READ ALONG WITH MITCH

“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (I Timothy 5:17)

Over the years on the blog I’ve recommended a book or two that I’ve enjoyed and that I think others might enjoy, too. (I know clergy are SUPPOSED to be big readers. I’m pretty embarrassed that I might read 3 or 4 books a year in their entirety. Many clergy read a book a week. I tend to get bored with books and stop about a third of the way into a book.) I was blessed to be treated to a luncheon at Ken’s Steak House by the Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association last Thursday. Some of my fellow evangelicals can’t understand why I have a good relationship with so many politically and theologically liberal clergy. Most of the clergy at F.I.C.A. are liberal in both categories (though NOT all of them!). Yet, that group has been very helpful to me and to First Assembly of God of Framingham a number of times through the years. I’ve truly learned some things from my liberal colleagues and I think I can safely add that they’ve learned some things from me. At that lunch meeting I was presented with a card and with Mitch Albom’s book, “Have a Little Faith”.

You may recall that Mitch Albom wrote “Tuesdays With Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. He’s a GREAT writer. He also used to have a nationally syndicated radio show which was heard on the weekends on Boston’s 96.9 FM talk station. I used to look forward to Mitch’s radio show.

I’m ashamed to admit how many books I’ve received as gifts that are still laying around my office at the church building (no, I still haven’t packed up my office yet!), still laying around my bedroom, or even laying around in the bathroom! In many cases I’ve read a chapter or two and stopped reading the books. In some cases there are new books I’ve never touched. I didn’t want to do that with the Mitch Albom book; and it’s a lot like “Tuesdays With Morrie” in that it’s a small book.

I’m pretty proud of myself that I read, “Have a Little Faith” in one day on Sunday! I also must add, it’s a WONDERFUL book! It’s absolutely worth the $23.99 price! (In fact, Mitch is tithing 10% of the books profits to his 501c3 nonprofit organization called “Hole in the Roof” which grants money to inner city churches that directly minister to the homeless.)

I fool around with writing, but my son Jon is a great writer. So is Mitch Albom. For people like Jon Baril and Mitch Albom writing is a craft the same way a guy is a finish carpenter. “Have a Little Faith” profiles two clergymen Mitch Albom has known and highly respected: His Rabbi Albert Lewis who passed away a couple of years ago, and Pastor Henry Covington, an inner city African-American Pentecostal pastor who ministers to the “least of these”. Some of my evangelical friends will argue that Mitch is not truly “saved” as we understand that word and will try to dismiss his words and thoughts. That’s too bad because my reply to them would be that Mitch is like the devout Jewish man to whom Jesus said, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (see Mark 12:34). Albom frequently attends Pastor Henry Covington’s church where the pastor calls him “Our Jewish Member”. I high respect vulnerability in writers and Mitch Albom is not afraid to share his struggles and positive personal experiences in the area of faith in God and doing the will of God.

The late Professor Rachel Bangs (who had been long retired from Framingham State College) used to talk to me about “nuggets” she would find in God’s Word. Well, a number of passages from God’s Word are quoted in “Have a Little Faith” and the book itself is loaded with spiritual nuggets. What, for instance, would you do if you were in Rabbi Albert Lewis’ shoes back in the early ‘50s when he was leading his Conservative Jewish synagogue which was located in a Catholic neighborhood near a Catholic Church? One of the high holidays fell on a Sunday. The Catholics were having a hard time finding parking spaces because the Jews’ cars were parked all over the local streets. The Catholic priest came out yelling at the Jews who were parking their cars near his church and yelled, “They should have exterminated all you people!”

The next day, the Rabbi went and had a nice conversation with the priest. He apologized. The Rabbi and priest walked arm in arm around the Catholic schoolyard at recess that day to show their solidarity with one another. They ended up becoming good friends.

As far as Pastor Henry Covington, he (supposedly) got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost as a kid but went into a life of TERRIBLE crime and sin. The man has a powerful testimony of how God has pulled him out of the gutter and today he is reaching the “down and outers” of Detroit’s streets.

Mitch Album does a thousand times better telling these stories than I’m doing. I was DEEPLY moved by reading “Have a Little Faith”. I am most grateful the Framingham clergy gave me such a great little book as a gift.

Right now I NEED to “Have a Little Faith”. In fact, right now, I need to have a LOT of faith! The book was PERFECT for me.
I hope you’ll pick up “Have a Little Faith” and read it. I highly recommend it!