An almost 40-ish Ed Stetzer reflects on his life and ministry in a recent Baptist Press Article.
He says:
But, in all this talk about change, it is important to have some discernment as many young (and not so young) SBC leaders plant or transition to contemporary models. I am not talking about preaching against innovation or “smarmy� comments about worship bands. That is hurting our convention and squelching the conversation. But, I have learned along the way that:
– Theology matters and can’t be assumed…
If young leaders are not serious about theology, preaching and cooperation, then this denomination is not the place for them. As I wrote in SBC Life (Feb. 2003), doctrine matters to missions — and it matters when we seek to be “missionalâ€? as well. I’ve learned that we need to constantly talk, think and learn better theology– Preaching is more than retelling biblical principles.
I’ve preached a lot of sermons that were more about my opinions than God’s Word. Sure, they were based on biblical principles (“love your wife,� “don’t worry,� “work hard�) but not grounded in the biblical story of redemption. Then, Donna (my wife) told me, that after all our years together, she felt that she did not know the Bible well. As her pastor, I had taught her how to be a godly person, but not how to understand our God revealed in the Bible.
The need for biblical preaching has never been more urgent. Biblical preaching is more than common sense truth with biblical proofs taken out of context. Instead, it is letting the agenda and shape of Scripture determine the agenda and shape of the message. I’ve learned that I have not taken it seriously enough — and I think I am not alone.
– Making your church relevant does not mean making it easy…
Yet, in a noble desire to reach more people, too many innovative leaders (like me) tried too hard to make things relevant. We tried too hard to give them what they wanted. Missiologist/urban pastor Tim Keller rightly cautions, “Contexualization is not ‘giving people what they want’ but rather it is giving God’s answers (which people may not want!) to questions they are asking and in forms that they can comprehend.â€? I’ve learned that I need to remember that relevance only matters if it reveals the one true Christ and His Gospel.– Most of us are too thin-skinned for real discussion.
I can’t say I have really mastered this one, but a robust theological discussion takes a thick skin. Denominations that care about doctrine must also care about practice. Theology determines methodology and if we want to change practice, it is important to have a theological basis to do so. That requires being willing to critique yourself honestly and to listen to others and their critiques. I’ve learned that sometimes I confused healthy theological correction with arguments over preferences … and took the concerns more personally than I should. I think a lot of disconnected SBC young leaders might have done the same.
I have to say that over the past few months, I myself have had many of these same thoughts. I’ve heard from God about the need for greater spiritual formation in our church, deeper teaching, and the call to commitment. The “thin-skinned” issue hasn’t been an issue for me so far, as I seek out those to help me critic how we are doing things.
At 36, I’m recalling my treks through MasterLife and DiscipleYouth and the necessity for depth. I’m preaching more doctrinally and going deeper in the expounding on the word – though I refuse to do alliteration or 3 points or an acrostic, it’s still conversational preaching. My own personal reading is taking me back to the classics and taking me deeper into doctrine.
But I also think that so many of the younger leaders I have met and blogged with and talked to are themselves worried about many of these issues. And I am encouraged that people are reflecting on them and talking about them in a Godly way.
What do you think?
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David is an entrepreneur, pastor, coach, and author. He has his doctorate from George Fox Seminary where he studied under Len Sweet, his M.Div. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has done post graduate work in communications from the University of Alabama and the University of South Florida. He lives with his wife Brenna Phillips in Smyrna, DE. 
