Arriving at his office early one Monday morning, Pastor Timothy was greeted by a small number from the Ephesian congregation who had been waiting for him. To his complete surprise they handed him a letter of dismissal. After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, all he could muster in reply was, “Why?”
After a few seconds of awkward silence, someone finally stepped forward. “I can’t speak for everyone here, but it seems to me like lately you’ve become kind of pushy, even bossy, in your preaching. I mean, in yesterday’s sermon you were talking to us like you actually expected us to change what we were doing. Expecting obedience is oppressive. Besides, don’t you think a pastor is the last person who should be authoritarian?”
Immediately after the first person finished another chimed in: “Yeah, and I’ve noticed that you act like you think we should follow you, like you’re better than us. But aren’t we all on the same road anyway? I think it’s arrogant to set yourself up as the model that everyone else is supposed to follow.”
The snowball was picking up speed and size…
“And why are you so narrow-minded? We’ve been trying for months to get you to add some videos or drama to the services, or at least dim the lights or play some mood music. But all you really seem to care about is studying the Bible. Do we really need to read from the Bible and then go through it verse by verse? There are so many other spiritual ways we could experience God through art and music and fragrance.”
Still another added, “It’s disappointing to me that you’re so focused on your job. Your interests are so limited, you just can’t relate to where the people are. And you’re always so absorbed and determined like life depended on your work. Just relax a little.”
Wanting to explain his philosophy of ministry, Timothy pulled out his MacBookPro and when the conversation paused for a moment he read part of an email he had recently received from his friend Paul:
Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
But before he could read further the group cut him off. “Sorry,” they said, “this isn’t really up for debate.”
For additional reading on the ECM see either Pyro or Fide-O.
15 Comments
ooo! as one who is currently obsessed with all things emerging, i enjoyed this very much. nice writing. :)
That was really neat. Very good post.
Wow — that was awesome! I love creative writing. Except when it’s “The Message.”
GraceGirl, welcome to the comments section on the new tohu va bohu! I didn’t even realize that you’d been missing from the scene until I had to approve this comment. And thanks for comparing me to the “The Message” (but in a contrasting sort of way).
I mean really Sean. I don’t think we can be clear about this. The bible was written by men — how do you know for certain what happened? I mean really.
There’s really nothing clear in the world, except that the people who think there is something clear are unintelligent.
Have you recently donned DZ’s ladies shirt?
Hey buddy. Very encouraging especially when I feel that nothing else is quite as important as the Word and hearing it taught. School just seems so less interesting compared to studying God’s Word. Keep preaching for that is the best medicine, vitamins, and nutrition we can get.
I think you have nailed the essence of the “emerging conversation” or whatever. Pastor Timothy’s bosses could speak “Emergentese” a little more fluently perhaps but then that would make it a very long post. Excellent.
Timothy had a MacBook? How did he get one???
Very nice, SK.
Wow, I didn’t realize that I was so slack in commenting — I will try to improve! :)
TK, you raise a good question. It makes me feel way behind the times that Timothy had a laptop and I don’t.
Dude, Clyde, you shoulda seen the glory of the silver-shirted singer.
See you all don’t really have all of the “Flower in the Rain” background information. I imagine it was funny, but not quite as funny when I place our 1997 experience next to Sean’s parody.
That was hilarious!!! Very nice writing. It saddens me that something like that could accutally happen…well I guess it did to JE….but still it is sad:’(
Hooray for Biblical narrowmindedness!!!!!!!!
This is awesome!!!! I love it!!
Very timely and obviously Paul’s words were as well…
Dude, that’s exactly it.
A young woman stumbles out of the oppressive heat rising from the dunes of dark gray sand. Collapsing partially under the shade of the outer date palms that encircles the oasis, she moans for help.
A young servant, not quite bearded enough to be a man nor youthful enough to be a child, answers her cries. This is not the first time that he has met a wanderer emerging from the desert. He bears a goatskin filled with cool water drawn fresh from the spring and a platter of dates, goat cheese and pita bread.
“Dear lady,” he says, “I know what you seek. Here, quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger.”
“Thank you, friend,” replied the woman. “But that is not what I want. Have you any olive oil?”
“My lady?” he queried.
“Yes, my skin is dry from the heat of the sun.”
“Woman, the heat has affected more than your skin. What you need is not what you seek. Renew your strength with the food that I bring.”
The situation is essentially the same for a great many of us — seeking emotional comfort and its momentary gratification over the diligent study and application of the Scriptures, which is God’s chosen gift for fortifying our faith.