After quickly dispensing of a foe in the underrated Troy (my opinion), Achilles turns to the crowd yelling, "Is there no one else?!" Of late that is how I felt when I read an article written on the cultural trends of the church, or the reason millennialists are leaving the church, or how to attract "young" people, etc. and etc. After reading each post I feel like screaming, "Is there no one else!" Is there no other challenge? Is this the only challenge church "critics" like to talk about?
These articles do not make me squirm in my seat or challenge me as a leader in the church. They do not challenge me in the ways the prophets do. They do not force me to stand in the pulpit and say, "I have been convicted!" They do make me want to change a structure here or there but it's a reactive change to protect my paid profession. I'd be happy to hire a praise band so that I could bring more "young" folks in but they need to be wealthyish so I can continue to sit behind my computer at Starbucks and read articles. These millenialist and attraction church articles do nothing to challenge my call, my faith, or my role as pastor.
"Church critics", I dare you to challenge me!
I dare you to speak as Amos does of summer fruit baskets and plumb lines. I dare you to speak as Hosea does of Israel's "whoreness". I dare you to challenge as Isaiah challenges, "And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress" (Isaiah 5:7b). I dare you to challenge me as Jesus does in every shape and being to love my neighbor, to love my enemy, to pray for those who persecute me, to rely on God's grace and not place trust in my wealth, or to go and make disciples. I wish you to challenge me, to call me a fool as Jesus does, and to force me to reevaluate my role as pastor.
That is what I need.
I am daring you to speak bravely and challenge my role as pastor because your articles on millennialism do nothing but create an anxiety to protect what is mine. They do not challenge me to go and sit beside the sick. Your articles and research do not cause me to give rides to the hitchhikers. Your articles speak nothing into the fatherless and parentless homes around me or call me to defend the voiceless children facing emotional and abusive turmoil. Your articles speak nothing into the empty, hungry bellies seeking food in our food pantries. You are speaking nothing into my call except how I should protect my job. You are speaking nothing into a world in need of the gospel.
My dear "Church Critic", I think you have misunderstood what I need from you. I do not need your observations on the cultural trends that are affecting church budgets or church attendance. While the observation is helpful to know, I need more from you. You see, I am not concerned with my job. Whether I am a full-time pastor or part-time pastor, I will always be a pastor even if my "real" job is digging a hole. I am not concerned about my wealth because I have seen God's faithfulness so I know my family and I will be okay.
You see, what I am concerned with are the families in my community who are struggling to make it day to day for various reasons. I am concerned with those in my community who are longing for a place to belong, a place and people to love them unconditionally, to know God's unconditional love is greater than any prosperity gospel. I am concerned with the teenagers in my community who believe they are not capable of doing anything with their lives so they quit before they are half done with high school. I am concerned with a political system that does not allow poverty stricken families an opportunity to get off food stamps because the amount they are to make to not qualify is not enough to receive the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter.
"Church Critic", I do have concerns as a pastor but my concerns are not about the future of the church or the future of my job. My concerns are of the kingdom, of God's Movement, and if you wish to continue to speak of trends, then I will continue to shout, "Is there no one else?!" until someone answers.
Then when one finally has the courage to speak up and challenge as Clarence Jordan does, as Martin Luther King Jr. does, as Tony Campolo does, as Dietrich Bonheoffer does, as Amos does, as Isaiah, as Hosea, as Jesus, the Son of God does, they will have my undivided attention, my willing heart, my closed mouth, and my open ears.
However, if you wish to stay behind your comfortable computer screen and profit off your book sales or tally your blog visits, then I am done; for you see, I have a certain Movement to be about and I have wasted enough time not being challenged.
No comments:
Post a Comment