a controversy that indicated Christ's pre-existence, "Ivory Palaces." A lady in the church wanted to sing it as a special as she loved that song. The music committee, knowing it was unscriptural asked me what to do. I said we can't sing it. The lady who had wanted it became irate, and eventually quit our church because she didn't understand why she couldn't sing a wonderful gospel song like that.
   Some may think I was not being understanding, peacemaking, etc. I, on the other hand, felt that that for the integrity of the Scriptures and the integrity of what our church stood for we couldn't have that song sung? I wonder if many would agree with me, or say that it was not a big enough issue over which to do battle and lose someone to our fellowship.
   What do you think, pastor???