One of the difficult challenges for church leaders is determining when you have done all that you can to help an individual (or group of individuals) take steps on their faith journey. Probably what seems the most difficult is the feeling that we never want to give up on anyone. We rationalize it by saying something like - "The Lord never has given up on me so why would I ever give up on anyone else." This admirable statement is not completely true according to the guidelines the Lord gives to us.
I want to draw your attention to this passage of Scripture:
Mark 6:6b-13
[6b] Then he went about among the villages teaching. [7] He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. [8] He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; [9] but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. [10] He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. [11] If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." [12] So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. [13] They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Jesus is giving instructions to his disciples as he sends them out to share his words with others. If we focus on verse 11 we can clearly see that if anyone chooses to reject the disciples, they are to leave them and move on. The key here is that the disciples were not instructed to give up on anyone but the choice lies with those who were to receive the disciples. Jesus tells his disciples that if those who are to receive the words and the disciples make the choice to reject either or both, then the disciples are not to expend any more time or energy on helping them on their spiritual journey.
I think that this gives us a clear indication of how faith leaders are to respond to individuals that choose not to go forward in their spiritual journeys. While this still requires a level of discernment on the part of the leaders, I believe that if we honestly evaluate and listen to the Spirit's guidance, we will clearly know when the time to walk away has arrived.
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