Without delving into much detail, over the years I have inquired and even submitted draft articles to a few ministries for publication. My academic and pastoral resume should be at least sufficient to merit consideration. Mind you, I was not a newbie when it came to peer-reviewed and published works. I also had some acquaintances and even friendships with well-known authors and professors. But the response from at least two ministries was something equivalent to, “We don’t like your present associations…therefore no!”
This was especially true during the Federal Vision brouhaha, which few human beings in the Reformed world can spell or even understand, except to utter under their breath, “Schmorks works!” And that hesitation is even more pronounced today with my formal connections with the shires at Moscow and Birmingham.
However, I do confess that when those emails returned, I felt a sense of utter frustration. I even thought, “what if I tell them that I agree with only 79% of what this person teaches?” “What if I offered assurances of formal and theological distancing from such men?” I chose against it, even though it was tempting. After all, these were ministries I admired and I felt–and still do–a happy continuity between what I do and what they are doing. I was thrilled to join in partnership with them and do fruitful theological work together.
But as I reflect now, I wouldn’t trade my present partnerships with these folks for anything. I wouldn’t trade the friendships I have gained in my little ecosystem in these last 20 years for 100 published essays.
The result has been that what I have written has reached the right kinds of people through the right kinds of mediums. I was able to convey my heart and intellect and whatever I believe to be fruitful in the kingdom to precisely the people God wanted me to communicate to.
This all means that I find myself treasuring more and more the long commitments to old alliances. In some ways, those rejections allowed me to plant seeds in other places which now are bearing visible and glorious fruit.
Once you find your tribe of faithful companions, stay close.
