7 Words You Can't Say in Church

George Carlin passed away.   I always kinda liked Carlin, except for a few of his neurotic  tendencies.  I know that is not what you would expect a pastor to write about Carlin posthumously, or at this point you'd expect the other shoe to drop.  Well, although I am sure there are things I could write about that I disagreed with him, that's not my point right now.  I don't get a kick out of anyone's death.  I'm not happy that he died.  He had some redeeming qualities.  He knew how to make you laugh at the most obscure things.  "Why do they lock the restroom doors at the gas station?  Are they afraid someone is going to clean it?"

The things that bothered me about Carlin didn't include his skepticism.  I like skeptics.  I tend to be one.  A skeptical pastor, you ask?  Sure.  Everyone knows the biggest skeptic of the 12 disciples- Thomas.  He seems to take a lot of flack for being a big doubter.  However, you would think that Jesus would have scorned him in a huge way for being such a doubter.  Instead, Jesus tells him to stick his finger in his hand, and his hand in his side.  Go ahead, he said.  Even in Hebrews the Bible says that faith is the *substance* of things hoped for, the *evidence* of things not seen. 

I think the problem with the so called *skeptics* is that they have turned long ago into being full fledged card carrying cynics.  What's the difference?  A skeptic keeps looking.  A doubter asks questions and searches for answers.  A cynic already has his mind made up.  Yesterday at church we talked about Noah.  In Noah's day, there weren't any skeptics from what we read, they were cynics.   They stopped caring.  Noah was different.  He obeyed God.  Did he doubt at times?  I don't know, but I would have.  I'm sure he must have, but he kept asking questions, searching for answers and didn't turn into a cynic and still obeyed.

So, Carlin- skeptic or cynic?  Actually he was a self proclaimed atheist.  Hmm, not anymore.  It's a shame.  I keep hearing that Newsboys song in my head- "They Don't Serve Breakfast in Hell."

Will Someone Shut that Rooster Up?

As I was mowing the grass today I started thinking about my life as a "pastor."  The accolades, the pats on the back, the constant cheers, notes of encouragement left anonymously on the windshield, the riches, the fame- ah, who am I kidding.  You know better than that, right? I've never had so many enemies for nothing.  Well, I've said from day one that I didn't want to be treated like a "normal pastor," whatever that is.  I wanted to be treated like everyone else.  I AM like everyone else.  I might have a different vocation, but I'm just like everyone else.  Don't call me Rev. or whatever, just call me John or what you are comfortable calling me.  Somewhere along the way, someone stuck us in the flippin fishbowl when I wasn't looking.  I never claimed to be Jesus.  I never said I was perfect.  However, I can identify with some things the Bible says Jesus went through a little.  So many times I've had people tell me (usually just after someone else betrays me) "I'd never do that to you John."  I always tell them, "never say never" (Peter/Judas).  Inevitably, and usually within a short period of time, it happens.  I wonder if they ever hear a rooster crow after about the third time they do it. Does anything remind them of the words they recently spoke?  Usually it happens because of something they've "heard" or a misunderstanding or something ridiculous.  Ya know, 1 Tim. 5.19 says "Do not listen to complaints against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses against him."  Again, am I perfect?  Never claimed to be.  But have we done anything that deserves the gossip and character assassination that befalls us at times?  We certainly haven't had two or three witnesses come to us with anything of any substance, or anything at all for that matter.  Can we get the benefit of the doubt once in a while?  Everyone else demands a second chance.  A few times I've given that second chance and others get bent out of shape because of it.  But I'm sure they would have wanted it too, eh?  Why don't I get the second chance?  No grace for the "man of the cloth?"  Why not just talk to me like I was your friend?   Too many distractions- Maybe the rooster is making too much noise?