Seth Godin in his book Tribes made a helpful comment about critics, which I will paraphrase: If your cause is just and worthy, lead the cause boldly. Just remember: you WILL be criticized. As Rick Warren puts it, the pioneers always get the arrows.

So if your cause is just, give your critics something to criticize–but not in an arrogant, self-serving way. If you are trying to bring about healthy change, make sure your critics know what they are criticizing. Expect criticism, and see it as a badge of honor. Seek to find any shred of truth in it, but consider the source. If the source is anonymous, do not even read it. Do not hear it. Delete it, trash it. But be open to correction from those who love you enough to speak truth openly to you.

D. L. Moody once received a note just before he was to preach (note: do not give your pastor bad news just before he will be preaching!). He opened the note. It read “FOOL.” Moody stood and said, “Many times I have been given an anonymous letter. But this is the first time I received a letter with the signature alone!”

Let’s face it, in the gospel-anemic western church, if someone boldly calls for gospel change, why would we be surprised at many comfortable Christians being unhappy with such a call? Pastor who seek to lead a missional reformation with a passion to reach everyone in your neighborhood and the nations will not be met with open arms by the religious crowd. We who have faced too little deprivation, so little suffering, why would we be so concerned with the BILLIONS who have little or no access to the gospel? Why would we be concerned for the poor when we have so much bounty? (insert sarcasm here)

Study the Great Awakenings and see how those we revere today, Edwards, Whitefield, Wesley, etc, were roundly criticized for their efforts. Some of the most helpful writings penned by Edwards were actually responses to criticisms of the movement of God. Read the Gospels and be amazed at just how much time Jesus was criticized by religious people.

The religious leaders in the first century sought “by stealth” to hurt Jesus (Mark 14:1). It is the spineless work of shameless critics to sneak around quietly attempting to destroy others. This is especially telling in the Christian world, where this sort of thing happens far too often. Such practice smacks of Pharisaism, not the gospel .

I am grateful for those I know, and there are many, who are open to correction and to instruction, but also have the strength of their convictions. I am particularly grateful for Johnny Hunt, Danny Akin, Ronnie Floyd, Al Mohler, and many others who call for a desperately needed Great Commission Resurgence. Many have offered helpful criticism and counsel as they and the task force seek to lead this effort. But there have also been nameless critics who employ secretive ways to stop their efforts. If you are a pastor you have no doubt had secretive attempts to harm you as well.

I am thankful for critics who have the integrity to speak to leaders to their face and share their concerns. That is a healthy thing. As a young pastor I had a man who at first seemed bent on correcting everything I did. I realized he was in fact trying to protect me. I also felt the sting of silent attacks by those unwilling to attach their name to biting criticism.

In a healthy community you have both encouragement and rebuke. But such encouragement and rebuke must come in the context of love for one another (read I John). I fear we are not as healthy as we sometimes think, nor do we trust one another as we should.

The good news is that, due to twitter and other social networking tools, such secretive practices are increasingly difficult to conceal.

Pastor Matt Chandler at the Village Church, an exploding congregation in the DFW area, spoke about this in a sermon recently. Hear his words and remember: the next time you want to criticize, be sure your case is real, and your name is attached to all that you do. There is nothing more cowardly in our time of information accessibility than to go by the name “anonymous” or to fail to sign your name when you are being critical. Be open to correction, and when you offer it to others, do it openly, with the compassion of Christ and in the spirit of helping a brother or sister, not in the name of tearing down others to promote your own agenda. Hear Chandler’s words on this:

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