One of the most important words of counsel: In taking up this discussion with your Pastor, you will need to remember and be content with the fact that it is your Pastor and Elders’ responsibility to determine which version is used in the pulpit ministry of your church. At no point should you assume or even ask that your local church change to accommodate your personal opinions or convictions. Holy scripture has committed that responsibility to ordained and elected church officers. When an individual member pushes for change, it often places the officers into a very unhappy predicament: “If we don’t consider this change, we might lose so-and-so.”

First of all, I am here raising a completely hypothetical question. In over two decades of ministry, I have never had a person ask me that exact question. If someone had, I suppose my initial inclination would be to say, “Probably not, but it depends.”

Sadly, it has been reported that some ministers are interpreting the appendix of “Why I Preach from the Received Text” in a way that undermines my initial inclination and, I believe, misinterprets the actual advice offered therein. The charge has even been voiced that the advice is dangerous and decidedly divisive.

Leaving a local church is a monumental decision and always involves many different considerations. I, in fact, once wrote a ten-step procedure for how saints should make and execute so weighty a decision in a manner that honors the Lord. Apparently, and as previously stated, the advice I offered in the anthology is being interpreted differently.

The purpose of this article is to clarify the advice that was offered that none might misunderstand the intent. Could I have possibly been more clear? Undoubtedly. At the same time, could my critics also be more charitable in their interpretation? Probably.

Let us proceed to review the advice [indented] as I offer some brief commentary on my intent. *

The Advice​

The truth of divine preservation is one of the most comforting things a Christian can discover. It can also be one of the most disconcerting, since you will find yourself (at least at the present time) holding to a minority position. It is therefore important to stay calm, charitable, and proceed carefully.

Whatever advice is to follow ought to be interpreted in light of this obvious and earnest call for calmness, charitableness, and careful proceeding. This mindset and tone having been set; we proceed.

Step one: Give a gift. If you are not in a position of church leadership, but a member who would like to see the church reconsider its position on the text of scripture, simply offer a free copy of this book to your Pastor and tell him how much you profited from it spiritually. Do not ask him to read it (because he already has a stack of books “assigned” by well-meaning members), but just offer it as a free gift and follow up with him later.

Notice, first of all, that a distinction is first made between being an ordinary member and one that is in a position of leadership. This distinction will be revisited, but the advice begins with a humble acknowledgement that, as an ordinary member, you have no necessary “claim” upon the Pastor’s time or energy. You are just hoping to introduce him to the topic and invite a future conversation.

Step two: Buy him lunch. A couple months after the gift has been given, follow-up with your Pastor and ask if you could meet for lunch to discuss the book. If he confesses to not having read it, say something like, “I’m sorry, I know you have a lot to read. Might you have time just to read my favorite essay? I would really love to hear your perspective.” He will probably agree to that, so get that lunch meeting on the schedule and remember to mention, by the way, that you are buying!

What could possibly be more gracious than this? You are not asking for much and you most certainly are not presenting the matter as if there is any problem. By the way, Ministers dread lunch meetings that are proposed less skillfully, as in, “Pastor, we really need to talk. I hope tomorrow will work because I should have asked for this meeting months ago!” Thanks for ruining your Pastor’s day, brother.

Also, when you choose your “favorite” essay, it should not necessarily be your personal favorite. You know your Pastor better than I do, and the anthology chapters offer many different perspectives, so thoughtfully consider which one he might enjoy most.

When you meet together, it is imperative that you do more asking and listening than talking. Reconsidering one’s view on the text of Scripture is a major undertaking, but especially for a Minister of the Word. Also, be sure to avoid overly-charged rhetoric. If you bring words like “liberal” or “heresy” to the table, your Pastor’s defenses will immediately go up, and the level of trust you once enjoyed with him might decrease. Remember, this is your first conversation about the topic and, if you stay calm and respectful, there will most likely be more to come.

Again, could this possibly be a more charitable and peaceable approach? You are assuming nothing, asking for nothing, and accusing nothing. At the end of this discussion, all your Pastor might learn is that the topic of textual criticism is of some interest to you.

Further, by intentionally avoiding all charged rhetoric, your Pastor will not then return to his study in panic mode, immediately typing into his browser, “Why the Received Text is wrong” or “Received Text advocates divide churches.” Having met as friends and departed as friends, his disposition will more likely be as calm as your own.

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