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Critical Thinkers: Divisive VoicesIn Modern-day Christian Churches

Ephesians 4:10-12New International Version (NIV, 2013)

10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, inorder to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, theprophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for worksof service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

I share the impression and it is my opinion that God created roles in the

churches, roles through which leadership and responsibility structures may

emerged in accordance with the needs of the congregation. A role is the usual or

expected function of somebody or something, or the part of somebody or

something plays in an action or event [Encarta Dictionary, 2013]. Disharmony anddisunity set in when leaders become critical thinkers and position-oriented.

Inconsistency in-between life and doctrines arises when critical thinkers among

disciples value what they hold true in their own light, when they insist on their own

interpretation of biblical truth, and when they pass off their understanding as yet

another divine revelation. Don't we know that this is evident in non-empirical,

intangible assertions over discoveries (insights) that some disciples claimed to be

UNUSUALLY NOT WITHIN REACH by most church-goers?

Haven't we heard about certain claims for "seeing something spiritually deep" by

disciples who say they have uncovered certain uncommon truths that others havenot seen or understood? There can't be leadership without structure, as there is no

structure without people -- fallible, frail, human, and prone to error. If we can't put

up with sound doctrine alongside leadership and people-bound structure, what

meaning is there to belong to a church and call ourselves disciples? Of what use is it

to say we follow the Lord Christ Jesus and we cannot respect people and structures

that are meant to help us balance our life and doctrine?

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Only position-oriented, appreciation-starved, credit-thirsty disciples who have an

axe to grind against leadership and structure may have the gall to say "church

structure is not a doctrine" and "there is nothing holy" about leaders and their

spiritually inclined actions. As has been found throughout bible history, in the Acts

of Apostles, intelligent, well-educated, critical-thinking men who take pride in their

intellectual gifts do not make good house church leaders; they are deep inthoughts, long in words, short in heart, lacking in humility, defiant, and rebellious.

Canturias, Abbey B.Metro Cebu Christian Church