MAJORING IN MINORS

            A few weeks ago, I was blessed to be part of a small group from Lincolnia Church who attended the Billy Graham School of Evangelism in Asheville, North Carolina.  Of the many outstanding lectures and seminars I attended, one speaker spoke on a subject which has been a problem in many congregations.  He spoke of priorities and how we often get them confused in the church.
            As Christians, we should all agree on some core beliefs which are not negotiable.  No matter what the culture or public opinion may say, we do not waver on these foundational Biblically-based principles of our faith.  I refer here to beliefs such as one God in three Persons (the Trinity), Jesus’ death by crucifixion and bodily resurrection, his virgin birth, the promise of his Second Coming, and his atonement for our sins.  These are the truths we should preach, teach, and hold fast, no matter what may come our way.
            Each faith tradition has certain convictions which set it apart.  These include modes or methods of Baptism, details regarding the celebration of Holy Communion or The Lord’s Supper, the role of women in church leadership, and others.  These convictions are what help to define us as denominations.  We all hold to the same core beliefs, but differ regarding these convictions.  Within our own denominations, we take these convictions for granted.  We may only be made aware of these convictions if we visit a congregation of another denomination or participate in an ecumenical service.  Convictions are important components of who we are as Christians, but they are not essential to the same extent as our core beliefs.
            As congregations and individuals we also have certain preferences.  We prefer certain types of music in our worship (hymns, contemporary songs, etc.).  We may have pews or chairs in our worship space which may be called a sanctuary, auditorium, or multi-purpose room.  Will we have carpet, tile or hardwood floors in the worship space?  Preferences may change often.  They have nothing to do with our core beliefs and may be loosely connected to our convictions, if at all.
            The problem many congregations face is one of “majoring in minors.”  Think back to some of the strongest disagreements and most heated arguments you can recall in any congregation to which you may have belonged.  What was all the fuss about?  My guess is that the fights centered on the color of the carpet, the type of music, or some other preference.  Sometimes we have expended so much energy on minor details that we have ignored the core essentials of the faith. 
            The next time we attend worship and find ourselves singing a hymn which is difficult to sing or is not the style of music which we especially like, the next time we find ourselves involved in a heated discussion about how to set up tables for a function, or some other such matter, let’s take a step back.  Let’s ask ourselves if this really matters enough to fight or complain about. 
            The School of Evangelism reminded me that there are far too many people in our world who have never heard the gospel.  Our time would be much better spent teaching and preaching the essential core beliefs and relating them to the lives of those with whom we come in contact than in disagreements over our preferences.
Peace,
Pastor Bill