Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
I can understand the aversion in many posters to submitting and obeying any Christian leader. But I also see the dangers of substituting one extreme for another. Neither is healthy, and both go against the instructions of the scripture.
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I would rather say that I try to obey
every christian leader. Some of them are prominent in the world: Billy Graham is a great exemplar to me. Others are quite hidden: there was an elderly sister in a church I met with years ago who always greeted me with obvious delight, and one time she said, "I've been praying for you!" Her simple, unfettered joy was ample demonstration to me of the power of God. Should I not endeavor to emulate such a one?
And I have written this several times (the perils of being a serial poster), but the example of Dorcas(Tabitha) in Acts 9 has always impressed me as someone who was "great in the kingdom of God", per Jesus' teachings and example. No evidence of her speeches, just clear and unmistakeable evidence of her deeds. Should I not obey the clear hand of God, and "go, and do likewise"?
Of course, "I follow everyone" can be a ruse, a cover for "I follow no one". The Lord will judge in that day. But at least I will argue that those who use Paul's writings as a lever to pry obedience from others (re: what to read, what to think, with whom to associate) are far from the mark of Christian leadership, and in my estimation are probably near the "least in the kingdom".