Do you think that Christians should Publicly Criticize Other Christians?

What will the world think if they see us fighting like this?
You’re driving people away from the Church.
Tearing down our brothers and sisters makes people want nothing do with with the church.
 The truth is, unity is good But unity simply for the sake of unity is not only pointless, it’s dangerous. 
but  a holy calling thrust on those who very well may have good intentions, but who fail to see the vital importance public debate and even criticism play in the life of the Church. For without transparency and public accountability, abuse and corruption thrive.


 
If Jesus was starting off his teaching ministry today, he would almost certainly be condemned by the very people claiming to carry his banner. I mean, look at the gospels. So much of Jesus’ teaching ministry is spent debating, rebuffing, and rebuking religious leaders – his fellow Jews. For example, when Jesus says “You have heard it said…but I say…,” he’s directly rebuking the teaching of other religious leaders and sometimes even correcting scripture itself.

His own disciples didn’t escape public criticism either. It seems like you can’t go a chapter without Jesus having to put them in their place for the dumb things they said and did, like the time branded Peter as “Satan.” Not exactly the sort of warm fuzzy, constantly affirming schtick we demand of our Christian leaders today.

And then there’s Matthew 23.

Remember that chapter of Matthew’s gospel?
In it Jesus goes off on the religious leaders of his day, denouncing them as blind guides, hypocrites, white-washed tombs, and children of hell among many other not so warm and fuzzy criticisms. Can you imagine the reaction to such a diatribe today? The holy warriors would come out in force to shame Jesus into silence by condemning him for “tearing down his brothers” and “sowing disunity” that will “do nothing but drive people away from the Church.”

Don’t get me wrong.
The pursuit of unity is a noble goal.

When unity is elevated above all else, the practice of silencing those who disrupt that unity and shaming critics who reveal the Church’s failures becomes a sort of perverse spiritual discipline. Are you some of the Christians who sees your pastor misbehave and you are afraid to speak out? By speaking out could mean talking to a superior not as a gossip,  but for that Man of God to come back to the Bible and use it as its standard.

Usually when we as Christians cover up for one another, the moment it explodes, its usually dangerous and catastrophic.

Feel free to comment via the comment box or email me for any thoughts you may have on this article.

Until next time.... 

photo credit.  the rik pics, Flickr Creative Commons