Choosing Different Paths
I thought the other day about believers choosing different paths. It happens. We often think when believers choose different paths into the future it must be wrong. Is that always true?
In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas disagreed about whether Mark’s leaving disqualified him for further missionary service. Paul thought it did. Barnabas thought it didn’t. The Bible tells us the story in this language:
They [Paul and Barnabas] had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left [for Syria], commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. (Acts 15:39-40, NIV).
Three primary convictions have given rise to our desire to plant a new organization of churches called the Alliance.
The Bible as understood within Reformed theology – its understanding of God, sin and the world – provides a thoughtful faith that can engage people facing today’s uncertainties.
The mission of Jesus in the world, entrusted to the local church, can be better served by a more agile form of ministry and governance than what we’ve inherited from the 1500’s.
The nature of the organization is to hold a high value on congregational mission and vision so that the organization provides added value to its congregations while, in turn, receiving its funding from those same congregations as partners.
My present experience of the Alliance is similar to that of Paul and Barnabas. Not everybody holds the Biblical convictions that we hold. We understand that. What we feel called to do, however, is live out our Biblical convictions in peace and faithfulness to Christ. In fact, it might even lead to greater missional bandwidth and kingdom growth. Wouldn’t that be just like God – to use our weakness for his strength?