Home Teaching the Bishop - A Lesson Learned on Contention
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:12 pm
Along with several other families in my ward, it is my privilege to home teach the Bishop’s family. My Bishop is a kind and wonderful man and has had this calling for just about 6 months now.
As most of you know I am agnostic-to-“probably not” on most of the Church’s specific truth claims. Regardless, I enjoy and embrace my fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters and will always be a Latter-day Saint. In any case, I wanted to share a little about the experience I had home teaching the Bishop’s family this week as we approach Easter.
This past Thursday I, along with a substitute companion (my regular companion is traveling on business), visited the Bishop’s family to share a message about Easter, Jesus’ ministry, and ultimate sacrifice as described in the Book of John. We focused our discussion on John 17 where Jesus’ pleads with the Father to sanctify his disciples as well as those who believe their words. Jesus also asks that the collective of believers be made “one” as a sign of their Christian discipleship and as a sign that the Father did, indeed, send Jesus into the world.
When I asked the Bishop what he thought it meant that all disciples become “one” he immediately cited 3rd Nephi where Jesus gives the command that there should be no contention amongst the disciples (in this particular case regarding the manner of baptism). The Bishop then relayed how there are many times when he has discussed various topics, both in the Church setting and in day-to-day life, where there has been disagreement between participants in the conversation. He then relayed how different the experience is when participants choose to avoid contention and seek commonalities compared to the unproductive and ego-driven discussion where contention abounds. He said that becoming “one” as disciples means avoiding contention and approaching disagreements in love and with great charity. I was very inspired by my Bishop’s insight and his words very much pushed me to write this blog post on the subject of John 17:
http://www.sethpayne.com/?p=979
Disagreement and discussion can be uplifting and inspiring as it is through non-contentious discourse that we all learn from each other and, in my view, have an opportunity to gain significant wisdom. Conversely, contentious disagreement where rather than engage in substantive discourse we resort to rhetorical jabs; while not without short-term entertainment value, is ultimately hurtful and unproductive. I know this, of course, because I have often been a participant in dishing out and receiving these rhetorical jabs.
In any case, I thought I would share my thoughts on the subject given the renewed discussion both here, and elsewhere on the role of liberal, agnostic, ex-, and “total believing” Latter-day Saints within the Church.
As most of you know I am agnostic-to-“probably not” on most of the Church’s specific truth claims. Regardless, I enjoy and embrace my fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters and will always be a Latter-day Saint. In any case, I wanted to share a little about the experience I had home teaching the Bishop’s family this week as we approach Easter.
This past Thursday I, along with a substitute companion (my regular companion is traveling on business), visited the Bishop’s family to share a message about Easter, Jesus’ ministry, and ultimate sacrifice as described in the Book of John. We focused our discussion on John 17 where Jesus’ pleads with the Father to sanctify his disciples as well as those who believe their words. Jesus also asks that the collective of believers be made “one” as a sign of their Christian discipleship and as a sign that the Father did, indeed, send Jesus into the world.
When I asked the Bishop what he thought it meant that all disciples become “one” he immediately cited 3rd Nephi where Jesus gives the command that there should be no contention amongst the disciples (in this particular case regarding the manner of baptism). The Bishop then relayed how there are many times when he has discussed various topics, both in the Church setting and in day-to-day life, where there has been disagreement between participants in the conversation. He then relayed how different the experience is when participants choose to avoid contention and seek commonalities compared to the unproductive and ego-driven discussion where contention abounds. He said that becoming “one” as disciples means avoiding contention and approaching disagreements in love and with great charity. I was very inspired by my Bishop’s insight and his words very much pushed me to write this blog post on the subject of John 17:
http://www.sethpayne.com/?p=979
Disagreement and discussion can be uplifting and inspiring as it is through non-contentious discourse that we all learn from each other and, in my view, have an opportunity to gain significant wisdom. Conversely, contentious disagreement where rather than engage in substantive discourse we resort to rhetorical jabs; while not without short-term entertainment value, is ultimately hurtful and unproductive. I know this, of course, because I have often been a participant in dishing out and receiving these rhetorical jabs.
In any case, I thought I would share my thoughts on the subject given the renewed discussion both here, and elsewhere on the role of liberal, agnostic, ex-, and “total believing” Latter-day Saints within the Church.