Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools... -- Ecclesiastes 5:1
I received two interesting “religious” mailings last week.
One came from a mega-church in Oklahoma, whose name I will not mention to avoid giving them any sort of publicity. The mailing included several pieces, the centerpieces of which were a small, paper “prayer rug” and a sealed envelope containing “my very own, personal prophecy.” (The instructions insisted I not open the prophecy until I had knelt on the prayer rug (or I could “simply touch it to my knees”) and contacted the church via phone or return card...so I, of course, ripped the prophecy envelope open immediately. Turns out God is waiting for me to step forward in faith so HE can RICHLY REWARD ME! At the bottom of the SACRED PROPHECY were detailed instructions for “stepping forward in faith” through a generous donation.) Also included was a picture of a gazillion squeaky-clean, Sunday-best, Southwestern white folk standing in front of their arena/sanctuary, fairly blinding the cameraman with their Pepsodent smiles. I don't know if they all swallowed this idiocy, or were only hoping I would. The whole piece was screaming the question: WHAT CAN GOD DO TO HELP ME HERE????
I have grown so tired of slick Prosperity Gospel hucksters. I liken them to those folks who were following Jesus for the tasty, miraculous fish sandwiches (John 6:26 - after the loaves and fishes miracle, a throng seeks out Jesus in Capernaum and he says to them: "...you are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.") Just look at what we can get from God! Praise the Lord and pass the tarter sauce!
The second mailing I received was a humble, computer-generated newsletter from Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh (New York). Full disclosure: this ministry is master-minded by UCC-ordained clergy...one of our guys. The newsletter was filled with stories of recovery and rehabilitation. One of the group's board members was pushing a shopping cart full of empty cans around Newburgh trying to buy his next drink just two years ago. He and several others have been sent through reputable rehab programs and are now rebuilding their lives as they help others do the same. The mailing focused on a building they are reclaiming for street ministries and shelter space. There were two “asks” in this piece. The first was an invitation to come learn how street ministry is done: visit them and spend a weekend in ministry in September (“we hope that as many as ten of you will join us...”) so you could go back to your own city and set up a similar ministry. The second ask was for money, of course, but not to enter some sort of Holy Ghost lottery that would bring about a jackpot for yourself. No, they asked for money to help them finish the shelter, support and expand outreach ministries, and rescue more addicts and misfits from the streets. The whole piece was screaming the question: WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP GOD HERE???
So you tell me, which of the above questions is the more faithful to ask?
The primary focus of the follower of Christ must be on feeding the flock, not feeding the face.
P.S. Ecclesia Ministries of Newburgh, P.O. Box 1621, Newburgh NY 12551-1621
www.Ecclesia-Newburgh.org
I think the choice is a simple one.
ReplyDeleteThe first is selfish. Give to me and you will be rewarded by God. The second is not that similar, but at the same time isn't all that dissimilar (Hitchhiker's reference alert). They are asking for a gift, but it's to better an entire community instead of the individual.
The second question is the same thing I tell people in my sessions. The most effective yet least asked question most managers/leaders can ask their staff is, "What do you need from me?" Often mangers will look at their staff asking, "What are you going to do for me?"
ReplyDeleteOne is thinking of their own advancement, the other looking to improve the organization as a whole. (Kinda like you said bluelightjim)
Ani Di Franco said it the best, "The the world owes me nothing, we owe each other the world." We are in servitude to each other which means we gotta maneuver all the other stuff inside of us that gets us too stuck to serve. "I don't want to serve them, they're dirty, they don't deserve it, they don't look/act/talk like me", or even better, "they should be serving me!"
I think that it's not necessarily the idea that is the problem, it's assuming the mindset to do it that causes us the most grief.
And that's my very humble 2 cents.