Theological Risks
Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge.
Frederick Robertson1 The most important risks are theological. Almost every pastor will at some time take a risk because of an issue of theology. One pastor reported the following account: "A pregnant girl and her boyfriend wanted me to marry them. She didn't attend church regularly, although she was a member. I had baptized her several years previously, and that was her rationale for wanting me to marry them: 'I was baptized here, and I'd like to be married here.' "When I talked with them about their relationship and lifestyle, neither of them considered God an important influence. I told them that with that attitude I couldn't do the ceremony. "Usually when I face a risky decision, I consult the elders. In this case, though, I felt I couldn't because the young woman's situation was not common knowledge. These situations put a pastor in a tough position. You have private knowledge, make a decision based on that knowledge, and then people criticize your decision without knowing all the facts. That's when you find out your true mettle: are you willing to do what must be done to maintain the theological integrity of the church?" In our survey of local-church leaders, we learned that on the average, pastors make one or two significant theological stands per year (see Chart 1). Issues run the gamut from questions about the deity of Christ to the mission of the church. One pastor remembers a conflict with the treasurer and two other people who wished to do away with the missions program: "To cut out mission work is to cut the life line of the church. Matthew 28:18-20 clearly teaches this. When I fought the move to end mission involvement, those who disagreed tried to get me to vacate the ...
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