Author: andy.rowell

Whether to preaching with a newspaper in one hand

Post author By andy.rowell
Post date January 12, 2021

Christians in America should have been outraged about the greed and foolishness and evil in our country for four days, four years, for forty years, and for four hundred years. If your church does not speak the truth as its normal practice, find a new church.

If your church doesn’t address this week in tomorrow’s service, get yourself a new church. So many will have something to SAY.

Those who frame your choices as Christian nationalists, say-nothings, or no-better-than-secularists are just telling you more lies.
— Amy Sullivan (@sullivanamy) January 10, 2021

Agreed:

Please try to refrain from telling pastors what they should or shouldn't say this morning. Pastors of politically mixed congregations face exceedingly difficult decisions. On any given Sunday, half the people are always mad at them. Pray instead for wisdom & courage. But do pray.
— W. David O. Taylor (@wdavidotaylor) January 10, 2021

A couple tweets here on scheduling topics to preach vs. preaching on the topic of the day:

And because of that, I have changed how I approach the whole topic, asking if the Black church might have something to teach other church traditions about holding on to the truth in a world determined on a weekly basis to lie to and discourage you. https://t.co/GWqwk5BMwW
— Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) January 10, 2021

Ed Stetzer is trying to say something similar to David Taylor and I. (We all train pastors). It is the long term witness of the church and pastor that is crucial—not just one week taking a stand.

https://twitter.com/edstetzer/status/1348117397652316162?s=19

Every week. Not just one week.

Florida pastor to his peers 👇🏽 https://t.co/jQF7OvmPXp
— Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) January 10, 2021

Some of these are good. It is also fair to chuckle about the diplomatic. And to shine light on the "seeking to justify oneself" language. Again, the goal is to be pastors who preach truth every week—cumulatively it makes a difference and people change.

https://twitter.com/MelissaFloBix/status/1348279409732694016?s=19

This is where the people who are saying "preach boldly today" are coming from:
https://twitter.com/publicroad/status/1348279027287674888?s=19
But pastors should have been preaching truth for years.

But if seeing the stupidity this week was when their eyes were opened, great. Proceed with sharing that.

Yes, instead: truth week after week after week.

https://twitter.com/tcburkejr/status/1348245994731941888?s=19

My wife preached a phenomenal sermon in December on King Herod.
https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1340712909094203394?s=19
And another 🔥 on “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5) today.
https://youtu.be/GuMVaMo7Vnw
The Scripture texts were chosen months ago.

2019:

But there still should be from white evangelical pastors fiery sermons from the biblical text about the destruction and cruelty caused by lying, deceit, and greed by the powerful, and how Christians are to stand up for the truth and for the vulnerable.
— Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) January 13, 2019

Thread above on preaching with reference to the news.

Note this significant comment.
https://twitter.com/flemingrut/status/1349015023507689472?s=19

I learned about Fleming Rutledge from New Testament scholar Richard Hays saying that she was his favorite preacher. And Hays does not give out praise lightly.

Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on January 10, 2021.

Politics

Albert Mohler casually commenting on politics

Post author By andy.rowell
Post date January 11, 2021

"even as the Democrats overplayed their hand in the earlier impeachment effort, it is also clear that at least some Democrats driven by the left wing of their party are at least aiming towards confusing matters once again, bringing all kinds of charges against President Trump."🤦

What Are the Consequences? Thoughts on Sedition, Threats to Self-Government, and Moral Responsibility #TheBriefing https://t.co/2TqSEKDO2p
— Albert Mohler (@albertmohler) January 11, 2021

"But, the second most dangerous possibility, the second greatest tragedy would be if Americans did not learn the lessons we must learn from these days in order to prevent similar developments in the future." — Albert Mohler, dunking on himself.

I am amazed at the breezy, partisan, political musing and speculation here by Albert Mohler, while then saying: "it is at least sobering for Christians to recognize, we really are looking at events of major moral consequence."

Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on January 12, 2021.

Leadership

Plural leadership instead of a single leader

Post author By andy.rowell
Post date January 8, 2021

Yes, "absolute power corrupts absolutely." But I caution churches when they are excited about two co-pastors or a team of three, because by force of personality, one tends to emerge as the public leader. I gently suggest that plural leadership often introduces other challenges.

The Constitutional Convention briefly considered a presidency of more than 1 man.

But–as Hamilton suggests in the Federalist–co-presidents would hide behind each other to deny their sins.

There had to be a one-man executive, so he would be held accountable for his actions.
— Dr. Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755@mastodon.social) (@jbf1755) January 8, 2021

France created a five man executive in 1795. Four years and four coups d’état later, in came Bonaparte.
— David A. Bell (@DavidAvromBell) January 8, 2021

Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on January 8, 2021.

Tags Plural leadership, Single leadership