The Letter of Judgment
Last week I received a nice letter of encouragement, which helped me to continue on in life. But just imagine if I received a harsh critical letter last week. A letter that questioned my motives, attacked my character, and criticized me for all my many weaknesses. It would have been certainly a stab in the heart. Most ministers have received one of these nuclear letters in the mail or on the desk. Some of these letters are not signed so the minister does not know who sent them. Where did this practice ever start, it seems so un-biblical to me. Words are to be chosen wisely. And sometimes these letters are sent to the elders concerning the minister. A wise eldership would throw the unsigned letter out without reading it, but the temptation to read the material is too great. So then the elders meet with the minister to discuss the problem. Just wondering, if the letter is signed, and the member has been judgmental and harsh, do the elders call in the member in and rebuke him or her for their unchristian behavior? If the minister has to hear about his problems, maybe the member should have to be reminded that they are not perfect either.
Related posts:
- A Letter from the Past
- People Want to be Part of a Winning Work
- Make Elders Look Good
- To Check On Or Not to Check On
- The Autographed Roar
About The Author
When I was a teacher, I received a letter of judgment once. A former student wrote me a year after she graduated to tell me how awful I was and how I ruined her senior year.
The letter came as a complete shock. She was a student that I had thought of quite fondly.
I remember talking to my department head about it. She said the letter was just hateful. And I shouldn’t take it any more seriously than I would any other kind of blind hatred.
In the end, I decided to write a response to her. I simply told her how I remembered her–fondly–and apologized if I ever did anything that made her feel belittled. It was certainly not my intention.
Ugh. It feels bad just remembering the time. I left teaching a few years later.
And you are reading Dick Stuab’s book? Super cool. I interviewed him about that book for TheHighCalling.org. It’ll appear in a few months.
Yes, the anonymity emboldens people sometimes, doesn’t it? Same thing happens in the blogworld sometimes. Maybe this is why Jesus recommended that we speak of our issues face to face.
Thanks, also, for stopping by Seedlings. Kind of a strange week for me, as I am in mourning. But I’m glad you dropped in.
“Where did this practice ever start, it seems so un-biblical to me.”
It started at Eastlink Cable I got one of these everyday.
Matthew … I’m really enjoying your blog. Keep posting, keep challenging and keep encouraging. You do a good job.
Was catching up this morning on your blog. Love all your posts that I missed, but really liked this one.
I have always had the belief and so do my elders that if the letter is unsigned it goes in the trash.
Sending a “complaining” letter unsigned is un-Christ-like and un-biblical.
Blessings
Trey Morgan has one of the best blogs in the blogging world. The top ten lists are the greatest. Check his stuff out.
In nearly fifty years of preaching I have received my share of unsigned letters. They need to be deposited in the nearest trash can and forgotten other than a prayer being uttered for the miserable coward that wrote them. Preachers should never say from the pulpit what they would not say to a member one on one and members should follow the same pattern in writing to preachers.
Amen brother, that is so true.