Where Everybody's Crazy

How are you doing? We hope this letter finds you well - we believe you're in Ephesus at the moment. How are you managing with the local food? We just received your latest prayer letter, and were particularly impressed with your idea of taking the collection up to Jerusalem. This sounds fantastic!

However, it does raise some questions about your recent behaviour, and that is why we wanted to write to you. First, we have some concerns about your use of language. We are very confused as to how the person who wrote "let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth" could use the sort of language that you did in your letter to the church in Caesarea Phillipi. (Phil 3:8) We can understand that you wanted to show a break from your Judaistic past, but perhaps you could have expressed your past achievements in more wholesome terms? The word σκυβαλον... well, we need not comment on it. But we hope that you will behave in a more dignified manner in the future.

Similarly, your attitude when writing to the Galatians was, it must be said, singularly unChristian. We are, after all, called to love our enemies, rather than wish emasculation upon them. Rather than sarcastic and ironic words, we would encourage you to teach your brothers and sisters using more encouraging and positive terms.

We might have been able to dismiss these as isolated incidents, were it not for the incident before the high priest, which has come to our attention. I believe you wrote to another church about the necessity for obedience to the authorities, and here we find you calling the high priest a "whitewashed wall!" Did you not know of Jesus's command to "turn the other cheek" when we are assaulted in his name, if not his command to love our enemies? Instead, when in a perfect position to turn the other cheek, you chose to again use your vituperative tongue to attack, rather than show love, and once again your talent for sarcasm was on public display. We would like to ask you to reflect on whether such behaviour is appropriate for a missionary of your standard.

Finally we have heard from John Mark about your treatment of our short-term mission workers. We are aware that John Mark did not have adequate cultural training to join you on your mission trip, but that was no excuse for the way you treated him. Again, do you not realise that Christianity is a religion marked by forgiveness and second chances? And yet you were not able to extend a second chance to a junior missionary in your charge!

Clearly there are some major issues with your character which we believe you should reflect upon. We recognise that you are one of our most successful mission partners, and this is what makes our position even more difficult - however, if you do not feel you can master your character in a more godly and more Christian manner, then we will have no hesitation in asking you to leave our mission.