I'm fairly bald, and couldn't tear out much hair--his background was amazingly confused. He mixed decades and centuries, put Nero in the 300's, explained that Catholic meant imperial (didn't seem to know about the Orthodox at all), explained to the assembled that Baptists maintained a parallel unbroken tradition back to the apostles and didn't break away from the Catholics, and when one woman asked him afterwards why he didn't end with prayer, asked that she show him in scripture where this was illustrated or commanded. (Acts 20:36)
I prayed I could find some way of contributing positively, and was granted such an opportunity. But the situation was also a good reminder--I know a fair bit about the Church's history, and the background for the faith, but the important parts lie elsewhere. His history was a garbled mess, but his talk about Jesus' message to the church was fine.
2 comments:
Oof! I remember going to the Apostolic Church in Sun Prairie back in '08 with my Pentecostal friend, and the pastor subscribed to the old myth that snakes hypnotize their pray.
I have more hair to tear out, and James is being charitable. I am less inclined to be. If this pastor is going to equip his congregation properly, he needs to deal graciously with suggestions--a young woman made one semi-privately (there were seven of us at the table afterward; she did not interrupt him) and he brushed her off. He cannot equip if he will not trust and listen.
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