You have no doubt probably seen the article circling social media entitled, "Perry Noble Rescinds the Ten Commandments," about the message Perry Noble preached at NewSpring's Christmas Eve service. There is another video entitled, "Perry Noble Drops the N-word on Christmas Eve." Now, in full disclosure, I do not know Perry Noble. We have never met, but we did eat across from each other at Mama Penn's in Anderson, SC years ago (a great place by the way).
So you know where I am coming from, I pastor what you would call a fairly "traditional" church in Mauldin, SC. I really despise the terms "traditional" and "contemporary" because they are subjective, but I use it so people have an idea of what we do. I am blessed to pastor New Hope. We have made some great strides in many areas over the six years of my ministry. We have a long way to go. The people are loving, friendly, and have supported me and my family beyond anything I could ask.
I generally do not comment on what other churches are doing because I have a full plate myself. Until recently, I was in graduate school (completing my D.Min in December), with two small children and a church to pastor. Needless to say, I have more to do on any given day than I care to enumerate.
However, I did make a careless comment on social media when I saw the article, "Perry Noble Rescinds the Ten Commandments." After I did so, God convicted my heart about it. Now, I am being fully transparent here. I do not endorse everything Perry Noble does. There are some things that concern me. This is not the point of the article. I do not endorse everything many other pastors do, (including some well known pastors as well). I am sure there are some people that could say the same thing about me. They have, trust me.
After thinking about my comment, God directed me to Acts 5:33-39. To summarize the passage, Peter and apostles were put in jail for preaching the gospel. God sent an angel to break them out of jail, and they proceeded to the temple to teach the people. They were brought back before the Jewish High Council, where they wanted to kill them.
Enter Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee. He gives the Council some sage advice in verses 38-39: "So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."
I see so many blogs and websites devoted to tearing down, nit-picking, and analyzing every word and phrase from prominent pastors that it is mind-boggling. What God has really impressed upon me is that we are actually hindering the gospel by fighting and tearing one another down. If God is not involved in something, it will eventually come to naught. However, if God is actively working, you might be actually fighting against what He is trying to do. I don't know about you, but I would rather err on the side of caution, than be caught fighting against God. In other words, God will either expose or vindicate NewSpring or any other church. It is not up to us.
We actually give credence to unbelievers who think all we do is fight and argue over everything: from mode of baptism, to whether you adhere to Calvinism, Arminianism, or Molinism, praise band or choir, jeans and t-shirt or suit, etc. What we need to do is pray for one another and work together to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Now, in case you might be misinterpreting what I am saying, let me clarify. Do I believe Perry Noble and every other pastor needs to be held accountable? Absolutely. Let me share a couple of suggestions. First, if you are genuinely concerned about what Perry Noble, or any other pastor says or does-pray about it first. Ask God to give that person you are concerned about wisdom and discernment. Pray that God will use someone close to them to point out an error. And pray that God will reveal to you if this is a genuine concern or just something you are hung-up personally about. If you are still concerned, contact NewSpring. While you won't get to speak with Perry Noble, they do have people on staff who will talk with you about your concerns. And finally, leave it there. Don't start a blog or a website airing your perceived grievances. I can promise you, it will not benefit anyone.
While I have my concerns about some of things NewSpring does, it does not negate the fact they do a lot of great things. I have family that goes to NewSpring and they are passionate about Christ. I have personally talked to people who never served in church before that are now active in ministry because of their involvement with NewSpring. Countless people have come to faith in Christ through their ministry. All of these things I can rejoice in and celebrate.
I am sure some people will object to my opinion and that is fine. I might be perceived as someone who is "compromising" the truth or becoming "liberal." Hey folks, I only have two pairs of jeans and I was given those at Christmas! How liberal can I be? Even though I am probably your stereotypical pastor; I am comfortable in suits and I am very conservative in my theology and morals, please do not label me or put me in your box. There is more to me than meets the eye.
In the same way, I am sure Perry Noble and other high profile pastors would appreciate it if we did not label them and put them in our preconceived boxes. There is more to them than meets the eye.
In the end, Perry Noble, myself, and every other person who has stood in front of people and proclaimed God's Word will have to give an account before Jesus Christ Himself. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I am much more concerned about what Jesus is going to say to me than anyone here on earth. Perry Noble is aware of his accountability to Christ I am sure.
So, in closing, can I make an appeal to everyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ as their Savior to focus our energies on coming together and partnering with one another to see people come to Christ, instead of pointing out what we don't agree on? I am blessed to have relationships with a variety of churches that are very different than the one I pastor: The Church at Cherrydale, Summit Church, Maudlin United Methodist, and Brookwood Church to name a few. Do we agree on everything? No. But do we share a passion to see as many people come to Christ as possible? Absolutely. I pray you will commit to doing the same.
Serving Christ, Loving Others, and Growing Together,
Dr. Bryan Cox
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