When I was working, my commute was 35 minutes and I tried listening to John on the way in, but he was so intense that I couldn't concentrate & drive. I changed my morning commute time in order to listen to Chuck Swindoll because it was easier listening, but he read between the lines, wrenching an emotional response that wasn't there. I finally switched to listening to taped messages from RC and Boice. None of these men are perfect and speak/write infallibly - but claiming that error is heresy is arrogant.
I think it is a church's responsibility to expose heresy but it is not an individual's right to make that proclamation. What do you think?
I think it is wiser to only claim heresy after consulting other church leaders. I suppose there are times when an exception must be made, but the offense should be very clear and coming from someone with either no record or a bad record. Certainly it shouldn't be flung around at pastors with long records of faithfulness to God's Word.
Regarding Swindoll, he has bought into the trendy comtemplative spirituality and really disappointed me. I think it is a grave error. I won't label him a heretic, but I can't listen to or read him with the same delight. So I understand people's difficulties in dealing with these errors. But I think we must learn to discern between heresy and human error. And we should be merciful and try to persuade each other first.