Dear Rochester Street Preacher,
I noticed you last week.
As I drove through downtown Rochester there you were on the corner of Broadway and 2nd, just you and your little sound system. It didn’t look like you were having much
success. Nobody came within a block of
you, yet you stubbornly kept at it. Thankfully
I couldn’t hear a word you were saying (I had my music playing at a ‘proper’
volume which drowned out even your loud rants), but I know exactly what you
were saying. You were quoting all sorts
of verses from the King James version of the Bible (as if that’s the only
translation that God allows). You were
telling people that they needed to repent or they would go to hell.
I know your type and frankly you drive me crazy. It’s because of people like you that we
Christians get a bad name. You don’t
have a word to say about God’s grace.
You spew your words of hate and damnation, turning a loving God into
some sort of monster to be feared. You have
no use for building relationships. The people who walk by you are just objects
to be preached at. You won’t listen to
them or their backgrounds. You put
people in a box labeled ‘sinner’ and condemn them for it. Do
you forget that the people you’re yelling at are God’s children too?
Jerks like you are unloving, intolerant of those who disagree
with you, and 100% convinced that your interpretation of Scripture is the
correct one.
Oh wait. Pot…meet kettle!
See what I did there?
I ream you for your lack of relationships, but I didn’t even turn down
my music to hear what you had to say. I
put you in a box called ‘street preacher’ and condemned you for it. I call you unloving, but I looked down on you
from the moment I saw you. I call you intolerant, but I dismiss your faith
perspective out of hand. Perhaps I’m the
one 100% convinced that my interpretation of Scripture is the correct one.
Mr. Street Preacher, it sounds like I forgot that you too
are a child of God. You too have a story
of faith. You too follow Jesus. I made you into a caricature of yourself
just so I could self-righteously condemn you.
Last Sunday evening I was on that same corner in Rochester,
this time walking to hear Jay Bakker speak (a shout out to the Sandbox Cooperative for bringing him in). Jay is
the son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.
Yes, that Jim Bakker, the one who went to prison in the 1980’s for
bilking his congregation for millions. I’ve
railed against ‘people like that’ who fail so completely. They make the church look bad!
Jay now serves as a pastor at Revolution Church in the Twin
Cities and he travels extensively to talk about grace. It’s a message I love to hear, but it sounds
like I need to hear it more. When Jay
talked about Jim Bakker, it wasn’t as some evil church dude. He talked about his dad, a man of faith who
worked to instill faith in his son.
Mr. Street Preacher, I did the same thing to Jim Bakker that
I did to you. I turned him into a caricature
of himself so I could feel justified in attacking him with impunity. I forgot that he too is a beloved child of
God.
Ironic, isn’t it? In
my zeal to proclaim the love and acceptance that God has for God’s world I self-righteously condemn those who I feel ‘get
in the way’ of that message. It’s funny
how we who insist on ‘tolerance and acceptance’ are quick to shun and
condemn those that they feel are intolerant.
Mr. Street Preacher, I’ll likely never have a chance to have
a conversation with you. Forgive me for
so quickly condemning you. God loves you
unconditionally. It appears that I have
some work to do before I can do the same.
Your brother in Christ,
Pete
"Jerks like you are unloving...."
ReplyDeleteWhat do you suppose it is to call someone names?
I stand corrected... Nice finish.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading all the way through to the end!
ReplyDeletePastor Pete,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this very transparent post. I feel like there are many believers who unfairly judge other believers based on bias and personal preference (I know that I have been guilty of this in the past as well). The Rochester street preacher that you're are referring to in this post is a close friend and brother of mine (we are members of the same church in SE MN). He spends a couple of afternoons, every week, on street corners throughout Rochester, loving preaching the full counsel of God. He, and other members from our little congregation, take frequent trips to Minneapolis to do street evangelism in partnership with Bethlehem Baptists' outreach ministry. While I'm at home, comfortably enjoying my family, he's preaching the Gospel of Peace in some of the darkest places in Minnesota. His boldness and courage are so inspiring to me.
It's really too bad you didn't stop and listen, because I'm sure that you would have been edified by what you heard. His typical open-air sermon begins with what the reformers would call “Law-work”. This involves him pleading with those listening to test and examine themselves under the Law of God, specifically the Ten Commandments. He shows them how horrible their sins are in the eyes of a Holy God. As people pass by on their way home from work, he appeals with them to consider God's eternal judgment of sin. That, all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire, and that no thief will inherit the Kingdom of God (Rev. 21:8). Common sins such as blasphemy, are abominable to God, and we should be warned that “He will not hold them guiltless who takes His name in vain”(Ex. 20:7). Hatred is the same as murder, just as lust in the heart as committing adultery in God's eyes(Matt. 5-7). Even our most “righteous” deeds, according to Isaiah 64:6, are sin in God's eyes (because He judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart). Given what we deserve, would mean eternal punishment in hell. But, Brother Ed doesn't stop there...
God has provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and granted everlasting life. Through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, God has provided atonement of sin for those who repent and believe(Mark 1:15). “Turn from your sin” brother Ed would cry, “Stop trusting in your own works in order to appease God (for this is futile). Instead, trust the finished work of Jesus Christ!”
We are on a pilgrimage in this world and our true citizenship is in heaven. While we are on earth we have work to do, and one very important task is the proclamation of the Gospel. Just before He ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, Jesus laid out the Great Commission as follows, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. .... " (Mark 16:15). And, I'm sure we both can agree from personal experience,“How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!(Romans 10:15)”
Sorry to hi-jack your post (this was not my intention when I started to comment, I promise)! If you would like to meet Brother Ed and I, we would be happy to set something up. We would value any input you may have in regards to how more effectively share the gospel.
God Bless,
Bryan
Hi Bryan -
ReplyDeleteI would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and Brother Ed. Feel free to contact me at reuss@semnsynod.org and we can find a time.
Thanks, pastor. I met Ed this weekend while I was visiting my son in Minneapolis. We heard his group preaching on Nicollet Mall and stopped to say hello. I have had the privilege of preaching with other brothers from Minnesota at Super Bowl events, and the Lord has called me to preach on the streets here in my home city in South Florida. We live to exalt the name of Christ in the cities, and to proclaim His great salvation to sinners like us. Our love in Christ to you, your family and your congregation in Rochester, brother!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Brother Ed keep up the Lords work. Dont listen to the lukewarm, watered down, sugarcoated christians. For it Is better to obey God than man. Matthew 7:21.
ReplyDelete