Since November I have repeatedly been asked about the response I have been getting to this post about Compass Point’s stance on Emergent. Quite honestly I have been surprised by the response. The folks that align with Emergent have been pretty positive in their responses. They…of course…disagree with Compass Point’s take on Emergent’s main spokespeople leaning more and more toward Universialism…but were thrilled that I did not name names or take shots at specific people. As a result I have remained friends with many inside the Emergent movement…and continue to have a healthy, private conversation with them.

On the other hand, those that share the same stance as Compass Point concerning Emergent have been pretty upset that I didn’t name names or take shots at specific people. They have commended me for taking a bold stand against heresy…but have also been extremely critical that I didn’t go more in depth and detailed with my blog post.

I would like to clear up a few things about me…the Lead Pastor of Compass Point…and this blog.

1. It is important to disagree in a disagreeable manner. This may not be the case for everybody with a blog or in church leadership…but it is for me. When I first started blogging I was pretty immature…and ego driven (I still fall into this trap on occasion). I would name names and take shots just for the sheer desire to get more readership of this blog. It was cheap…it was hateful…it was destructive. My grandmother used to say, “Any idiot can destroy a bridge…it takes a genius to build one”. The purpose of my post was to make a public declaration about a doctrinal stand that Compass Point was taking…not to cut off ties or start a war with the Friends of Emergent. As a result…the bridge is still there…and the friendships continue.

2. I stay in my own yard. I pastor Compass Point…I don’t pastor any other church and am therefore not responsible for any other flock. I don’t want Emergent pastors (or any other pastor for that matter) talking directly to the sheep of Compass Point…therefore I will not speak directly to the sheep of their flock. In essence, I deal with the weeds in my own yard…it is not my responsibility to weed someone else’s yard. I will not comment on what others do that I disagree with…unless those things find their way into Compass Point. The Emergent and Universalism weed had begun to grow in my yard…so I plucked it. That was only reason for the post…not take to shots at those that planted the initial seed.

3. I am not a watchman on the wall. There are many ministries out there that are called to police doctrine, church practices or a pastor’s actions and make the world aware of discrepancies with the teachings of God’s Word…I am not one of them. Other than the pastoral staff, Elders, members and attenders of Compass Point…no one else falls under my accountability. I may not agree with something a church or pastor does…but it’s not my calling to correct him…privately or through my blog.

4. If I’m not on the inside…I’m on the outside. I have no clue what the bylaws of another church say. I am not privy to the inner turmoil that caused a staff member to be fired somewhere else. I was not in on any of the meetings when another group of church leaders determined the doctrinal foundation for their church. Basically, the only thing I know for sure…is what happens at Compass Point. I have felt the sting and pain of accusations from others…when they don’t have a freakin’ clue about what went on within the inner workings of Compass Point. I’m certainly not going to subject others to it just because I’ve formed a feeble opinion based on an outside view.

5. My time is limited. I really don’t have the time, resources or help to research every church movement, pastor, book or strategy out there that I may have a problem with. The “No Friend Of Emergent” post took several weeks to write…mainly because I didn’t have a lot of time to concentrate on it or complete it all in one sitting. I am called to be a Godly husband to my wife and a shepherd to the flock of Compass Point. If I’m spending time cyber-arguing on blogs, commenting about everything that gets my dander up and writing lengthy posts about everything I have a doctrinal beef with…then I am disobeying God’s calling on my life…and wasting His time.

In conclusion…I didn’t name names when I initially wrote the post…and I won’t be naming them today…or in the future. Compass Point’s leadership took the stand we thought was best for our sheep after much prayer and outside counsel.  We Biblically removed the wolves…took steps to make sure that the same problems don’t arise again…and have moved on. I doubt I’ll ever be addressing it again through this blog.