OT - Question for Pastors

I know that many or most of you are pastors or the equivalent...I'm wondering how many of you have had someone dispute anything you've said while in the pulpit or otherwise teaching. Anyone have it happen while speaking? Or was it later? Or has it never happened?

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Kenneth Neighoff

Yes, I have had that happen.

The only time while preaching happened while I was preaching on Luke's temptation narrative. I was asked why I was reading a Bible that reversed the order of the temptation and left out the words, "get thee behind me."

Most of the time it happens after preaching, in the forum of a question for clarification.

Joseph Turner

I know that many or most of you are pastors or the equivalent...I'm wondering how many of you have had someone dispute anything you've said while in the pulpit or otherwise teaching. Anyone have it happen while speaking? Or was it later? Or has it never happened?

Did you have something happen?

David Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/604701#Comment_604701

I am not a pastor. I just wondered if it was something that those who preach or teach regularly encounter or if it is rare or non-existent. Frankly, I would welcome a bit of questioning--at the very least it means people are paying attention. Of course, the question would be...are they questioning because they are trying to square with Scripture, or are they just trying to make things match what they've always believed?

Also, as I touched on in the MacArthur birthday thread, a midraash isn't like a church service. There is a Scripture reader, a commentary leader and facilitator, and everyone in attendance is encouraged to participate with questions and comments. Usually the comments are mutually accepted, but from time to time a participant may inject a perspective that stirs a bit of debate. Such debates aren't allowed to run free too long, not because of concern about dispute, but because even at three and a half hours, it is rare that we finish the whole Tohraah portion and the haftarah as well, so there is always a desire to "get back on track". But it is acknowledged that often the back-and-forth is where the "good stuff" is. The interesting thing is that even with the overt presence of differences of opinion in the congregation's interplay, there is very little undercurrent of acrimony in the group, much less than I perceived in any of the church congregations I participated in. Everyone knows where everyone stands and everyone accepts that what other folks believe is ultimately up to them. The good thing is that no one can say they don't have a voice because the only reason they wouldn't is if they don't speak up. So, in that respect, disputation might occur any given Sabbath, but it is dealt with as a matter of course--people say what they say and everyone eats together at the end.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/604708#Comment_604708

I recall only once when our pastor was challenged within a homily - it was handled with grace and style. In teaching situations, it is very common - most of our Dominican staff encourage it although, as you say, time management can become a problem.

abondservant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/604723#Comment_604723

Never during a sermon that I've preached, however an individual made a point of asking three times to talk to me about something after the service, then after the service another individual (my grandmother!) had a temper tantrum because I was talking to someone and not folding tables with the rest of the Men. Yelling, throwing things... It was awkward.

I have seen my pastor openly challenged in a service. He handled it with grace, and addressed the individual about it later in private. The individual (buck was his name) choose not to return.

Furthermore when I was working in the secular realm, I worked for an individual who had heard about some overbalanced theological point, and then projected it onto everyone from a certain perspective and was proud of the fact he had interrupted many pastors mid sermon to confront them about their heresy.

The last time we talked about it, he'd claimed he had been kicked out of 11 local churches for confronting the pastor MID SERMON, for "the heresy of (redacted minor difference that we shouldn't break fellowship over)".

I recall only once when our pastor was challenged within a homily - it was handled with grace and style. In teaching situations, it is very common - most of our Dominican staff encourage it although, as you say, time management can become a problem.

During sunday school we encourage questions as well. Are questions encouraged by dominicans during mass?

Edited: to remove the particular theological position

Bradley Grainger (Logos)

Since this question isn't directly about Logos Bible Software, please take the discussion to http://christiandiscourse.com/. (It's fine to post a follow-up here with a link to the new thread you created there.)

Kent

I know that many or most of you are pastors or the equivalent...I'm wondering how many of you have had someone dispute anything you've said while in the pulpit or otherwise teaching. Anyone have it happen while speaking? Or was it later? Or has it never happened?

Mike Childs

I know that many or most of you are pastors or the equivalent...I'm wondering how many of you have had someone dispute anything you've said while in the pulpit or otherwise teaching. Anyone have it happen while speaking? Or was it later? Or has it never happened?

It has happened to me in Bible study occasionally, but never during a Sunday morning sermon. In Bible study, I would welcome it. Makes for interesting discussion. In Sunday worship, it would not be appropriate in my opinion.

Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/604739#Comment_604739

Since this question isn't directly about Logos Bible Software, please take the discussion to http://christiandiscourse.com/. (It's fine to post a follow-up here with a link to the new thread you created there.)

[Y] Not that the discussion so far has been bad or anything, but the very nature of the topic could touch off some explosive exchanges. Maybe we should respect Bradley's direction in this matter.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/604750#Comment_604750

Besides Bradley is directing you to a new site from Logos which you'll want to check out.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/604739#Comment_604739

please take the discussion to http://christiandiscourse.com/.

I highly recommend this. I joined last week.