As shepherds we must remember that no idle word should come from our mouths. If we are willing to say it before our congregation, we should be ready and able to defend it. If we “nail our colors” to the inspired Word of God, we can rest easy that we are in a defendable position.

I am confident we have all heard something in ministry that takes a profound doctrine, and condenses it into something digestible in pop culture. These quippy…“meme-ified” statements have become viral over the last decade or so. This isn’t to say that quippy statements, that only “scratch the surface” of the sentiment expressed, are a modern convention. It just seems that, with the advent of “modern memes,” information that should be nuanced (so that the reader has a better grasp of the subject matter) is simply expressed quickly, to get it out there with less characters.

Something that has been working around in my head recently is how our witness needs to be carefully considered. I have the tendency to get overly defensive on a number of topics. It happens suddenly, and I must be considerate of who I am talking to—and Who I am representing. When thinking of how “theology memes” play into our witness, we should be extra aware of what we let loose from our lips. Let’s take this short expression as an working example:

Work as if it is all up to you, pray as if it is all up to God.

Whether it is attributable to Augustine, Ignatius or John Wesley: What do we think of this? Good? Incomplete? Useful? Some combination? Like any quick, quippy, “tweetable” statement—it’s not bad. It is just incomplete. The sentiment it expresses is not—necessarily—unbiblical. And it is tempting to pull these one-liners out in sermons…in counseling…in lessons…or in conversation. It is something quick to insert to try and drive a desired point home.

As church leaders (whether pastors, elders, or lay-leaders) we should be careful dropping these pithy statements, leaving them, and walking away. Those in our congregations who are still drinking “spiritual milk,” will often find these platitudes initially helpful…but eventually confusing. “What is the it in this sentence referring to?” their inner-monologue may wonder. We all have ministry memories where those who listen to our sermons or lessons don’t follow-up that inner-monologue with a question…and stew on their uncertainty.This quote, as admitted above, is not a bad quote. But let’s take a moment to unpack it better!

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