Yesterday, while on Facebook, a group was suggested for me to like that was hostile to one of the authors I have reviewed from a free book sent by a publisher (I think it would be impolite to say which one). In looking at the website, I saw a lot of very disrespectful edited photos, selective quotations, and some very nasty comments, and plenty of hate messages directed at the people responsible for the website themselves. Since it was very clear very quickly that the group was a watering hole for trolls of various kinds, either for or against the author (and I have no strong personal feelings about him either way), I did not have any interest in staying for very long. Nevertheless, I did get to thinking about what the people who made the Facebook group were trying to accomplish, and what implications it has for the responsibilities of believers to deal with potential heresy as well as our own problematic characters.

It seems pretty clear that the makers of the group were self-appointed heresy watchers. It is tempting to appoint oneself as a watchman over believers [1]. However, it is a dangerous place to put oneself, because being a prophet, even for someone like Elijah, is not being a lone wolf but rather comes from a divine charge and it comes with a responsibility for God’s people, and also accountability to other believers as well as the goal of serving others. Godly prophets, if one looks at the biblical record, did not receive wealth or popular success for their prophecies. Those who relish the bully pulpit because they get to tear at others miss the entire point of prophetic ministry, and that is the sincere desire to see others repent and the anguish when they refuse to turn from their wicked ways.

To be sure, it must be conceded that the author who was being targeted did have a lot of loose bricks in his own evangelistic ministry. He’s young, lacks a deep knowledge of the Bible, and tends to appeal on an emotional level without a great deal of intellectual depth. He lives in a mansion, likes to populate lots of churches with video screens of his own messages without a great deal of local involvement in liturgy, and makes statements that whether in context or out of context tend to put him in hot water sometimes. All of this makes him an easy man to target, whether it is for his beliefs or for his oversized and intense personality. Yet even where there are clearly areas in his life where scrutiny is deserved, it is easy to go too far in criticizing someone, and to step into error in the opposite direction.

Fundamentally, the goal of a believer is not merely to be a critic (although it is easy to criticize our culture and those who are most successful in it), but to seek to reform that culture by providing the appropriate base from which sound judgment comes (namely scripture) as well as a model of godly love and concern for others that gives us the credibility to speak unpleasant truths in love. But we must speak those truths in love, for they will only be of service if they spring from a loving heart and if they are taken as loving (if strongly worded). This is immensely hard to do. It is hard to rebuke those one truly cares about, even when one sees them doing what is wrong. It is also hard to take rebuke as a sign of love when we want kind words and encouragement rather than stern correction (even where it is warranted). Suffice it to say, there was no love to be found among the people of that group, which is a shame, as much sound insight is lost when it springs from a desire to mock or insult or condemn rather than from fond wishes and a heart of love.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/book-review-the-making-of-a-prophet/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/profitless-prophets/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/watchman-what-of-the-night-the-prophet-as-town-watchman-in-isaiah-2111-12/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/the-town-watchman/