Dirty Laundry, Grace and Accountability - From Jolly Blogger

14th February 2006

"I also have a suspicion that Christians don't like for this stuff to go public because it somehow weakens our moral authority in a morally declining culture. Christians, particularly in America, have so identified their faith with moralism that this kind of stuff can weaken our sense of moral superiority and hurt us in the "culture wars" we are so intent on fighting. This is not always the case, but a superior morality has been one of the planks in the Christian platform in recent years. Since we have chosen to frame our engagement with the world as a "culture war" of morals and values, we lose ammo when our folks demonstrate "feet of clay."
Although I don't think we should devote a lifetime or an entire ministry to exposing the faults or foibles of particular individuals or ministries I do think it is healthy for those who have been on the inside of these things to let people know what is going on. Here are some reasons." Click to visit the Jolly Blogger site

See also the examples where the biblical method of approaching those that offend you is ignored. The process outlined in Matthew 18:15 is clear, and the final outcome drastic if the simple process is ignored! Click to see more

Someone else shared these thoughts on publicly opening up wrongdoing in the church:

"You know there is a whole mentality in some circles that God can’t handle our sin.  It is as Eugene Peterson points out “people keep showing up in religious circles wanting to make sure that God’s people ‘appear’ with all the ‘shine’ of a Walt Disney production.”  But God doesn’t come to us that way, nor should we be overly concerned with representing the church in some sort of ‘triumphalistic spin’ (the Corinthian heresy).  But to allow the light to come to the darkness, we have to admit the darkness is there so that the light can overcome it.  God can handle it!  And he seems to handle it better when we individually and corporately come clean about the darkness that is actually going on"

What do you think? Write to us at bleatinglambs@shaw.ca