It was my first Sunday at my first pastorate. After preaching with youthful energy and confidence, I went to the door to get my "strokes." Instead, one lady bluntly told me she didn't appreciate the doctrinal errors in my message. I was shocked.

I entered the pulpit more cautiously the following Sunday, and on the third Sunday a different person attacked my sermon at the door. It soon became clear that major doctrinal differences divided these people.

Quickly I called for a board meeting and asked point-blank about their basic beliefs. I found that half the board members disagreed with the stated position of the denomination!

What should I do? The seat of all unity-common belief-did not exist in the church.

First a lion, then a lamb

I decided if we didn't have a workable foundation, I had to declare a foundation and let come what may. Reminding the board of the doctrinal position of the church, I informed them what I would preach and what we would practice in the church.

Most of them didn't ...