twisted words of wolves

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Acts 20:29-30

I have been blessed to have devoted my life in nearly three and a half decades of Christian pastoral ministry. This is hugely rewarding. The lives I have had and continue to have the joy of pastoring are very precious to me. And shepherding Christ’s flock has been a most serious and joyful calling. I will never regret it. I will never tire of it. I do not intend to retire from it. I expect to die as a pastor.

Yet the past two years have seen this ancient warning from Paul to the Ephesian pastors renewed in my own ministry experience. 2020 was really challenging with so much worldwide disruption in the first waves of the coronavirus pandemic. 2021 has not been any easier even though churches have been able to meet in person in America. In many ways it has become much harder. When all the change first hit, Christians in my circles tended toward stability and flexibility. But the pressure cooker of isolation, cultural upheaval, and political polarization clamped down on Christians in America. Wolves started prowling. Wolves came along I had never seen before, eventually speaking twisted things I had never heard before within the church broadly. Some of the twisted words of 2021:

• “Church leaders should (pick one…A) abandon, B) follow) health guidelines.” This has become a measure of Christian fidelity for some people.
• “Churches should (pick one… A) ignore B) acknowledge) racial injustice in America.” This also has become more important to many people than preaching the gospel or making disciples.
• “Churches should have a public political alignment.” This has become a moral issue for many that in the amount of attention they give it supersedes the gospel.
• “Churches should have a vaccination policy.” Again lending moral authority to either side of the issue.

This is a brief (and admittedly controversial) list. All the issues on it have this in common: They are unique to recent events AND scripture is not explicit about the cultural issues they raise. Pastors therefore have to use wisdom and scriptural principles to love people on ALL sides of these important issues while staying on mission preaching the gospel and making disciples. Shepherding when people are so susceptible to the twisted words of wolves is very hard. The call I have right now, that all pastors have right now, is stated in the command from Paul in Acts 20:31 — “Therefore, be alert..”