Peacefully Disagree...

One of the things I think is incredibly important to any community, is the ability to peacefully disagree. I don't know how many of you check up on my blog, you're not missing much if you don't, but I have just been blogging lately about the controversial topics of politics. Now, I have some opinions that I don't expect you all to share. In fact, I am pretty confident that outside of Robin and Grant, most of you are going to disagree with me on quite a few political issues. Does this mean that we are unfit to start a church together? I sure hope not. But one thing it does is force us to focus on people more than ideas.

We need to be committed to each other more than we are to certain ideas. Some ideas are worth dividing over, but not too many. Here is an unacceptable way to disagree about a certain idea.

Person A: I think such and such is a good thing.
Person B: You obviously do not believe in the bible or the God who wrote it. Repent or you will be judged.
Person A: You obviously hate everything and will go to hell.

Now, that is clearly an oversimplification, but hopefully you can see the basic premise. If someone disagrees with us, that does not automatically mean that they are pagan heathens that hate God and the bible. In fact, they could love God just a much as we do. They just happen to disagree with us. So how do we disagree in a good way?

Person A: I think such and such is a good thing.
Person B: While I know that you area person trying to follow God, I would disagree with your assessment of such and such for this reason.
Person A: That is understandable, let's talk more about this in a nonthreatening, uplifting way.

I realize that is an ideal, and it is rare. But hopefully if we are all building toward that type of idea, we can work together to focus more on our commitment to one another than our politics or whatnot.

Lastly, I know some of you are saying "blah blah blah, Chris you have said this before." Yes I have. And I plan on saying it again and again. I think one of the worst things we can do is think that because we disagree that we are unfit to do this thing together. We all agree that God wants to use us in Denver, and we all agree that working together to start a new kind of church is the way. We will disagree on some specifics, but we have to make sure that we always agree on our commitment to one another. Thoughts?

I am starting my teller job on Wed. I'm not excited, but there are two jobs that I have applied for that I would love, so if you could just pray that I am the only applicant I would love that.