March
10, 2014
[Pastorgraphs now online at ChristSD.com]
Pastorgraphs: “One Thing I Do Know”
I read a
powerful article recently about how any congregation can revitalize its
worship. What may surprise you is it came from a Rabbi. I could not agree with
him more! It applies to Christians, Jews and just about any house of worship.
Simply
paraphrased, the Rabbi said people come to worship, not to hear doctrine or
dogma, but to hear how to walk daily with God. What they really want to hear
from their clergy is not opinions on theology, but how do you, pastor/rabbi,
live out your relationship with God?
He said
when clergy preach doctrine, dogma or defense of religion, people get weary and
soon quit coming. But when the message is about how to walk with God, through
good times and bad, from the moment we awake until we close our eyes each
night, the attention and attendance grow.
I think he
is on to something.
One of my
favorite passages in the New Testament is the story of the man born blind who
was healed by Jesus. Remember that upset the religious leaders greatly. So they
called the man and even his parents into church court to discredit the healing.
You see, that gracious act of healing was a threat to the dogma, doctrine and
polity of the established religion. Jesus didn’t hold the right credentials to
do that. Much as they tried, the formerly blind man would not change his story
to please the church court. Finally, in exasperation, he set the religious
leaders in their place when he said, “Whether Jesus is a sinner or not,
according to your stupid religious laws, I do not know. But ONE THING I DO
KNOW! Once I was blind, but now I see!” (Jenkins translation.)
What the
world desperately wants to hear is not religious laws, rituals, or defense of
God (who is perfectly capable of defending Himself). What the world is starving
to hear is that ONE THING YOU AND I DO KNOW from a personal encounter with God.
When was
the last time you encountered God? Was it this morning when you awoke? “Good
Morning, Father! Thank you for the good night of rest. Thank you for allowing
me to awake into this beautiful new day you created. Thank you for the honor of
living another day in this magnificent world you created. I’m so excited about
what we are going to do today, together! By the way, Father, what do you have
planned for us today? Father, I love you so much!”
That is a
sermon no one gets tired of hearing. When you tell me about your personal
relationship with God, and I share mine with you, we both learn and grow
spiritually. It is quenching the spiritual thirst Jesus told the woman at the
well about.
And it
doesn’t have to be all about the good times. Tell me about how you and God
handled losing your job, the divorce in your family, the bad news at the
doctor’s office, or the sudden death of one so close to you. I want to hear how
you and God got through that, too.
So for
clergy whose worship attendance is sagging, and for anyone whose spiritual life
is sagging also, get real (up close and personal with God). I hunger to hear
about your daily walk with God, not your catechism. Maybe I can learn more how
to stay close to Him from your testimony, and you from me.
So when was
the last time you and God had a chat, an encounter? I want to hear your story.
And if you tell me your story, I’ll tell you mine. It never gets old.
Devotedly
yours, Bill Jenkins
From the
Quote Garden:
“Prayer is when you talk to God;
meditation is when you listen to God.”
~ Diana Robinson ~
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ
in the Heart of San Diego”
3295
Meade Avenue - San Diego, CA 92116 - (619) 284-9205
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