Tim Ellsworth

7 Responses to “Just a man with an ego”

1. j razz says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
   

   Wow Tim. That is really disheartening. I remember sitting under a different man (or at least it appeared that way)… I would like to get some commentary by Gushee just to make sure I understood him right; although, the article doesn’t leave much room for a “broader meaning”.

   j razz

2. Lisa M says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
   

   I grew up a pastor’s kid. But my father’s ministry wasn’t in a church - he had stopped pastoring an individual church after 15 years and stepped into the director role of a much larger ministry. That ministry involved both of my parent’s working more than full time and included lots of travel.

   Being the youngest of 6 and a “surprise” (I was born 8 years after my next closest sibling when my mom was 40) my formative years looked far different than my siblings’. By the time I was 10 years old I had my own house-key, on many days came home from school to an empty house and even stayed overnight alone when my folks got stuck after what was supposed to be a day-trip to guest-speak at a church.

   We took annual family trips and once every month or so one or both of my parents spent a special day with me. I was given a wonderful heritage of faith and fully recognize the positive elements of my upbringing.

   I never have doubted, for one moment, that my parents loved me. I knew they loved me, felt they loved and saw they loved me. But - and this is a huge ‘but’ - I did wonder if I truly was a priority. Time mattered.

   For my mom, time ran out. She died when I was 18 after a long battle with cancer. Her only regret was not saying ‘no’ more to my father to spend more time with me. My Dad realized , after my mom’s cancer diagnosis, that all the ministry success in the world couldn’t turn back time.

   He’s a different man now.

   I hope Mr Gushee learns this lesson in a less painful manner.

3. Adam Winters says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
   

   Tim, I don’t think we are reading Dr. Gushee’s article the same way.

   I have been greatly concerned with many of Dr. Gushee’s recent writings on doctrine and other issues, but I’m not sure I see any real problem with what he has written here. The fact is that Dr. Gushee is regarded as one of the most influential and desired ethicists in evangelicalism. That doesn’t make him always right or a “great man” per se, but it does lend some credibility to his personal burden to accomplish historic things for God on account of what influence he may have been given. I don’t think he is being prideful in this column, just attempting to evaluate his lifestyle in light of a demanding schedule of writing, teaching, and speaking.

   Dr. Gushee has always struck me as a “family man” from a distance. In matters of morality, I know of few “greater” or more humble men. I hope that no matter how more far he attempts to distance himself from conservativism or Southern Baptists, that he doesn’t forget to tend the stewardship of his home.

   If anything, I would encourage him to heed the wisdom and warning of Matthew 15:5, where Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for suggesting they could justify neglect of family in the name of serving God’s Kingdom. Dr. Gushee is not unique among evangelical men of great influence who struggle to find time for family. We can only hope that he never uses that reality as an excuse for negligence. May the Lord bless the work of my once mentor and preserve his family in holiness.

4. Adam Winters says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
   

   But for the record, I think you are right on the key issue.
   EVERYONE should read Mahaney’s Humility if they haven’t yet. And even if they have, they should read it again.
   God bless, Tim.

5. Joel Maners says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
   

   This article reminded me of Moses. His ministry destroyed his marriage and it took his father-in-law, Jethro, to help bring perspective into his life and rebuild his marriage. I hope Dr. Gushee has a Jethro in his life.

6. Mark G. says:
   July 25th, 2008 at 8:29 am
   

   I don’t know that any amount of human effort is going to overcome pride and disobedience. (I know, that’s an attack). But I’ve never even heard of Dr. Gushee. I don’t think that highly popular men who speak and write are necessarily sinning by being away from family (although it is a thin line). From the biographies I’ve read the men that were great never enjoyed the fact that they were away from their family. I sense pride in this article because it seems that he is embracing it.

   I’m reminded of the story of the preacher who was so popular who was booked over a year in advance. He traveled away from home a lot. Until one day his wife called and with a desperate voice said, “I need you.” Their teenage son had become more than she could handle on her own. So he canceled the speaking engagements and came home. He raised his son through the teenage years. When we went back to preaching, the speaking engagements were gone. His popularity gone. But in his son, Dr. James Dobson, he left a greater legacy than he could have in all his popularity.

   Great men don’t set out for greatness. God makes them great. And just from what I’ve read so far about Dr. Gushee, I don’t see him as becoming anything monumental. “Humble yourself and the Lord will raise you up.”

7. Adam Winters says:
   July 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
   

   That’s some good wisdom for us all to take to heart, Mark G.