TROUBLEMAKERS

Romans 16:17 says: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Ernest Lee is often called a troublemaker, because he confronts those who cause division and teach doctrines that are contrary to the scripture. Does speaking truth to authority, not being blindly loyal to an overseer or questioning leadership make you a troublemaker?

(1) In the secular world, those who hold authorities accountable and question their votes, decisions, or judgment provide a great service. They force those in authority to justify their decisions. Good leaders need that. Good leaders desire that. Proverbs 27:17 says “Iron sharpens iron” which means both parties benefit from healthy dialogue and interaction. That should be the case in a church, but more often than not it isn’t.

(2) There are boundaries and reasonable limits to questioning authority. Someone who attempts to ‘micromanage’ a leader is out of bounds. Leaders must be allowed to do their job. Constantly harassing or badgering authorities accomplishes little. Nit picking a leader is counterproductive. The questioning of authority must be clear, precise and scriptural.

(3) There should never be a victim. When leaders are questioned, they shouldn’t play the victim card. When those questioning leaders are called ‘troublemakers,’ they shouldn’t declare themselves a sufferer. Ernest Lee is not a victim. He understands that God is in control and ole Ernest Lee should just do what he is supposed to do in a right spirit.

(4) REAL troublemakers cause division. They might be theologically sound, but their style of leadership divides. Real troublemakers don’t work and play well with others. REAL troublemakers are always the victim. Someone is always picking on them. They claim to never know why there is division in organizations or churches they lead. They point to anyone disagreeing with them or questioning them as a troublemaker, when they in fact are the instigator and the mischief maker. Their ultimate goal is to purge, to extract, to remove anyone or anybody who is a possible threat to their autocratic style of leadership.

Ernest Lee proudly wears the title of troublemaker. Troublemakers don’t go along to get along. They rightly divide the word of truth. They earnestly contend for the faith. They aren’t blindly loyal. They are diligent to hold leaders accountable.