Something seems to have quietly gone missing in many local churches these days, and I’m afraid its absence is doing real harm. The deep, Word-driven discussions that once marked fellowship among serious believers—wrestling together over marriage and divorce, the Lord’s Supper, the head covering, institutionalism, and a dozen other substantive questions—have, in many congregations, largely disappeared. In their place is a kind of precarious peace.
The culprit, I suspect, is conflict avoidance. Perhaps with good intentions, we’ve stopped talking about hard things. The result is a false peace and an “echo chamber” where the same familiar phrases and thinking circulate without examination, and the congregation gradually loses both the appetite and the skill for deep study. That’s not a strength. It’s a danger. Jude tells us to “contend for the faith” (Jude 3). I don’t hear much contending these days.
Over the years I’ve come to some different conclusions about certain passages of Scripture. When I share my thinking with my brothers and sisters in a Bible class, it’s as if I’ve thrown a grenade. The reaction is often swift and emotional, with little or no consideration of my thoughts. When I’ve offered to share my study in writing, no one takes me up on the offer. It’s as if many of my brothers and sisters demand adherence to the “conventional thinking” and aren’t interested in biblical examination.
The fear of offering a different view has, it seems, even impacted gospel preachers. Many times, over the last few years, I’ve sat across from a preacher at a local restaurant and heard him remark, “I’d never say this from the pulpit, but I think a better understanding of this verse might be…” Why would a preacher be afraid to share his thoughts more widely? There may be a host of reasons, but the fear of being labeled a false teacher or being “fired” may be some of the reasons. These preachers felt comfortable sharing their perspective with a friend but didn’t have the same confidence in their brethren to put it on the table for discussion and examination.
I remember a different culture. As a young man, I sat in discussions where brethren genuinely sharpened one another—insights offered, tested against Scripture, and refined. Those conversations made us better students of the Word, and I believe their absence today has weakened us.
The good news is that the model for raising questions and examining them cordially already exists. Acts 15 reveals a volatile, high-stakes doctrinal dispute handled with openness, courage, and ultimate submission to Scripture. The result was clarity, unity, and a strengthened fellowship. That’s the template I think needs to be resurrected in many local congregations. Churches that cultivate this culture—where questions are welcomed and alternative views are examined without fear—actually protect the family of believers. I think such a spirit of open, non-fearful discussion helps keep members from going “off the rails” by holding a view they’re afraid to expose to wider and wiser consideration.
Here are some suggestions for building a congregational culture that welcomes and examines questions openly and without fear:
- Study Acts 15 together and examine the model for how to discuss challenging questions openly, cordially, and without fear.
- Launch a Bible study group specifically designed to examine hard questions—no topic too sensitive—with the Word always the final authority (John 17:17).
- Train church leaders and members to distinguish between disagreement and disloyalty. Teach them how to contend for the faith without being contentious—“…to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 2:3).
- Genuinely thank people when they ask tough questions or suggest possible alternative views and thus create an atmosphere that welcomes them.
- If your study has led you to a possible “new interpretation,” offer it gently and not as a declaration. Instead of insisting you’re right, invite your brothers and sisters to consider it together and give them time for consideration. Say things like “here’s a thought for consideration” or “might this be a better way of understanding this verse?”
- When you hear a “new take” on a passage, guard against giving an instant critique. Take time to reflect before weighing in. Say things like “that’s interesting, I’ll need to think about that” or “thanks for sharing your thoughts—let me study that.” Be careful not to respond harshly lest you discourage a brother or sister. Follow Paul’s advice to “let your speech always be gracious” (Col. 4:6).
Yes, when iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), there are apt to be some sparks, but that’s good if we genuinely listen to and treat each other with respect and love. There may be certain venues where asking questions or sharing alternative perspectives may not be wise, but here’s the thing—the Word can bear the weight of any examination. The question is whether we trust the Word—and our brethren—enough to ask them.