Have you heard? It’s an election year. Well, actually it’s been an election two years. I’m making a proposal to both the remaining contenders for the nomination of their party. Since in this day and age you may be called to task for the words spoken from the pulpit of your church, and you may be asked repudiate what your pastor may have said in a sermon, you need to know that you have options. Allow me to attempt to make this clear:
In order for you to be held to the fire for words your pastor spoke years ago there is a requirement that someone in your church recall the words your pastor spoke. Only when they bring this to the attention of the media will the media then ask you to repudiate the preaching of your pastor. There is a way around this.
I serve a small church in northwest Georgia. Now I’ve been preaching in that pulpit for almost four years now. I figure I’m somewhere around three hundred sermons delivered now. Three hundred sermons, think about that. That’s a lot of preaching. I’d like to think, also, I delivered them with some zeal and enthusiasm. I’ve delivered those sermons on a wide range of scriptures and topics.
The folks who attend that church along with the occasional visitor have seemingly paid attention. They sit up straight and keep their eyes open.They have expressed appreciation for the homily as they shook my hand on exiting. But I’ve conducted a survey that may be of interest to you.
I’ve asked several members of my church lately: “Do you remember the first Sunday I was here?”
“Sure pastor, I remember that day.”
“Can you tell me what I preached that day; anything I might have said?”
“Well, ah, ah, … your first Sunday? I’m afraid I don’t remember.”
“Well, “ I said, “how about my eighty-fifth sermon. Do you remember that one?”
“Your eighty-fifth sermon?” he asked. “I may not have been here that Sunday.”
“How about the second Palm Sunday? Do you remember anything I might have said in my sermon that Sunday?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“The first Pentecost sermon?”
“First Pentecost? Ah, ah, you know, I’m sorry, but I just don’t remember.”
“Hmmm,” I mused, “do you by any chance remember what I preached last week?”
“Last week? Wasn’t that about Jesus?”
“It was. It was. Can you tell me what I said?”
“Well, you said some things about Jesus.”
“Do you remember anything I might have said about Jesus?”
“Pastor, let’s see, you said last Sunday. Alright, well I, ah, well. Last Saturday? To tell you the truth my mind was on my fourth cousin’s surgery last Sunday.”
“That’s no problem,” I assured him. “Tell me; were you in church this morning?”
“This morning? Well, yes I was there.”
“Do you remember my sermon?”
“I remember you preached this morning. Yes, I do remember that.”
“Tell me what I said.”
“Well, this morning’s sermon was about … ah, ah; let me think here ….”
So, remaining candidates, if you want to transfer your membership to my church you should be safe. I don’t think there’s a chance anyone will quote me. And when some reporter asks if you repudiate what your pastor said from the pulpit you can respond, “What my pastor said from the pulpit? Why I don’t know what he said. We don’t remember those things at my church.”
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Amen, QP!
Posted by: Anonymous Visitor | March 17, 2008 at 10:21 AM
hee hee hee
(Actually, that was a teensy bit depressing.)
Posted by: Anonymous Visitor | March 17, 2008 at 01:30 PM
It's also a good idea to have a no-audio/video recording policy too.
Posted by: Anonymous Visitor | March 17, 2008 at 03:56 PM