Once upon a time there was a young man who went to seminary in New Orleans, LA. His excitement to study under many of the nation’s leading professors was overwhelming. Having the opportunity to learn from ministry experts was unbelievable. After a year of study, the young man took his first workshop. For those of you who don’t know, a workshop is an intense one or two week class lasting all day, everyday. Most of the time it’s an easy way to complete a class between terms.
This particular workshop was being led by a pastor who had just been or was about to be elected as President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Sorry, my memory fades with the early onset of sometimer’s. Either way, the pastor had led one of the Convention’s leading churches and is a household name. I’ll refrain from using his name in order to protect the guilty.
The first day of class, the young man was in awe. He was actually in a classroom alongside men who are now pastors, evangelists and seminary professors; being taught by the President of the Convention – WOW! Class started with the usual introductions except this time, the newly-elected President of the Seminary introduced the workshop leader.
Within the first few minutes of the pastor’s lecture, the young man began hearing things that caused concern. The teacher made a peculiar comment. He said, “Who wants to have cocaine addicts as church members?” The young man ignored the comment thinking he had misunderstood. Later, another comment caused concern. “Why would you want to pastor a church with prostitutes attending?” Looking around, the young man noticed other students feverishly hanging on every word, taking notes and agreeing with the legendary pastor.
More and more comments like the others kept coming and coming. The young man became distraught, confused and actually a little angry. The workshop leader said, “The church is for Christians not drug dealers and murderers!” Sin after sin was named until the breaking point came with this comment. “Who wants to be around people like this? After all, how can we grow spiritually if we spend our time with rejects, losers, killers, prostitutes and all the other sinners?”
The young man had all he could take and stood up yelling, “You stupid old man! What are you saying? You complete idiot! JESUS wants to be around them! Don’t you know the God who created the universe loves everyone equally, without favor or prejudice?”
Needless to say, the room fell painfully silent as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention and workshop leader slowly walked toward the young man. With every eye staring at the two, he said, “Young man, who do you think you are? I have pastored for over 25 years, I am a leader in our convention, and I have led prayer services with the President of the United States. I believe I am more qualified than you to say what Jesus wants.”
The now angry, defiant young man stood his ground replying, “If that’s true, you serve a pathetic, joke of a God. My God reaches from the very throne of Heaven transforming the hearts of people you obviously despise.”
Following that statement, the young man left the classroom.
The next morning, the young man found himself sitting in the Seminary President’s office looking the two eye to eye. This is the end of my career he thought as the two theologians pondered his future.
“Young man, I have taught this class on every seminary campus our convention operates. I have never had anyone with as much arrogance and defiance dare to challenge me like you did yesterday.”
The young man swallowed deep waiting for the president to kick him out of school. Instead, the pastor reached out his arms, grabbed the man in a bear hug saying, “You have restored my faith in our next generation of church leaders. I have waited years for someone to stand up and say I was wrong.”
“So you don’t really believe that stuff?”
“How could I, the God who created the universe wants to have a personal relationship with every human soul. We cannot fathom His love.”
The Moral of the story: Don’t worry so much about how people act or what they say. Let God be the life transformer. We should be the messenger’s of grace, mercy and love.
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