Elders and pastors who believe that their local church does not need to be concerned about the “progressive” issues being advanced in the “far away” denomination are, in a word, naïve

My favorite World War II movie is “Where Eagles Dare,” starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. The scenery, suspense and drama make this a true thriller from the beginning to the surprise ending. The Nazis have captured an American general who has the secrets of the approaching European invasion by the Allies.

They are holding him in a Bavarian castle, where only “eagles dare,” perched atop a high, narrow, craggy peak accessible only via a cable car guarded by strong forces at the bottom and at the top. The Germans believe they are invincible from attack and the captive general is safe and secure. But Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood have other ideas and are commissioned to execute an ingenious plan to rescue the general.

I won’t ruin the movie for those who have not seen it. Next time I watch it I plan to count the words spoken by Eastwood. I should have enough fingers. His most frequent script is “We have company.”

“Where Eagles Dare” reminds me of the position expressed by some elders and pastors in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Their castle (the local congregation) is invincible from an attack by the outsiders within the denomination who have radically different ideas. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to realize “we have company.”