Final Thoughts On Perry's "Response"

Here is the post that prompted my critique. Yesterday, Perry posted his response to I'm assuming NOT ME, but to other blogs that have critiqued him or NewSpring this week.

One last time: Perry - some of us don't hate you! I know you will find it hard to believe that people can be critical of you or your church and its methods and not actually hate you. But it's true.

And to answer your questions you raised in your post:
1) Yes I do know you. We've met (although I doubt you would remember it - thousands of people come in NewSpring's doors). I have been to NewSpring. I attended a membership class. We enjoyed the time we spent attending.

2) Yes, I would say what I said to you in person. And yes, I said it on this blog. I find your lines about saying things in private and using Matthew 18 a little disingenious since you quite blatantly use your blog to A) Share your private opinions in a very public way B) Bash smaller churches and methodologies you don't agree with and C) Threaten to punch people in the throat. If you live by the megaphone, expect to hear responses via a megaphone as well.

3) No, I don't feel like I caused dissension in what I said. I found the tone of the post alarming and extreme. You can check this blog from the very first post to this one and you'll find that I have never once criticized your methods or creativity. Nor have I ever been disparaging of your passion. I have criticized your blanket assumptions (which are your forte) about how things HAVE to be done to grow or your "all or nothing assertions" that you make quite often. But your blog posts quite frequently take the tone of wanting to pick a fight and that is what is causing dissension.

Even your own staff people are saying as much in their blogs as well.

My encouragement and final words in this exchange are to exhort you as the mega-church pastor to promote the positives of NewSpring and leave the negatives of what you perceive is resident in "Christianity" or "other churches" off of the posts. It's fine to have passion, but this "us vs. the world" mentality you have is ridiculous. You do good stuff. You should be commended for it. Keep doing it and keep your promise to ignore your critics.

TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC!