Likewise, Jesus chose not the path of popularity, but called His followers a "little flock." It takes the character to stand alone and not to a conformist. There are two ways to get ahead in the church: playing church politics and taking a stand. Usually, God will bless you for taking a stand, especially if you are right. These seem to be mutually exclusive just like we have few politicians who are willing to do what is right and take a moral stand: that's why we have politicians and statesmen. I would not want to be known as one who compromised the truth or watered it down to gain followers. If I get promoted spiritually, I want it to be of God and not man. It is also wrong to brown-nose your way up in your company as well as in church: i.e., not do it as unto the Lord, but unto men.
We are to teach to the whole counsel of God: Paul said, "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine [teaching]...." To distinguish between major and minor doctrines is not biblical since there is no mention of this nomenclature. You could say that creation, judgment, and rapture are minor doctrines, too. I have been in a group that doesn't want to mention the wonderful doctrine of the eternal security of the believer because it might offend some who are Arminian. R. C. Sproul says to avoid controversy is to avoid Christ. (John Stott wrote a book, Christ the Controversialist and showed that He was not afraid of it.)
I have no personal agenda nor ax to grind and have made it clear that I am Reformed in my doctrinal viewpoint. If you attend a church they have the right to their doctrinal understanding and don't have to be interdenominational or nondenominational. Personally, I believe in the autonomy of the local church and it alone has the authority to decide its doctrines. But some would say ecclesiology is a "minor" doctrine. There are doctrines that sincere believers disagree on and one shouldn't be dogmatic on them, but that doesn't mean we can't mention them in passing when they come up; we just don't make them our agenda.
No matter what doctrines we teach, we are bound to offend some--that's the very nature of truth. The measure of truth is not what doesn't offend or the lowest common denominator. I am not afraid to ruffle some feathers or to give my opinion on a disputable topic, even if it only serves to stimulate interest, debate, or study.
Parachurch organizations (churches are organisms, on the other hand, and Christ is the head of the body), those not associated with any particular church and usually nondenominational, tend to outreach and not devoted to certain doctrines. I was involved with the Navigators, for instance, in the Army and they had a mission to the military personnel; they didn't see themselves as in competition with the local church, but supplemental. If we are not in a position of authority we cannot change doctrine or policy but must comply (to rules and bylaws, for example) if we want to be part of the ministry (this doesn't mean we have to always be conformists and can't be an influence). But Christ established the local church and gave it the Great Commission--"and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Augustine said it well: "In essentials (NONNEGOTIABLES), unity; in non-essentials [NEGOTIABLES], liberty; in all things, charity." We are not to be dissentious or disagreeable, but to agree to disagree. Cut some slack! There are doctrines that are not necessary to salvation; they should not be ignored either. For sure, to ignore doctrine just because one thinks it is minor is spiritually detrimental. We are not to major on the minors and get sidetracked. Let's not be petty and quibble over non-issues respecting salvation. Some Christians like to split hairs or get trivial about the details, but this defeats the purpose of teaching to stimulate thinking and growth. To sum it up, we are to keep the main thing the main thing, and not forget our focus on the gospel message and plan of salvation and how they relate.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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