When it comes to people disengaging from the Church, we often hear the same typical reasons…
• Social issues
• Church history
• Negative church culture
• Church doctrine or theology
For believing Latter-day Saints, this is sometimes hard to understand as we have such a dynamic theology that include doctrines that provide so much hope in mortality.
However, it seems that one person can be repelled from the Church for the same doctrine that attracts another.
How could this be?
This leads me to a reason many people leave the Church that is rarely talked about.
This reason is our failure to effectively frame doctrine.
The way we frame doctrine could convert one heart while breaking another heart not because the doctrine has changed, but the framing of that doctrine is different.
For example, here is a list of basic doctrines and how they could be framed differently.
Notice the different feeling that comes from each framing of the same doctrine.
Eternal Families
• The doctrine of eternal families separates families in eternity.
• We are sealed together as families so that we can be exalted together and become more like our Heavenly Parents.
Three Degrees of Glory
• You must be married, sealed, and endure to the end or else you will be a servant in heaven.
• Heaven is available to all, and we will all have the opportunity to be eternally happy.
Word of Wisdom
• God will not allow you to be happy if you drink a cup of coffee.
• The Word of Wisdom is a commandment that allows us to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ regardless of the long-term health benefits.
The Sacrament
• If you drink the sacrament unworthily, you are drinking damnation to your soul.
• The sacrament is a time to commit once again to a covenant relationship with Heavenly Father.
As leaders, we don’t just need to make sure doctrine is taught.
We also have a responsibility to make sure it is framed in a way the invites people unto Christ rather than shaming people unto Christ.
Doctrine framed incorrectly can cause people to feel exhausted by the idea of engaging in the gospel.
Generally speaking, we can make sure we are framing doctrine correctly by asking ourselves a few simple questions:
Is this doctrine helping people feel redeemed or condemned?
Is there a hopeful message in how I am explaining this doctrine?
Does this doctrine instill hope and love?
What do you think?
Do we need to pay more attention to how we are framing doctrine we teach?
Sincerely,
Kurt Francom
Executive Director
Leading Saints
P.S. This is an older newsletter message. Get the up-to-date message weekly by subscribing for free HERE.
Excellent and very important topic. All leaders, teachers, and parents need to understand and use the three framing doctrine correctly questions when teaching individuals or classes.