We Need Healthy Heretics

By Jarrett Stevens

Published: August 17, 2009

We don't tend to have a very positive image of Heretics (someone smell smoke?) However, Heretics are absolutely critical to Churches, Organizations, and Teams being all that they could be. Heretics challenge, push, turn upside down, and ask that ever annoying question of "WHY?"

Heretics help us see what our success or assumptions have blinded us from seeing.

They see through what we're doing or not doing to what we could do, and sometimes...what we must do.

Know any good Heretics? I do. While I do on some days consider myself one, I have friends who have their PHds in Higher Heretics. My friend Doug Scott comes to mind.

In the 7 years I worked with him at Axis he was constantly pushing and challenging our assumptions. He was never as satisfied as we were with our accomplishments. Like our own little Pythagoras he saw a round new world when all we saw around us was flat (to our credit, we were in Illinois - everything there is flat).

He was absolutely necessary to our efforts, and his contribution to our ministry is immeasurable.

The question for you is not whether your Church or Team should have Heretics, but...ARE THEY HEALTHY?

Healthy Heretics...

Can Challenge without Personally Attacking
Can back up Challenges with stories, examples, facts, and ultimately Vision
Are always ultimately working to make things "better" vs. simply tearing down what they don't like
Are at their best on a Healthy Team
Actually Do Something on the team (other than wax heretic)
Are ultimately committed to the Kingdom of God more than Their own agenda
Are ultimately committed to the Kingdom of God more than Your Church, Team, or Tradition

The evolution of the church has happened throughout history with the help of Heretics (some healthy, some not) Challenging, and Pushing us all into many times what God is already up to.

We Need Healthy Heretics.

Do you know any?
Do you lead any?
Are you one?

Jarrett Stevens is the author of The Deity Formerly Known as God as well as the upcoming title, Four Small Words. After working for Willow Creek Community Church for 12 years as a Teaching Pastor for AXIS, Jarrett moved to Atlanta to work with North Point Community Church as the Singles Pastor and as leader and communicator for 7|22. Jarrett is known for his humor and honesty in his teaching and he is a creative leader with a pastor’s heart. Without a doubt his greatest joy is his relationship with Jeanne who continues to fascinate him, as well as their two beautiful children, Elijah and Gigi. Jarrett and Jeanne are now hard at work with the planting of Soul City Church in the city of Chicago, scheduled to begin spring 2010.