Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge.
Frederick Robertson1

The most important risks are theological. Almost every pastor will at some time take a risk because of an issue of theology. One pastor reported the following account:

"A pregnant girl and her boyfriend wanted me to marry them. She didn't attend church regularly, although she was a member. I had baptized her several years previously, and that was her rationale for wanting me to marry them: 'I was baptized here, and I'd like to be married here.'

"When I talked with them about their relationship and lifestyle, neither of them considered God an important influence. I told them that with that attitude I couldn't do the ceremony.

"Usually when I face a risky decision, I consult the elders. In this case, though, I felt I couldn't because the young woman's situation was not common knowledge. These situations put a pastor in a tough position. You have private knowledge, make a decision based on that knowledge, and then people criticize ...