What do you all think about Elder Clayton Christensen (An Area Seventy) who said:
QUOTE |
He said failing to extend callings to those who are unworthy or less-active is a major reason for stagnant membership growth rates in the church. He shared two stories of men who failed to keep the Word of Wisdom health code, yet lived in wards under bishops who extended them important church callings. These men later went on to become fully re-activated and offer great contributions to the church. |
This is a difficult question for me, and personally I feel it depends on the calling and the individual.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ main objective is to give spiritual health to the sick, as Christ said the well need no physician. If we are only going to give callings in the church to those who have no faults then we are limiting the growth potential for many (if not all) Latter Day Saints.
There are callings of leadership that require people to have the upmost worthiness, and I cannot see the church budging on this. But I can see the need to give growth opportunities to people who are not necessarily well developed in the Gospel.
I have an internal conflict on this issue, that compels me to study it more. I can see the benefits in calling individuals to callings for their spiritual benefit, even if they have some personal faults, if they are not committing any serious sins.
Thank you for the topic, it gets me thinking.
I generally feel that the church will give out any calling it can just so everyone has some sort of job to do even if its needed or not. I know callings never really made me feel anymore important than the next guy, it was just something extra to do.