2022_10_05 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- 2 Corinthians 11-12
Those of us who are devoted to working in leadership in a specific local church regularly hear from people about teaching, messages, and ideas from teachers and influencers claiming to be Christians. The themes span a wide range of topics. For instance, some ‘celebrity preachers’ were teaching that when the year 2000 hit, the world was going to end… some of them were very charismatic and articulate, but just because someone is a good speaker or likable doesn’t mean their message is true or beneficial.
When it comes to finding teachers and leaders to follow, we all must exercise careful and discerning judgment. This is one of the reasons God set up His church the way He did so that we can get to know our leaders and see their character – how they conduct their lives. In an age of quick celebrity, it is easy to miss the character piece, and when that happens, people get hurt. This is what was going on in the Corinthian church. Some self-promoting charlatans were teaching wrong doctrine and slandering Paul. In chapter 11:4-6, he says to them, “You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 5 But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things. 6 I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.”
Paul spends a lot of time asking the Corinthian believers to remember the way he and his team lived when they launched the church. In fact, Paul uses this challenge to all the people who are in churches he started, “For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.” 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT)
When it comes to what we choose to believe, we need to be very cognizant of the sources we rely on. Obviously, the Bible is our primary go-to, but we also need good teachers and leaders. Start with your local church and look for God-honoring character among the staff, Small Group leaders, and others. When you find someone with good character, ask questions and listen. This way, you will grow in your faith and avoid many problems.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor