Naming Names

Below are two quotes for your consideration. Both come out of the Sharper Iron Forum, in a thread titled, "John Piper, Mark Driscoll and Harsh Language."

This first quote was written by a moderator known as Larry:

I think if we teach people the Bible, they won't need to read these things on fundamentalist blogs. They will know what the Scriptures teach. The problem with naming names is that if we don't name them, people won't know to separate from them. The good thing about teaching Scripture is that people will have the tools to know how to discern what they should listen to and what they should not. So, I have no problem naming names. I think we should name names that people would know and recognize, and I think we should spend more time talking about Scripture.

Too many people are too prone to depend on lists, just like they have done for too long. If something is on the list, we know what to think about it. But we don't know what to think about stuff that's not on the list. That leads to the old "If the Bible doesn't explicitly say it, I can do it (or I don't have to do it)," which is a farce. And it leads to people with little to no spiritual discernment about how to apply the Scripture. I don't think that is a wise way to train a new generation of fundamentalists.

(comment #45)

How about this one, made by Kevin Miller:

The only exposure I have had to Driscoll has been in this thread started by Lou, and the only way for me to now know whether Lou tells the full story about Driscoll is to listen to Driscoll myself. So Lou is really the one leading me to Driscoll here. I really am tempted to find out for myself whether the stuff told by Lou and the people Lou quotes is accurate, otherwise any wornings I might pass along about Driscoll would be second hand information.

Also, if we warn people about Piper because he has Driscoll speak and might lead us to Driscoll, do we also have to warn everyone about the people who have had Piper speak? Then do we also have to warn about those who offer speaking engagements to those who pastor at churches where Piper has previously spoken?

(comment #46)

These are questions whose answers affect us all.

Would you ever use a name or a list, to help protect someone from error?

Have you ever done so before in your ministries?