The headline read, “Killed by Friendly Fire.” Pat Tillman was killed in 2004 in the mountains of Afghanistan not by the enemy, but accidentally by his own army. This was a tragic event that received nationwide attention. His death was mourned by thousands.
Unfortunately this happens within the Body of Christ each and every week. Doctrinally sound pastors and Christian leaders are shot, so-to-speak, by those in their own army — by other pastors and other Christian leaders. And while this is taking place, the real enemy sits back and laughs, free from any opposition. In many cases we have lost sight of who the real enemy is. We get ready…..shoot……and then aim. We are duped into ‘sowing discord’, gossiping, and attacking others. The whole time this is taking place, we incorrectly believe that we are fighting for the sake of Christ. In reality, we have become a hindrance to the work of Christ.
There are several things we need to realize.
1- Satan is the real enemy, not each other.
2- Doctrinally sound pastors and churches are to be unified in fighting the enemy. This is done by focusing on the Gospel. Completely separating over styles of music, Bible versions, and other preferences is unnecessary and detrimental to the advancement of the Gospel.
3- As has often been said, “If you can’t say something nice (edifying) about someone, don’t say anything at all.” This needs to be practiced. Sure there are times when doctrinal error needs to be pointed out, but here we are talking about non-doctrinal issues.
4- Understand that we each have a responsibility to pray for each other. Over the course of the next year our church will highlight a different church in our area each week. We will pray that God will meet their needs, that the pastor will be strengthened and protected, that the gospel will be proclaimed, and that souls will be saved.
Let’s keep the crosshairs on the real enemy. Get Ready…..AIM…..THEN Shoot!
January 5, 2012 at 10:31 am
Nice and edifying are not synonyms though edifying is always nice, nice is not always edifying nor must edifying only come from nice words such as the wounds of a friend.
January 5, 2012 at 10:41 am
It was not my goal to make “nice” and “edifying” the same thing. I was attempting to add a spiritual application to a non-spiritual statement. Sorry for the confusion.
January 6, 2012 at 10:40 am
I like this post and would argue it also applies to pastors across ministry cultural lines (traditional/contemporary, etc.) The Bible says we fight not against flesh and blood but against powers and spirits of darkness. I take that to mean anyone with flesh and blood is not our enemy. They may do thing we would consider wrong, but that does not make them our enemy.
January 9, 2012 at 4:36 am
Jeremy, some clarification would be appreciated. You speak of, “Doctrinally sound pastors and churches are to be unified in fighting the enemy. This is done by focusing on the Gospel.” I understand the first sentence and heartily agree and regularly am employed in this practice but it is not done by focusing on the Gospel. That is the message to proclaim, but I am commanded in Scriptures to stand for the whole body of Biblical truth (often said as, “the faith” or “the doctrine”), the Gospel just being one of many of the sound doctrines ennumerated in the Bible.
I understand your title and have seen it practiced but I have a feeling we are referring to different examples. I say that because of the links I see here on the right. I have strong doctrinal disagreements with 9Marks and Desiring God and could in no way even begin to work toward proclaiming the message of the Gospel with any of these men. The doctrinal differences are too great, too important to ignore, simply because we may proclaim the same “Gospel.” And I use the term “Gospel” advisedly since a Lordship Salvation twist of the Gospel is not the Gospel.
So I try not to “Ready, Shoot, Aim” but will on many occasions “Ready, Aim, Shoot” those who hold doctrinal differences. Romans 16:17, II Thess. 3:6, 14,15 are still in my Bible, along with Paul calling out several men to Timothy in those two epistles.