"Don't wing it."

[Paulomycin]

transitive verb.

6. To say or do (something) without preparation or forethought; improvise: "He decided to wing his remarks to reporters."

When I was in my early 20s, I took a little business school and briefly trained as a restaurant manager for a Pizza/Sub franchise that was booming at the time. My mentor's name was Bill, who often traveled around with me to different locations.

Bill looked like actor Don Most from "Happy Days," only taller and more powerfully built. Bill tried very hard to appear relaxed. But it did little to hide the fact that he was always tense, because he took the restaurant business so seriously. In the chain of command, Bill was second only to the regional supervisor, who was second only to the owner of the company.

One of the most important things Bill taught me was, "This place has been around long enough for us to figure out nearly every problem. So if you're facing a problem of any kind, do not assume this is the first time this has ever happened, nor assume you're the first person to notice it. If you're not sure about something, ask me or a senior staffer about the official policy on this or that. But for God's sake, whatever you do, don't wing it!"

Many of us want to "wing it" when it comes to Christianity. Doesn't matter if it's theology or church leadership. I'm seeing way too many believers here behaving as-if a given issue or topic is the first time its ever come up in church history. Or worse, as-if they're the 1st person to ever have to address it.

You're not on your own. Nobody's a "lone wolf Christian." Theology is not a creative enterprise. You don’t need to guess, or fill in the blanks. Don’t improvise, don’t make up any ad hoc explanations on the fly. And for God’s sake don’t “wing it!” We've had 2000 years of church history and church councils that have addressed real heresies that are still being "discovered" and "invented" by ignorant people today, who think they know better.

So if you're not sure about something, ask. Don't stop digging just because you'd rather make up an easy answer to make you feel better instead. If you don't know where to look, keep on faithfully asking, seeking, and knocking. - Matthew 7:7-8

Thus ends my rant of encouragement.

 

[AubreyM]

Hello Paul,

So if you're not sure about something, ask. Don't stop digging just because you'd rather make up an easy answer to make you feel better instead. If you don't know where to look, keep on faithfully asking, seeking, and knocking. - Matthew 7:7-8

You have given some excellent advice.

If a person needs help understanding something, though it might take us a little bit more action in the - digging area - God will provide away for you to find answer.

It is always good to ask questions about the thing you do not know, there are somethings that are difficult to understand, believe it is also good to ask questions about where someone has gotten information, or where they learned whatever it is they may be teaching as well. (A lot of my learning came from a show called heart of the matter on youtube with Shawn Mcranney = In which He taught using scriptures)

Asking questions leads to answers, and answers can lead to solutions and solutions can lead to peace, rest, and comfort especially the truth on matters, pertaining to knowledge of God's will, spiritual understanding, and wisdom.

Also like you said, for 2000 years, a lot of things that are brought up still today are nothing new (nothing new under the sun) things have been brought to the table, and if it doesn't coincide with the culture or the people just because of your own questioning and trying to search for truth.

You are most likely and will be shot down as someone told me the other day haha, because it's not normal. Anything contrary to a persons viewpoint, world view, theological stance, and it goes against what they have been taught it is most likely for a person to receive backlash because of it.

Which may cause us as people to coward away from digging anymore and dropping the shovel and walking away from trying to seek for truth.

Do not give up any on looker reading this!

Continue in your God given faith, and if you desire truth and are a seeker of truth, keep going! May God give you the increase, and may the peace of God, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, also the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you all!

 

[adderbolt]

Nobody's a "lone wolf Christian.

It is truly amazing how many of us believe in the power of creation and of the resurrection and yet we think that we have to nibble at God's word to define this or that and control the every situation.

“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." - Mathew 8.

 

[Lion IRC]

There are, of course, some biblical/theological matters where we are as entitled as everyone else is, to wing it. As the famous saying goes....

In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas.

But I completely agree with the Op that there's simply no need to feel like Robinson Crusoe - that you're all alone in needing to dream up an improvised answer to a question you've never encountered before.

 

[Minister Monardo]

transitive verb.

6. To say or do (something) without preparation or forethought; improvise: "He decided to wing his remarks to reporters."

When I was in my early 20s, I took a little business school and briefly trained as a restaurant manager for a Pizza/Sub franchise that was booming at the time. My mentor's name was Bill, who often traveled around with me to different locations.

Bill looked like actor Don Most from "Happy Days," only taller and more powerfully built. Bill tried very hard to appear relaxed. But it did little to hide the fact that he was always tense, because he took the restaurant business so seriously. In the chain of command, Bill was second only to the regional supervisor, who was second only to the owner of the company.

One of the most important things Bill taught me was, "This place has been around long enough for us to figure out nearly every problem. So if you're facing a problem of any kind, do not assume this is the first time this has ever happened, nor assume you're the first person to notice it. If you're not sure about something, ask me or a senior staffer about the official policy on this or that. But for God's sake, whatever you do, don't wing it!"

Many of us want to "wing it" when it comes to Christianity. Doesn't matter if it's theology or church leadership. I'm seeing way too many believers here behaving as-if a given issue or topic is the first time its ever come up in church history. Or worse, as-if they're the 1st person to ever have to address it.

You're not on your own. Nobody's a "lone wolf Christian." Theology is not a creative enterprise. You don’t need to guess, or fill in the blanks. Don’t improvise, don’t make up any ad hoc explanations on the fly. And for God’s sake don’t “wing it!” We've had 2000 years of church history and church councils that have addressed real heresies that are still being "discovered" and "invented" by ignorant people today, who think they know better.

So if you're not sure about something, ask. Don't stop digging just because you'd rather make up an easy answer to make you feel better instead. If you don't know where to look, keep on faithfully asking, seeking, and knocking. - Matthew 7:7-8

Thus ends my rant of encouragement.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but he who heeds counsel is wise.

Deuteronomy 12:
8 You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever
is right in his own eyes—
9 for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord
your God is giving you.

A man of lawlessness need not be wicked, only wise in his own eyes.
Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!