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How would
a denomination deal with Paul today?
Laugh if you will, but also look at the
truth in these 16 problems “Denominational Church Leaders” would
have with Paul today!
To: Evangelist Saul/Paul
I have your
application for missionary appointment before me, and will be as
frank as possible concerning your qualifications as a foreign
missionary. We have to be very careful in choosing our
missionaries, and our Missions Board has reviewed your case
thoroughly. We have decided that it would be unwise to send you
to the foreign field for the following reasons:
- It has
come to our attention that you are doing secular work on the
side. We do not feel that making tents and full time ministry
go together very well.
[1Th 2:9] It seems that you do not have enough experience
in trusting the Lord for your income. You should make up your
mind whether you want to preach or continue your profession.
- Your
previous actions have been very rash and unseemly for a
minister. We learned that in a public meeting you opposed Dr.
Simon Peter, an esteemed minister with a high reputation.
[Ga 2:11-14] We also hear that you argued so violently
with some of our ministers that a special council meeting had
to be called at Jerusalem to prevent a serious split in the
churches.
[Ac 15:1-30]
- You have
conflicted with mature Jewish brethren in nearly every city
you have visited. These men control the synagogues you could
be ministering in and you must simply tone down your dialog
into a more friendly and respectful exchange.
[Gal 5:2-12]
- Further,
you admit to being an unskilled public speaker.
[2Co 10:10, 11:6] Paul, surely you must know that we
excellence in the pulpit. Instead of trying to improve, you
spend your time making tents and wasting too much time writing
letters to churches so small they meet in people’s homes. We
strongly suggest that you set aside your pen, and instead
practice hand gestures, facial expressions, and voice
modulation in front of a mirror for several hours a day until
you improve your speaking skills.
- We also
hear a rumor that you are a snake handler. We don't have all
the details on that episode at Melita, but such a reputation
could only hurt the true cause of Christ and the Church.
[Ac 28:3-6]
- It has
come to the attention also that you often emphasize "the power
of God" and "the gifts of the Spirit."
[1Co 2:3-5, 12:1-7] Also that you speak in tongues a great
deal.
[1Co 14:18] Surely you realize that such as this only
drives off the better class of people, and attracts only the
riff-raff. It would be better to tone down those more
sensational forms of worship.
- We see
here that you have a jail record in several places.
[2Co 11:23-27]. I fear it would damage our reputation to
have someone representing us that had served time in jails and
prisons. Frankly, Mr. Paul, we seriously doubt you could have
been innocent and the judge wrong in so many cases. It seems
that you are a troublemaker, Mr. Paul.
- Several
business men of Ephesus have written us that you were the
cause of severe loss of business to them and even stirred mob
violence. You must learn to cultivate the friendship and
influence of men such as these.
[Ac 16:16-22]
- We also
have some details of a shameful "over the wall in a basket"
episode at Damascus,
[2Co 11:30-33] plus a stoning at Lystra, and several other
violent actions taken against your ministry.
[2Ti 3:11] Haven't you ever suspected that conciliatory
behavior and gentler words might gain you more friends? We
have never condoned such sensationalism in the ministry. This
is just not the type of missionary that we send out.
- We have
learned through channels that following some trouble with a
preacher on the island of Cyprus, you began to allow yourself
to be known by the Gentile pronunciation of your name rather
than the proper Hebrew.
[Ac 13:4-11] Yet another conflict, and then a name change.
This does not seem to us to be conduct becoming to the
ministry.
- You
admitted in your application that in the past you neglected
such needy fields as
Bithynia, just because
"the Spirit didn't lead that way," and that you undertook a
hazardous journey on the strength of a dream you had at Troas.
[Ac 16:6-10] Mr. Paul, surely you don't expect us to go
along with such flimsy and fantastic excuses for your
seemingly purposeless wanderings.
- We hear
also from Troas that you preach too long, one sermon lasting
almost twenty-four hours, even to the extent that a young man
fell asleep and was seriously injured.
[Ac 20:7-12]. Our advice is for you to shorten your
sermons considerably. We find that about twenty minutes is the
longest a minister can hold the attention of his audience
these days. Our motto is "Stand up, speak up, and shut up."
- It is
reported from your home church that you could not get along
with your fellow ministers; that John Mark--a commendable
young man and nephew of one of our leading ministers--had to
leave your party in the middle of a journey; and that you had
a sharp quarrel with gentle, good natured Barnabas.
[Ac 15:36-40] Now these men are well thought of in
Jerusalem and we wonder why you are always having trouble with
your fellow workers?
- We have
notarized affidavits from four very popular and influential
preachers: Diotrephes, Demas, Hymenaeus, and Alexander; to the
effect that it is impossible for them to cooperate with either
you or your program.
[1Ti 1:20]
- From
what we hear, you seem to think that you have some direct
sanction from on-high, boasting about your revelations and
that God has chosen you to reveal some "Mystery".
[Ep 3:3-4] Can't you realize that any truth that is to be
revealed would come through Headquarters to the recognized,
established brethren, and that after it had been checked by
our Procedure and Doctrine Committee that we would distribute
it on to the ministry?
- Finally,
we hear that you claim to be an Apostle. We know nothing of
this being passed upon by the proper authoritative channels
and wonder how you could back that claim up, when the last
Apostle was voted into office right here in Jerusalem.
[Ac 1:26] Now that our denomination is firmly established,
why do you imagine there would be any need for additional
apostles?
As you see, Mr. Paul, we feel
definitely after close scrutiny of your case, that you are
undoubtedly the most unqualified applicant we have ever seen. We
hope we have prevented you from making a terrible mistake in
your life.
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