How to Become a More Intellectual and Spiritual Christian Leader
It seems that everywhere you turn, church attendance is down. People are no longer satisfied with cliche answers to problems, accepting theologies without question or attending spiritual meetings in order to keep up appearances. People are looking for a spirituality that includes more answers than, "Because the preacher said so," or condescending attitudes toward anyone of a different opinion. In order to become a more intellectual spiritual Christian leader, one must dig deeper, think outside the box and answer hard questions. This isn't easy. But it is necessary.
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Instructions
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Understand what you think you know. Oftentimes a person's core belief system is shaped before he is old enough to question or debate the theologies impressed upon him as a child. So, it becomes easy to just accept theology and opinion as fact, never questioning whether it is wrought in truth or tradition and floundering when asked hard questions. Dig. Investigate. Find out why you believe what you believe as opposed to blindly following, and thereby blindly leading.
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Invite questions. Rob Bell, author of "Velvet Elvis, Repainting the Christian Faith," draws analogies between building your faith on bricks that crumble if questioned or challenged and the springs of a trampoline, which can bounce back without being destroyed. No single person or denomination has all the answers. Accept this and stretch a little. You may be surprised (and pleased) at what you learn.
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Let the Bible set the standard for what you do or do not believe. So many traditions that are in place today have no biblical foundation. For instance, denominations were created to separate different theologies and doctrines regarding the Bible. But there is no biblical precedence for them. Church memberships or roll calls can't be found in the Scriptures. While this doesn't mean that denominations or memberships are bad, per se, it does mean that once you begin to decide between man's traditions and biblical instruction you will be free to lead without bias.
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Study different perspectives. Spiritual leaders often look ignorant or lose credibility because of their refusal to learn other ideas. Studying a different doctrine or theory doesn't make you evil or cause you to doubt. If anything, knowledge is power. Find out what others believe and why. Then ask yourself how your beliefs, how the Bible, can counteract falsehoods that you encounter without tired cliches with little merit.
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