I Have Arrived
Let's get this out of the way first. The Angels have nobody to blame but themselves for losing so badly in the ALCS. They didn't show up. Figgins and Guerrero combined for 2 hits in 5 games. This isn't a team that makes excuses so I'm not going to make any for them. Bad calls, losing Colon, Washburn's illness, Bengie's injury...I think all those things contributed. But they simply forgot to hit. You don't get to go to the World Series that way.I can't write anything better than Sandra did about this past Sunday. If you really want to know what it was like go read her blog first at http://sjsblog.blogspot.com/. Then come back here.
It was such a moving scene: groups of people are gathered around our elders, holding them and praying for them. We could have continued for at least 15 more minutes. During the last song, there were still people getting up and surrounding these couples we love. The blessing for me was when people came to Lisa and I and prayed for us. I know this happened with some of our ministers too. One dear sister walked right up on stage and grabbed Sandra while she was singing, hugging her and praying over her. It was special to me because I have no official capacity at College whatsoever. Yet people found it in their hearts to pray for me and for what I do. Amazing.
If there was any doubt in my mind as to whether I had arrived as a preacher or not, it was erased last night. Both of my last two sermons have had great responses. I've had many people come and say how blessed they were by them. Sunday's lesson even came quite easily, a sure sign that the Spirit is doing the writing. But none of that convinced me that I was on the right track nearly as much as the phone call I received yesterday.
Last night, one of our brothers raked me over the coals for comments I'd made in the last two lessons. Among other things, I shouldn't mention the time when people were "pushed out" of our church (they weren't and I didn't). It was "offensive" of me to say that women are oppressed in the church (yeah, I said that one). I need to choose my words more carefully and stop acting like I know it all (sometimes I think I'm not forceful enough and I pray I don't act like I know it all...I don't think I do). And I really insulted some people this past Sunday when I said "I'm tired of hearing prayers that end with 'if it be Your will.'" (I'm sorry, but I am.) The kicker came when, after 15 minutes of berating me, he asked me to do him a favor.
I kid you not.
Anyway, the favor was something I truly couldn't do...he asked me to tell him who said what in a recent elders' meeting...so I politely declined. And I have to say, I really was quite polite the entire time. There were some long pauses when he made inflammatory comments that I just let hang. I'm old enough to know when I'm being baited, I suppose. But God kept me in check as He kept reminding me that if this guy was upset, I must be doing something right.
I have arrived.
posted by Thurman8er @ 10:18 AM
6 Comments:
Confirmation of gifts and service can sometimes come in unsual and unexpected places.
I remember being crucified at a church corporation meeting (while I worked for a church that will remain nameless). The president of the corporation and his henchmen spent about an hour outlining a fabricated case against me. The finishing touches? They decided after the hour of launching darts that that the meeting should be closed with a prayer. Guess who they called upon to lead the prayer?
You know Steve, some of the events that have occurred to me in the past few weeks and your experienced leads me to believe this; if our churches are at “peace” then we must either be doing something wrong or we need to start doing something right! Our people must be stretched just as Jesus stretched, challenged, and chided the people of his day for religious complacency.
Also, how ironic is it that your detractor was offended by mentioning a time when the church was less than Christ-like in “pushing people out of the door.” Could it be his reluctance is due to the cold harsh reality that, yes, we’ve been wrong in the past, we’ve acted less than Christ-like in the past, and we’ll probably commit these same kind of errors in the future. When we begin to admit these things as individuals and as a body of believers we will see more than ever the need for God’s grace and we’ll be able to follow a specific command of Jesus in John 4: 23 – 24, to worship in Spirit and Truth. The “truth” part of that specific command is for me to take off my mask before God. Just think of the impact a body of believers could have on a community if we just practiced this one command from Jesus.
Hopefully the mixed reactions we seem to illicit from our respective flocks are an indication that we have arrived as ministers and church leaders. Keep on preaching and teaching my Math Brother.
Randy, I'm surprised you didn't "dart" out of that meeting. By the way, isn't "church-corporation" an oxymoron? I’m amazed at how our own brethren can cut you to pieces in one instant and then smile in your face the next.
I happen to go back and forth between pity and pure anger toward that sweet soul who called you. However, I know he's doing all he knows to do. He just happens to be one of the most insensitive people I've ever met and I pray often for him. (only when I'm in the pity mode, however. I have a hard time praying for him in the anger mode.)
I'm proud of you.
Sandra, I'm finding that we have a lot of re-educating to do concerning "what" church is and isn't. Too many of our people cut their spiritual teeth on preaching that concentrated on form (as a security blanket) rather than function. This kind of preaching and teaching have produced the kind of people like the one that Steve had to deal with.
When someone accuses me of haughtiness or of being a know-it-all, I usually listen to them, but really have to consider the source. That makes a lot of difference. But there is a wolf within me and it needs to be destroyed.
I am also careful about having an agenda for the church.
The College Church I grew up in did not oppress women. But perhaps that has changed.
Churches are about reconciliation. Churches do have fights (duh). But fighting is not, or rather, should not, be a characteristic that describes the family of God. ugyjt
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