Pastors: Interrupting your sermon

[The Rogue Tomato]

This is a question for pastors, although all comments are welcome, of course. 

Suppose someone stood up in the middle of your sermon and corrected you on a theological or scriptural point.  Let's also assume that he/she's right, and you were wrong, even if you don't realize it at that particular moment. 

How would you react? 

 

[Sherryh]

I would not I would talk to the pastor after church was over...
There are to many crazy people today so for your safety I would not stand up in church while the pastor is speaking and question him. Many possibilities could happen I'm not name them

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

I would not I would talk to the pastor after church was over...
There are to many crazy people today so for your safety I would not stand up in church while the pastor is speaking and question him. Many possibilities could happen I'm not name them

So would I wait to talk to the pastor alone (in fact, I have done so on one occasion), but I'm asking what the pastor would think or do if this hypothetical happened.

 

[Izdaari]

If I'm wrong on a factual point, I have no problem with someone pointing that out. However, if someone interrupts merely to disagree with my doctrine, I think that's rather rude.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

If I'm wrong on a factual point, I have no problem with someone pointing that out. However, if someone interrupts merely to disagree with my doctrine, I think that's rather rude.

Yes, but what would you think or do if it happened (and you realized at some point, then or later, that you were wrong on a factual point of scripture or theology). 

EDIT: By the way, I think it would be rude either way...but I'm posing a hypothetical.

 

[Izdaari]

If I'm wrong on a factual point, I have no problem with someone pointing that out. However, if someone interrupts merely to disagree with my doctrine, I think that's rather rude.

Yes, but what would you think or do if it happened (and you realized at some point, then or later, that you were wrong on a factual point of scripture or theology).

If I'm wrong, I'll admit it as soon as I find out for sure, with as much good grace as I can muster. I think you probably know from my posting history that I don't get mad just because someone disagrees with me, though as much as possible I avoid interacting with people who are of a disagreeable nature.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

If I'm wrong on a factual point, I have no problem with someone pointing that out. However, if someone interrupts merely to disagree with my doctrine, I think that's rather rude.

Yes, but what would you think or do if it happened (and you realized at some point, then or later, that you were wrong on a factual point of scripture or theology).

If I'm wrong, I'll admit it as soon as I find out for sure, with as much good grace as I can muster. I think you probably know from my posting history that I don't get mad just because someone disagrees with me, though as much as possible I avoid interacting with people who are of a disagreeable nature.

As I said in my edit above, I think it would be rude either way.  But I'm not talking about forum interaction.  I'm wondering how a pastor would think or react during a sermon. 

 

[Izdaari]

Well, until I'm a pastor (which may yet happen - I am interested in becoming a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor or Episcopal priest) I won't know for sure. But I like to think I'd handle it in a similar way to how I would on the forums.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Well, until I'm a pastor (which may yet happen - I am interested in becoming a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor or Episcopal priest) I won't know for sure. But I like to think I'd handle it in a similar way to how I would on the forums.

I admire your response. 

The one time I corrected a pastor (in private, after the sermon), he refused to consider that he could possibly be wrong, and I could tell he resented even the notion that a peon like me might disagree with him.  He was the pastor, after all, and in his own mind he was infallible.  I never returned to that church.  Even so, that's not the question I'm asking.

 

[Izdaari]

In the mainline/liberal denominations, pastors are expected to be well educated (usually a very legit M.Div. is required), but not necessarily to have all the answers, and that's way different from at least the HAC type of IFB's.  8)

When going through my confirmation class last year at my church, I (along with several others) questioned the very pleasant and affable young Episcopal priest who was teaching it on everything I could think of. Not only did he not seem to mind, he took it for granted that's what we were supposed to do.

Of course, a class is different from a sermon... but I have never gotten a "don't question the managawd" vibe from anyone at that church.

 

[ALAYMAN]

I'd either kowtow to his every demand, because you never know what kind of crazies are sitting in the pews...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/28/louisiana-pastor-shot-and-killed-during-sermon-suspect-in-custody/2888623/



or I'd recommend that they start their own home church.  8)

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

I'd either kowtow to his every demand, because you never know what kind of crazies are sitting in the pews...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/28/louisiana-pastor-shot-and-killed-during-sermon-suspect-in-custody/2888623/

He wasn't sitting in a pew.  He came in with a shotgun and shot the pastor, and the article doesn't mention his motive.  But we know he didn't get up in the middle of a sermon and say, "I disagree with the point you just made, so I'm going to pull out the shotgun cleverly hidden in my back pocket and shoot you." 

