Decision Announced

After the votes were tallied, our ministers announced that the general discussion would be largely replaced by a regular sharing time. However, in what I think is a fairly brilliant piece of compromise, room was left for the person in charge to devote a portion of the early part of that period to Sunday school lesson wrap up--which is what the general discussion used to be.

My sister Linda observed that people view this issue differently, depending on whether their typical way of approaching life leans more to the global or concrete end of the continuum on how one functions. I'm not very familiar with all the ins and outs of these categorizations. She was exposed to them at Faith Mission Home, and found the insights helpful in understanding her own and others' way of operating. In general, some people feel most at rest when they can fit details into a big picture, and others don't concern themselves as much with the big picture and are content when the details of their private world are orderly.

I can think of spiritual gifts making a difference. Most of us like to experience from others what we are most tuned in to giving to others. Thus, the prophet likes to hear proclamation of truth, the exhorter likes hearing exhortation, the teacher likes to be taught, the server likes to be served or at least hear of serving that's being done, etc. Everyone likes their own gift being on display--in others, usually, but there, for all the world to appreciate.

Temperments--another way of categorizing people--offers some understandings too. The sanguines love to hear how what is happening right now in other people's lives. Melancholies, too, will get caught up in the deep emotion of what takes place in people's personal journey. People who have some of the other temperments will probably find some of these matters less compelling, and wish to focus more on being philosophically reflective, or being purposeful in getting things done, instead of "wasting" time talking about feelings and impressions.

Perhaps another thing that makes a difference is that some people have a lot of opportunities to interact with others and share with them, while others have comparatively few chances to do this. Thus, they have different levels of desire to have this opportunity during regular Sunday morning worship services.

All in all, having worked through this question of how we have church is exactly what ought to happen in a Christian brotherhood. People ought to hear each other and then be able to work out a plan that is workable and amicable to most people. Creative compromises like the ones our ministers came up with are special blessings of being in a well-functioning, open-to-the-Lord's direction body of believers.