Young pastor, preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace... by not gossiping with your people. So says Spurgeon (HT: DG):
It is the extreme of unwisdom for a young man fresh from college, or from another charge, to suffer himself to be earwigged by a clique, and to be bribed by kindness and flattery to become a partisan, and so to ruin himself with one-half of his people. Know nothing of parties and cliques, but be the pastor of all the flock, and care for all alike. Blessed are the peacemakers, and one sure way of peacemaking is to let the fire of contention alone. Neither fan it, nor stir it, nor add fuel to it, but let it go out of itself. Begin your ministry with one blind eye and one deaf ear.
It is the extreme of unwisdom for a young man fresh from college, or from another charge, to suffer himself to be earwigged by a clique, and to be bribed by kindness and flattery to become a partisan, and so to ruin himself with one-half of his people. Know nothing of parties and cliques, but be the pastor of all the flock, and care for all alike. Blessed are the peacemakers, and one sure way of peacemaking is to let the fire of contention alone. Neither fan it, nor stir it, nor add fuel to it, but let it go out of itself. Begin your ministry with one blind eye and one deaf ear.
(HT: Thabiti)
3 comments:
Welcome back to the blogosphere! I'm glad to see you and Hannah and children are settling in your new home. You are in our prayers. Thanks also for the pictures of Twynholm. You all are in our prayers this morning.
T-
Dear Mike,
Congratulations on your induction into Twynholme - will you be starting to put your sermons up online? Will Michael Lawrence's sermon go up?
I would have loved to have been there - and am excited for you as you start your ministry there in London. May you know the Lord's blessing.
Paul Rees
Paul,
Thanks for the encouragement. The guys here are working on a new website. The work in progress is at http://wordpress.twynholm.org
michael's sermon is there already - he did a great job. Mine should start appearing soon.
Mike
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