 

[Izdaari]

I'd either kowtow to his every demand, because you never know what kind of crazies are sitting in the pews...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/28/louisiana-pastor-shot-and-killed-during-sermon-suspect-in-custody/2888623/



or I'd recommend that they start their own home church.  8)

Is that what this thread is about? 

If I thought I might be dealing with a nutjob like that, I'd be talking to him with one hand on my Browning nine. And if he came in with a shotgun and seemed about to use it, I would shoot first.

 

[ALAYMAN]

I'd either kowtow to his every demand, because you never know what kind of crazies are sitting in the pews...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/28/louisiana-pastor-shot-and-killed-during-sermon-suspect-in-custody/2888623/

He wasn't sitting in a pew.  He came in with a shotgun and shot the pastor, and the article doesn't mention his motive.  But we know he didn't get up in the middle of a sermon and say, "I disagree with the point you just made, so I'm going to pull out the shotgun cleverly hidden in my back pocket and shoot you."

It was said partly in jest.

But the truth is, it is most definitely not outside the pale to recognize that there's been many deacons(and congregants) get into physical skirmishes, some very seriously violent, because they didn't get their way in the scheme of things.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

I'd either kowtow to his every demand, because you never know what kind of crazies are sitting in the pews...

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/28/louisiana-pastor-shot-and-killed-during-sermon-suspect-in-custody/2888623/

He wasn't sitting in a pew.  He came in with a shotgun and shot the pastor, and the article doesn't mention his motive.  But we know he didn't get up in the middle of a sermon and say, "I disagree with the point you just made, so I'm going to pull out the shotgun cleverly hidden in my back pocket and shoot you."

It was said partly in jest.

But the truth is, it is most definitely not outside the pale to recognize that there's been many deacons(and congregants) get into physical skirmishes, some very seriously violent, because they didn't get their way in the scheme of things.

Like I said, we have no idea what his motive was.  For all we know, the pastor could have been having an affair with the shooter's wife. 

And, NO, this thread is not about home churches, so I would appreciate it if you would stop turning it into one and needlessly antagonizing people.

 

[ALAYMAN]

ike I said, we have no idea what his motive was.  For all we know, the pastor could have been having an affair with the shooter's wife. 

And, NO, this thread is not about home churches, so I would appreciate it if you would stop turning it into one and needlessly antagonizing people.

lol, finally tired of the topic? 

Okay, my serious answer to the OP.  I'd tell them to sit down and shutup (maybe a bit more diplomatically), and that I'd gladly talk with them at an agreed upon time, after the service or at their convenience.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

ike I said, we have no idea what his motive was.  For all we know, the pastor could have been having an affair with the shooter's wife. 

And, NO, this thread is not about home churches, so I would appreciate it if you would stop turning it into one and needlessly antagonizing people.

lol, finally tired of the topic?

Very funny.  If I want to address the topic again, I'm perfectly capable of doing so in another thread.  That's not what this thread is about, so stop harping on the issue in order to antagonize others.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Very funny.  If I want to address the topic again, I'm perfectly capable of doing so in another thread.  That's not what this thread is about, so stop harping on the issue in order to antagonize others.

I answered your question.  You chose to ignore that answer, and rather focus on the "antagonizing" component, completely intentionally editing out the relevant response to the OP query. 

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Very funny.  If I want to address the topic again, I'm perfectly capable of doing so in another thread.  That's not what this thread is about, so stop harping on the issue in order to antagonize others.

I answered your question.  You chose to ignore that answer, and rather focus on the "antagonizing" component, completely intentionally editing out the relevant response to the OP query.

You told me what you would do.  Now I know.  That's my response.

 

[prophet]

I have had someone challenge me publicly, and dealt with it.  I have challenged a pastor (my pastor at the time) publicly.  It never ends well.  I don't recommend it. 

Anishinaabe