When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them
because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
(Matthew 9:36)
Did
I ever tell you about this cat, Gordon Simmons? When I was a junior in seminary
Pastor Gordon was held up as a paragon of evangelical ministry. He was the pastor
of Reformation Lutheran Church in the East Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia,
which, at the time, was the best attended ELCA congregation in the city.
The
way I heard it, Gordon had a cushy job on the Synod staff, but, feeling the
Holy Spirit’s call to go back into parish ministry, he took the challenging
call to revive Reformation. At the time, the little Lutheran church was
attended by a small handful of maybe thirty or so Caucasian Lutherans whose
average age was somewhere between seventy-five and deceased. East Mt. Airy’s
demographics were rapidly changing. The elegant 19th century single
family homes were being purchased by upwardly mobile African Americans whose
familiarity with the great leader of the Protestant Reformation may have been limited
to familiarity with the Civil Rights leader named in his honor.
Like
Jesus’ disciples in the Gospel appointed for Pentecost 3 (Matthew 9:35-10:23),
Gordon set out on foot to bring the Good News to the neighbors of East Mt. Airy.
His ambition was to knock on every door in the 19119 zip code, and—son of
a gun!—he did it! Not once, but about three times. He greeted his neighbors and
asked politely if they had a place of worship. If they said no, he asked
permission to visit again to tell them a little about Reformation Church. There
were many who became part of Reformation’s family because of Pastor Gordon’s
door-to-door approach, and many more who came when invited by those he had
invited.
I
don’t know that I’d ever have the guts to do the kind of “cold calling”
evangelism Gordon Simmons did. If I went banging on doors in the neighborhood
around my parish, I’d be afraid someone would turn the garden hose on me or
meet me at the door with a Smith & Wesson. I can’t imagine embarking on the
freaky and dangerous evangelism mission on which Jesus sent his twelve buddies
in our Gospel lesson. I mean, how would you feel if Jesus sent you out
on a mission like that?
So
you’re Peter or James or one of the other guys and Jesu tells you to go knock
on doors in strange villages. Imagine Jesus saying to you, “By the way, guys, you
can’t take any money with you or any provisions for the road. You can’t accept
any pay but a place to sleep and something to eat—if you’re lucky enough to be
offered either one! Oh! And you might get beaten up for your efforts. Or
arrested. Or prosecuted. Your family is probably going to hate you for this, and
you just may have to run for life from time to time. It’s also very likely that
you all will be put to a grizzly, painful death before this is over. You guys
okay with that? Great! Well, off you go. Good luck my dudes!”
Compared
to what the disciples were asked to do, Gordon Simmons’ efforts look like a day
at Disneyworld.
Nobody
ever said bearing the Gospel would be easy, but I think Jesus gives us some
good tips in this reading. First, Jesus tells the boys to avoid the gentiles
and the Samaritans. Now, we know that Jesus doesn’t have anything against
gentiles or Samaritans, but he knows they’re not real keen to welcome or
entertain these Galilean Jews. He’s saying, “Don’t try talking to folks who won’t
be open to listening. Go to folks with whom you have a little something in
common. Go to the people you already know.”
The
best way we can start proclaiming God’s love is to proclaim it to one another.
Strengthen our own relationships within the congregation. Stay for coffee hour
and talk to someone you don’t know very well. Then be sure to greet every
newcomer with love and welcome. That’s pretty easy, even for the shy people
among us.
The
scary thing might be starting a conversation about faith with a neighbor or
family member or co-worker. You don’t have to invite them to church, but wouldn’t
it be interesting to ask them what they believe? Just listen. Get to know them
better. And, as Jesus suggests, let the Holy Spirit tell you what to say.
To
be honest (and I try to be), I don’t think I believe in “Evangelism Programs.” Back
in 2007, being too scared to knock on doors like Pastor Gordon, I initiated a
program at Faith Lutheran and mailed out invitations to 22,000 households. Out
of that number, we received exactly one family (who disappeared after the
youngest child made Confirmation!). Some churches will open day care centers or
pre-schools or offer other programs in hopes of attracting new members. I think
that’s selfish and inwardly directed. If a church offers a cool VBS or a holds
a neighborhood fair or starts a men’s fellowship, it should be because the neighborhood
needs a place for kids, a chance to gather as a community, and an
opportunity for men to share and make friends. If ministry isn’t done for its
own sake, it’s not ministry. Real evangelism, I think, only comes from inter-personal
relationships.
So,
what’s the purpose, you ask? Jesus sent the twelve out to heal and cast out
demons. If ever there was a time when folks needed healing, I’d say this is
that time. In a society with its noses perpetually pointed at cell phone
screens, we all need what Christ’s church can give. We need to offer people the
gift of live, human community. We need to hear Christ’s words of love and
charity, and experience being instruments of that compassion because there are far
too many suffering people in this world. We desperately need moral guidance.
And we need a time in our lives to experience the beauty of liturgy and music
and hear the words assuring us of our value in God’s eyes. And, most of all, we
need a place to pray and experience hope. We who are already in the church have
these gifts. Let’s share them as we’re able with the harassed and helpless.
Thanks
again for coming by. Share some love this week, won’t you?
No comments:
Post a Comment