One of the most convicting and challenging parts of Shawn’s message on Sunday was when he said (and I’m paraphrasing here) that “people try to hide their opinions in doctrine instead of admitting it is a preference.” Whew. That one hits hard, doesn’t it? How much of church history and conflict could have been erased if that was the front and center thought of everyone – doctrine versus preference? We see it play out in churches every day, and Sherwood Oaks isn’t immune to that. Where the struggle really comes is when we try to balance preferences with kindness and listening to why things matter to people. We can disagree about everything from the communion cups to the worship style, from the coffee choices to the way people dress, from what is missing that we think we need and what is there we think is extemporaneous – but in the end, so much of it is about preference, not glorifying God and bringing the world to Him.
Today’s challenge – think about the things that irk you or frustrate you, then ask yourself – is this a preference or a doctrinal issue? If it’s a preference, try and find someone who thinks opposite of you and hear their story while you share yours. If it’s a doctrine issue, or one you think it is, contact the church office. We’d be happy to walk that journey with you.