I know it’s going to seem like I have an Erwin McManus fixation and that is not the case, though I am a fan. I write these posts out of my creative life and since I am teaching a book study on his book right now, he is in the forefront. Today I was downloading the worksheet for this week’s chapter when Google displayed a link to the Yelp Reviews for the church he leads, Mosaic. Not surprisingly, most of the reviews are 4s and 5s but I started to notice a few 1s. I decided to read a few of them.
The vast majority were equally split between two camps. Some thought McManus and company were way to conservative and about an even amount complained Erwin and McManus were far too liberal. Which is true? While I’ve never been to Mosaic, my guess is, neither. The extremes of opinion rarely are. This is a reality of leadership and being a public feature. Were McManus (or for that matter you) trying to please either of these poles, he would alienate not just the other pole but many of the people who now love him. Trying to please everyone is a fool’s errand. Better to be who God created you to be. Shakespeare wrote, “To thine own self be true.” That’s almost correct, to God be true is more accurate. Be who God made you to be. Follow the teachings of Scripture, speak the truth in love and let the chips fall where they may.
Most of what we do in the name of Christ will offend someone, we can see that in the life of Christ Himself. The question really comes down to sometimes you’ll either offend men or you’ll offend God.
So honor God. Everything else has the chance to be a no win situation.
AMOKArts 