conflict resolution

[DeanZF]

When it comes to issues of purity and righteousness and other absolutes, God does not provide gray areas. Especially in the "thou shalt NOT" areas.



You're right, Moe, in a lot of areas it is personal preference. Even within a lot of the areas that some would consider theology. A biggie for a lot of years was the whole issue of the rapture. I know people who broke fellowship because the other guy was pre, post, pan, or a-millenial in their tribulation views. YOY! There's room here for everyone. And about tatts and piercings, I personally think you're right again. Scripture does say that we should not tattoo, but I don't think God's going to bar us or the tattoo'd member(s) of your body from going through the pearly gates, especially for things done "BC"--Before Christ. IMHO.



When we start to talk about the fundamentals, it's a very different issue. Born again for entry into heaven is a fundamental for me. Baptism is important, but I personally don't get excited about any of the four types. If you've been baptized, that's cool. If not, why not, but I'm not convinced that your salvation depends on that water. It was important for Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch, though...



It's hard to figure out where you're going to take stands sometimes, though. Had a pastor friend whose sunday school superintendant was sleeping with her live-in boyfriend and had no intention of stopping the behavior. They were both in their 50s. The pastor was in his 40s and just did not want this bad behavior exhibited as an appropriate model for leadership. The issue split his Presbyterian church!!!!! Sin is ok if you're a sunday school teacher? Or a church musician?? They'd have skinned him and hung his bloody carcass out to dry if HE'd been in sin.



Bad behavior should not be rewarded or accepted, in my view. One person on a team who is chronically late only gets a couple of warnings. Everyone is held to the standard, leaders included. Rules are made to be KEPT, not to be broken. That's the kind of confrontation that I'm talking about. We're all called to confront sinners gently with the idea of winning their repentance, not with the idea of punishing them. If you have a wishy washy pastor, when you're leading a ministry in a congregation, you may have troubles getting support for confronting sin OR bad behavior!