"You Have it All Wrong" - by Rev. Weldon Bares

This happened several years ago, but I still remember it.

I had spent many hours preparing for the sermon that week. My focus for the sermon was on one of the historical doctrines of our faith. I researched and prayed and wrote. I prayed again and wrote and re-wrote and researched a little bit more.

I then preached on Sunday morning, doing the best that I could.

The next day, I received a phone call. The caller had been a visitor at the church the day before. He was courteous, but he made it quite clear that I was incorrect about my interpretation of a scripture passage. He said that he was disappointed in me.

I have been in the ministry for 47 years. I have a college degree and a three-year Master of Divinity degree from seminary, but I certainly don’t pretend to know it all. Not even close. I presented in my sermon the historical Wesleyan theological interpretation of this doctrine. But it didn’t line up with the phone caller’s viewpoint, so obviously I was the one in error, and he felt like it was his duty to call me out.

I told him that I respectfully disagreed with his interpretation, but I have to admit that the phone call left me exhausted and discouraged. Not because we disagreed, but because of his high-horse, “you have it all wrong” attitude. I still remember the conversation. I still remember his condescending tone. I still remember the sadness I felt when the conversation was over.

You know, it doesn’t have to be that way. People of faith surely can disagree. Our faith is certainly big enough for that. But in the process, perhaps we can lift each other up and be encouraging. I know that I need to do better!