Our society provides numerous
examples of people not listening to and respecting each other. We let prejudices and preconceived ideas get
in the way of respectful discourse. Unfortunately,
we often find the same practice in the church.
When we consider the change
process, the second step is “honor the other.”
Honest differences of opinion must not only be respected but
honored. We all have our points of
view. As we talk and reason with one another,
uniformity is not the goal. Writer
Walter Lippman was reported to have said, "When everyone thinks alike, no one
thinks very much." The challenge is
to present one’s opinion in such a way that we do not cut off effective
dialogue and discussion. We want to
generate light rather than heat.
A
mistake often made in the process of change is to jump to conclusions and to
try to resolve a contested issue without adequate discourse. There are ways to avoid this. Many churches use a “town hall meeting”
approach to get things on the table for discussion. In this moderated discussion, people have the
opportunity to express their opinions on a topic without having to make an
immediate decision.
For
example, a pastor search committee might conduct several town hall meetings to
listen to participants’ expectations, concerns, and questions before starting
the actual search process. The approach also
works well in discussing changes in worship services, building development or
usage, or new ministry opportunities.
Since the town hall meeting is not an official business meeting, the stakes
are low and there is no need to make a decision for action.
Another
approach is to meet with diverse groups to get their insights in focus group
settings. One person asks the group
questions and another records their responses.
The goal is not to resolve an issue but to get insights. By involving diverse groups such as deacons,
Bible study classes, youth, and ministry leaders, we gather diverse
perspectives without asking for commitment.
We
might be able to have more of these honest and non-threatening discussions, if
we remembered Paul’s injunction in Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor
one another above yourselves.” (NIV)
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