Greg at STR is talking about being in an anti-intellectual church, but this is helpful wherever you're in a minority in almost anything and want to influence instead of just leaving:
Don’t make it your goal to change your church, at least not initially. Rather, have a goal to establish a beach-head by assembling a stable group of Christians who value the life of the mind. Your group can then be a catalyst influencing other things happening in the church.
Consider your group a focal point from which you can do one-on-one discipleship adding to your number through multiplication, like Jesus did. Your group might turn into a vital resource that others in your church can turn to when they have questions, as long as it has three things: visibility, excellence, and a good attitude.
I think in the right context this is good advice, however, you can probably understand that if this isn’t taken in the right context, it could be very dangerous for any body of believers.
Say a person wants to change the direction or doctrine of their church, set by the leadership (under the authority of Christ), and they start building a beach-head by assembling a group of people together through one-on-one discipleship relationships, and the pastor and elders or not on the same page with these people, that could lead to confusion and division.
In the proper context, however, the person building the beach-head would be on the same page with the leadership and would have discussed openly everything they are wanting to accomplish, and work incooperation with the leadership to accomplish a spiritually healthy and God glorifying goal.
If they didn’t agree with the doctrine or direction of the church, as set by the pastor/elders and leadership, wouldn’t it be better for them to find a church where they fit, instead of trying to change the one they’re in?
Posted by: Paul Durham | Thursday, February 08, 2007 at 12:52 PM