July 28, 2008
When Did We See You...
I know of young terminally ill women who ask her girlfriend to join her on a girls-only mini vacation. In order to take the out-of-the-country trip, the girlfriend not only set aside her job and her own young family, she also incurred unbudgeted expenses. I also know of an older woman whose husband was terminal. She too had a request. She asked the preacher to come by the house and pray with her husband. The preacher told her no, and then he explained he was just too busy with his other duties to meet individually with people in their homes. It’s not hard to figure out which one, the girlfriend or the preacher, did the will of the Father. The busy preacher still stands in his pulpit, but the widow has left the church and very few people know why. It’s hard to believe that a minister would say he’s too busy to pray with a terminally ill patient…but then again, what do you expect when we congregants accept and tolerate such feeble excuses.
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Gail;
-----Perhaps your closing question would have been better stated, “…what do you expect when we congregants accept and tolerate such feeble preachers?” The way I read the Bible, the preacher encourages, inspires, and educates the congregation by his matured knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Bible. Paul told Timothy to, “…set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (I Tim 4:12.) I certainly hope the widow’s church is not following their preacher’s example!
-----I suppose when young men go off to Bible College in preparation for the ministry, it has been determined that they have the spiritual foundation necessary to elevate that of the people. But when the price of fear for the Lord, yearning for the truth, and searching for it diligently imparts wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, how many preachers coming out of Bible College have only paid the price of tuition? If there is not the courage among the people to challenge their spiritual leaders where they fall short in character, over time, step by step, the spiritual bar of the church itself lowers, presenting the next generation of leaders with even less challenge.
-----Of course, we can not harp a servant into neurosis over every detail of his character flaws. However, no flaw of a preacher should rise to the level of even implied denial of the Word. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their infliction, and to keep one’s self unstained from the world.” (James 1:27). I understand that the concept meant behind the term “visit” is “to take care of” and that the terminal husband was not a widow. But try arguing those technicalities with the Lord who said, “…for I was…sick and…you did not visit Me…” (Mat 25:42-43). This preacher’s excuse was an implied denial of the Word of God, for it soundly stated that whatever he was so busied with was pure religion and knowledge of the Lord more important than caring for the need of another. I think I may presume accurately this preacher would loudly deny that charge, but then, we all know of the loudness of actions or words.
Love,
Steve Corey
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