"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. " (Jude 21)
I don't usually post anything on my blog on Sundays- usually it's Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I just kind of had to "think out loud" on this one.
Today I had what could be called a "hit and run" first time visitor at our church. It reminded me of a couple of visitors we had about eight years ago. Then, a middle-aged woman and a young man came in quite early- around 8:30 a.m. when we have coffee and refreshments. They each helped each other to some coffee and refreshments. The young man acted suspicious. After a few minutes he asked me, "Do you believe in 'speaking in tongues'?!" I informed him we did.
"Oh, so THAT'S how it is around here!" he angrily remarked and the two of them left like they were the last two people off the Titanic!
Today's "hit and run" was a bald guy who was maybe in his forties. He arrived a few minutes before Adult Sunday School. I introduced myself and he gave his name as "Jerry". Somehow, he had "pleasant but judgmental and intolerant Christian" written all over him....oh, not literally, but I've met the type before. Considering I'm VERY unconventional for an evangelical, I wondered how long he'd last. In Sunday School we're watching a PBS documentary (on DVD) and discussing it in light of the Bible. Many evangelicals would find that too "worldly, secular, and inappropriate". I put the DVD on and began watching. I glanced back and noticed the guy was gone. All it took was a minute of that PBS documentary and he bolted!
One of our members followed him out and tried to talk to him and encourage him to come back inside. After about ten minutes the church member gave up and Jerry was gone.
I never got to hear what Jerry's objections were. I never got to explain why we're using that material, and how it really IS relevant to the Bible. Jerry also never got to be part of our morning worship service, which was particularly good today.
Overall, it was a good morning, but those "hit and run" deals are quite annoying and unfair.
Here's a good rule: DON'T do that! All churches are different. All pastors are different. Give the place a chance. TALK. Interact. Listen. And understand that some Christians may nor share your political views...they may not share your philosophical views...they may not listen to the same kind of music you do. Give them a chance.
In one scene of today's video (a documentary) a troubled Christian teen talks about his church and his pastor who accepted him with black fingernail polish and weird looks when he arrived at the church, and that acceptance led to him making it his church home. I think we'd have accepted Jerry O.K. if he just gave us a chance!
This is just the Sunday afternoon venting of a pastor! What do you think?
EMMYS 1970: My World...and Welcome To It
1 year ago
3 comments:
He did his disappearing act right after I gave him an Evangel and Live. I looked back after I sat down and he was gone. "Jerry the mystery man".
Dear Pastor,
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalm 118: 24
There were ALOT of good things about the Service ... Please don't focus on the one or two bad things that happened.
It's like me having to made a decision on whether to focus on the people who left our church ... Or focusing on the Lord.
I have made the decision ... I have decided to follow Jesus ...
As you pointed out “you know the type.” Well you would probably see me from a mile away. I’ve probably been to a 1000 different churches, including yours in Framingham!
I try to find one that I like, and “I know the type.” Usually a good AG church in the US is good, but easily, my favorite churches are catholic in Central Africa. They are really spirit filled and given where they are, they really stand out. The only reason I bring this up is after a church service in Nigeria, the pastor commented to me that he hated the equivalent of what you call “hit and run visitors.” Apparently, this is a universal reaction among pastors.
Since you brought this up in your last blog, I wish there were more John McCain’s to vote for out there. I am having problems with the current batch of Republicans. I find our President and some in congress to be lacking moral fiber when it comes to torture. McCain seems to be the only one who can say “we don’t torture and we don’t need to!” I am retired ex-military and I hate listening to current discussion about the Geneva Convention. We are better than this.
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