Playing well with others...

[evangelist6589]

What does this mean? Does this mean compromising your convictions? I am not perfect in this area but there have been times where I have been unjustly accused. For example at my former church a certain missionary regularly recruited singles to go on missions trips and be involved in missions opportunities but I was passed by and probably given a label. You wanna know why? Because I believed in using the LAW in evangelism, speaking on sin, Hell, judgment, repentance, and sometimes open air preaching. She was STRONGLY opposed to these things as she preached a "God has a wonderful plan" for your life message and wanted her recruits and missionaries to do likewise.

Another church had the same problem and I also was passed by for this reason. People will say I can't play well with others, but perhaps they mean I won't compromise my convictions. I am perfectly willing to work with others whom do not agree as long as they give me the respect to practice them.

 

[HAMel]

Nothing wrong with being an individual not desiring to go along with the crowd. This "She"..., you reference merely has an agenda and if you want to play her game they you're required to march to her drum beat.

Don't waste your time. :thumbs:

 

[Yeshua1]

What does this mean? Does this mean compromising your convictions? I am not perfect in this area but there have been times where I have been unjustly accused. For example at my former church a certain missionary regularly recruited singles to go on missions trips and be involved in missions opportunities but I was passed by and probably given a label. You wanna know why? Because I believed in using the LAW in evangelism, speaking on sin, Hell, judgment, repentance, and sometimes open air preaching. She was STRONGLY opposed to these things as she preached a "God has a wonderful plan" for your life message and wanted her recruits and missionaries to do likewise.

Another church had the same problem and I also was passed by for this reason. People will say I can't play well with others, but perhaps they mean I won't compromise my convictions. I am perfectly willing to work with others whom do not agree as long as they give me the respect to practice them.

Think that it means tio be able to recognise just what are the essential/cardinal truths of the faith, and those MUST be alway kept, from the secodary side issues, and especially watch making our own preferences/convictions same for all others!

 

[North Carolina Tentmaker]

I responded to this over on the thread on Gideons so I won't repeat myself here. I did not intend to accuse you of anything, simply wanted to state the fact that sometimes we must be tactful in our presentation of the gospel and in our lives in general. A fact that I have learned rather painfully over many years.

I would never ask you to compromise your beliefs, just as I am sure you would never ask me to compromise mine, even (especially) in areas where we disagree.

 

[North Carolina Tentmaker]

I am perfectly willing to work with others whom do not agree as long as they give me the respect to practice them.

I think that sums it up well evangelist, respect is a two way streat. We give respect to others, and then expect it in return as well.

As far as you being passed over for a missions trip or other ministry opportunities. If you did not fit in well with their group that is probably not where God wanted you. I would try not to worry about it. God opens the doors of opportunity where he wants us.

 

[JonC]

What does this mean? Does this mean compromising your convictions? I am not perfect in this area but there have been times where I have been unjustly accused. For example at my former church a certain missionary regularly recruited singles to go on missions trips and be involved in missions opportunities but I was passed by and probably given a label. You wanna know why? Because I believed in using the LAW in evangelism, speaking on sin, Hell, judgment, repentance, and sometimes open air preaching. She was STRONGLY opposed to these things as she preached a "God has a wonderful plan" for your life message and wanted her recruits and missionaries to do likewise.

Another church had the same problem and I also was passed by for this reason. People will say I can't play well with others, but perhaps they mean I won't compromise my convictions. I am perfectly willing to work with others whom do not agree as long as they give me the respect to practice them.

There is a difference between compromising your convictions and expecting others to accept your convictions. IMHO, “playing well with others” means living out your faith unconditionally – not expecting the same in return.

I do believe that God has a “wonderful plan,” but in absence of repentance/belief/discipleship it may, IMHO, be just as short of the gospel message as concentrating on the Law to convict apart from explaining that wonderful plan. I think that this is often the case – we look for a method of evangelism that suits our convictions and hold to that method above and beyond all else. But the Gospel is not a method, and the more I am exposed to various evangelistic tools the more I am convinced that they are simply crutches to make up for our own sense of inadequacy in evangelism. I’ve seen convicting under the Law fall on deaf ears as it assumes a predisposed acceptance of the Law that the listener simply did not possess. I’ve seen “God’s not mad at you no matter what” accepted in absence of repentance and true faith. I guess a touch of criticism here is that I do not see that much difference between you and the woman of whom you speak – at least not when it comes to “compromising your convictions”.

If you were the one leading the mission trip, what method would you advocate in order to communicate the gospel?

 

[Don]

...but perhaps they mean I won't compromise my convictions. I am perfectly willing to work with others whom do not agree as long as they give me the respect to practice them.

Okay, practice saying this a few times: "I am perfectly willing to give others whom do not agree with me the respect to practice their convictions."

If you can't say this line, then you have your answer as to why. They probably don't feel like you're respecting their convictions.

Notice that I didn't write "willing to work with." It's not the same as respecting. Willing to work with means I'm not necessarily respecting their convictions or their practices.