Snippet: Canceling Josh McDowell

snip·pet | ˈsnipit | noun a small piece or brief extract.

Here’s a snippet from Justin Giboney on the Church Politics Podcast (Sept. 29), regarding how to respond to Josh McDowell’s apology about what he said about opportunities for blacks in America and the black family:

“We should be heartbroken. We should be prayerful. And we should ultimately want to see him restored through a change of heart. And, honestly, I don’t think this negates the rest of his work. …The man apologized, and we should give him the opportunity to show that the apology was sincere.”

If you want to read an account of what was said and McDowell’s response you can listen to the episode or go here: Josh McDowell Steps Back from Ministry After Race Remarks: “I made comments about race, the Black family, and minorities that were wrong and hurt many people” (Christianity Today).

Chris Butler goes on to frame the issue of correction using examples from 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians, Paul tells the church to kick an unrepentant offender out of the fellowship, but in 2 Corinthians he talks about restoring a repentant one (possibly the same guy). It was a great way to frame the issue.

Giboney and Butler’s response doesn’t surprise me because it’s consistent with their words and actions, but it can’t be easy to take this approach.

And, frankly, I think they could have been harder on McDowell and so many of us who think in similar ways and say similar things in daily conversations.

But they did find a way to correct his perspective without piling up on him.

And they also exposed those would pile up on someone just to enhance their own platform, to prove their own narrative, or to attempt to cancel a man who has done so much for the church throughout the years.

I love these guys!