Annie, Drop Your Gun!

Does it ever seem as if the way someone responds is of equal importance to what he actually says? I thought that was especially true in today's responses. I keep contrasting the way Harold Best approached Williams' position with how Sally Morgenthaler came across in her writings. Although both have points on which they agree and disagree with Williams, they did so in an entirely different manner.

Take Best for an example: "What a splendid chapter, to read, digest, contend with, and pray along with! I am not a charismatic in many of the delimiting ways charismatic worship is popularly described. (155)" Later on in his response, he thanks Williams for "his scholarship, clarity, and humility and the architectural finesse with which he has made the case... (156)" He continues to compliment Williams on the things he did well, though he certainly asked some challenging questions that showed he did not agree with everything Williams wrote. His response was incredibly ideal. If every believer responded with as much grace as he did, we probably would not have the family arguments that frequently exist within and between different denominations.

Morgenthaler, on the other hand, let readers know exactly what she was thinking: "... [U]ninterpreted weird language is a problem. It seems to be the exceptional charismatic service where the speaking-in-tongues discipline-- so intricately laid out in I Corinthians 14-- is actually followed. No wonder outsiders think we are nuts! (166)" To be fair, Sally did temper the statement later with her desire to express her concerns "cautiously", but the damage of her first statement is already in print for all the world to see. This particularly challenged me to be careful with my words concerning fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, because I often get passionate about my beliefs. When that happens, it is so easy to go in "with guns blazing!"

With that said, Best's approach accomplishes far more because he respectfully disagrees with the charismatic movement while he continues to edify Williams with his words. I am not trying to pass judgment on Sally. I simply want to emulate Harold Best when I disagree with someone!