For many, controversies are incompatible with love. Tame discussions are thought to go hand in hand with kindness. But a simple review of the greatest saints from the Bible and from Church history shows how groundless such a view is. There are times in which a stern word is the most loving, kind, and gracious thing that can be offered. Granted, it is not always that time, for often gentle words or even no words at all are appropriate. But today is a day of controversies. It is time to speak and to do so boldly. If we love our neighbors as ourselves we must not remain silent.
In most cases, controversies get to be controversies because they treat something important. Few mature people will enter into a controversy over the flavor of toothpaste they deem best. One hears of churches splitting over the color of the new carpet to be purchased, but we hope that such is the rare exception. There are, however, issues and questions that are not insignificant. Matters of life and death confront us daily. In general, the more important a subject is the more likely folks are to get worked up when it is discussed. Controversy is not always evil. It is frequently an indication that we are getting to something important.
In the topics discussed below you will find much to “get worked up” over. It is not our intention to produce controversy for controversy’s sake, but rather to press for the important things. Nothing is more essential in our day than that Christian people recover their collective prophetic voice. It is shameful, in the face of the tragic and evil deeds being done in our land, for godly men and women to remain silent. We must lift up our voices. We must point out that the emperor really has no clothes. We must show our neighbors that the paths they are on will end in their eternal horror. We are ambassadors of King Jesus. He has sent us to announce His Gospel and the terms and standards of His Kingdom. How can we not speak?