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I’ve just read two books by men who were active in fairly dogmatic, rigid environments (different environments, ironically!) and jumped into a different fairly dogmatic, rigid environment. The purpose of the books was to convince us of the truth they had discovered. It seems that we have four choices: 

• Stay with our original, pure method / theology / church / tradition (pick one), and if it is challenged or if we have doubts, just double down in our convictions and make our window even smaller.
• Jump, as these men have done, into a different but equally dogmatic tradition. “Now I’ve found the real truth!”
• Abandon the faith or the ministry altogether.
• Open our window a bit. To recognize there is truth in many different traditions and effectiveness in different approaches to ministry.
  • For example, as a Navigator, I am firmly committed to a relational, disciple-making ministry, accessible to everyone. I’ve written about that before. I have materials that I like although materials don’t make disciples, people make disciples! But a lot of good ministry is done by people not practicing relational disciple-making, and people are helped by books and materials that I wouldn’t use or even endorse. 
  • As a lifelong believer and Bible student, I have certain theological convictions, but I often work with pastors who have different convictions. And these pastors are gracious enough to work with me even if we don’t believe exactly the same in the details.

My friend and fellow-Navigator Bill Mowry has just written an excellent piece on this very thing. You can access it here: Gray Hair Chronicles #4.  

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” 1 Corinthians 8.1