No shirt, no shoes, no service

What does it mean to be a pastor in the public square as a man with emotions, preferences, and flaws?

What would it take to view the world through the pastoral lens of, "I may some day be asked to conduct your funeral" so I must therefore exist in harmony with my neighbor? That way, when the music fades in one stream, the harmonious tones create reminiscent memories to who the person who once was. Even if the sound is not the same, we would be able to confidently attest to a kind word that was practiced in life rather than a false word practiced moments before stepping forward to the microphone.

As Christians, our goal is harmonize with the message of Christ as an ever living testament to the will of grace and the love of God. Even if we are aware of our inability to be Christ. While, at times, the world feels like it aspires to follow the boundaries of a convenience store clerk, 'No shirt, no shoes, no service.' In the church, if someone is disagreeable, angry, loose of lips, vengeful, morally corrupt, and dissonant against the pastor and the church, then (knowingly or unwittingly) boundaries are formed. 

But what then is the church to do when faced with the shirtless, the shoeless, and still in need of someone to serve them?

Our lawful signs are no longer useful in ministry in this regard. For the one without clothes and footwear is like the parable Jesus spoke as recorded in the book of Matthew, chapter twenty-five in regard to the Judgment of the Nations. The world is full of those who are hungry and in need of a feast, thirsty and in need of a drink, strange and in need of acceptance, shirtless in need of a change, sick and in need of a cure, imprisoned and in need of freedom.

'No shirt, no shoes, no service' can be a thing of the past on the doors of the church if we let it. We can, and have, regrettably tapped the sign angrily with our finger as we gave them a piece of our mind. But given the chance to do it all over again, what's to keep us from giving them more than a harsh word?

Instead, rejoice in the moments where you are given the chance to harmonize with those who sing a song unusual to that of your average passerby. As you remove your own shirt and lift off your shoes, recognize that you are then standing on holy ground as you serve those who are unable to receive service everywhere else. And listen to the righteous sound it makes as you extend help to the off-beat sister and brother. 

For a time may come when you will be asked to speak on their behalf in their passing. So extend a chance to have them walk a mile in your shoes and live a while in your shirt. May you find yourself unable to enter any convenience store due to a lack of appropriate attire. And instead find yourself nearly bare at the pulpit singing of the amazing grace of a well worn pair of shoes and a tattered shirt. 

How sweet the sound to know that the song we would sing is one of kind assistance. Regardless of the signs that say otherwise.

A service with no shirt and no shoes.

                    

#seminarysleepers

#seminarysleepers

#seminarysleepers

The Arrogance of Education

We were blessed with a story of overwhelming evangelistic success today in a special chapel service. Pastor Sibanda is from Zimbabwe where he began serving in a district of 270 members without any formal theological education or training. Armed with the Bible and the book Christian Service written by Ellen White he began praying for and training his members to visit, care for and study with people in their area. Over the last 6 years the district has grown from 270 members to over 21,000. Yes, you read that right.

The story of care for people was compelling and powerful in spite of the awkwardness of the two pastors trying to help tell it. Growth like this in a church is unheard of in nearly EVERY denomination and especially mind-blowing in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Certainly church leaders and planters are eager to know the formula for success in soul-winning and so Pastor Sibanda is brought to enlighten us.

His words were humble and simple. The formula was embarrassing to an institution whose goal is to sell toolboxes full of soul-winning implements. The answer was simply this: 2-3 hours of prayer for the district, it's people and their struggles; and, read/study the Bible to the point that its words are planted in the mind for further meditation and study when the Bible isn't even physically available; and finally, implementing the methods of service from the book Christian Service.

One of the interviewers really showed the true arrogance of this institution when in response to this he said: "Isn't it amazing what God can do with a young person with no formal training? I'm not saying this to tell you to leave the seminary. But imagine what God could do with someone with the right training?"

Say what??? Does anyone else see the arrogance in this statement?

Here is a man who God has used to grow a district at an astronomical rate and the best we can highlight is that his success would have been greater if he had had more training? Wouldn't it make more sense to highlight that his success probably would have been hindered if he had more formal training?

I can envision this same professor standing up next to Jesus and praising Christ's miracles and ministry and salvation on the cross, but OH, what if Jesus had been formally trained...how much more He could have accomplished!!

Hogwash.

Let's stop patting ourselves on the back for building big institutions and thinking that only the "formally educated" can be successful. Let's praise the work of God in those who are not hindered by their intelligence and degrees. Let's exalt a God who works in spite of our intelligence, education and arrogance. Let's follow the power-filled example of Pastor Sibanda and actually pray the 2-3 hours for our church and fill our minds with the Bible so deeply that we have the Scriptures with us even when the physical Bible isn't present. I find that far more useful than many of the useless facts I'm forced to memorize right now.

We Are Giants

A man once set out to see what he could see. After awhile other men too set out seeking sight outside of what they perceived. Soon it became apparent that the ability of one man would produce only so much vision. And so the men assembled, to see what they could see.

Men standing on the shoulders of men to see farther than they could have alone. What began as a collective journey soon became a riot of haves and have nots. Foundational carcasses below the feet of those above them. Now atop the mound of those sacrificed seeking to see further, but with no one else to stand on top of, soon find themselves moaning under the weight of those who have come after they. 

"We were once the giants" they proclaim meekly before they are permanently affixed as little more than the forgotten past. A piece of the landscape no longer beautiful enough to be admired. Trodden under foot and silenced in the past with every new trek to the ever climbing summit.

"We are the giants!" they shout from the mountain tops. Seeing farther than any before them ever could. With their eyes set on the horizon, scanning what can only be described as their own from atop their perched throne. They are amazed at what a spectacle it is to see. All the while, their shouts of power and ability drown out the groans from below of those who helped them get there. 

And still further down the muffled wails of those on the bottom, deaf, blind and clueless to the world they are now secluded from. "We were once the giants." Though the voices tell that the memories of that truth are rapidly fading away.

Further down still. The shout of the single prophet. Standing on the shoulders of no one. Singing the message to nothing or no one in particular. Simply sharing a word with those who may care to hear. 

"We are merely giants," she belts.

"We are merely giants."