Okay, stop whatever you are doing and go read this essay. This has to be the funniest evangelism story ever told about any church anywhere any time.
Seriously.
The essay is entitled, "An Eventful Wednesday" which can be found on a Blog which is called "Take my hand". That is a snippet from one of my favorite quotes by John Welsley "If my heart is as your heart, take my hand."
The author is Natalie Stadnick who is a United Methodist (but you could have guessed that) student who describes herself as "making my way through the joys and trials of college life, while looking forward to the future's possibilities in my life and church."
I'm not sure if we've lost a potential Episcopal convert or gained one.
A grateful 'Hat Tip' and deep chuckle of gratitude to Ann.
Hope you all enjoy this as much as I have.
4 comments:
I guess that this is the sort of thing that shows how differently wired conservatives and progressives are --
1) This is not a story of evangelism, simply about the possibility of a transfer from one section of the Church to another. Real evangelism is the presentation of Jesus Christ to one who does not know him in such a way that, through the power of the Spirit, the person is led to trust Christ as Savior and to follow him as Lord in the fellowship of the Church (to paraphrase the definition of evangelism given at a Lambeth Conference - in 1958, I think.) Evangelism is not about "getting bums in the pew." Evangelism is about hearts transformed through meeting Christ and growing in him.
2. Is this really a funny story? I did smile, but I was also saddened by the irreverence and fear demonstrated.
Oh, Hiram, lighten up. That's the difference between conservatives and progressives. You REALLY REALLY believe you have the truth in EVERYTHING from what "real" evangelism is to the "real" Jesus, to superior knowledge of what God is "really" saying in scripture to even "real" sex. That, and you have no sense of humor.
You probably didn't fin the humor in my 12 Days of Christmas parody either.
The Epiphany is almost here. Lighten up!
Hi, Elizabeth,
I think that I am responding as much to other references to evangelism I have seen here, on "An Inch at a Time," and other progressive blogs, and not just to this one story -- and "evangelism" always seems to be getting people into an Episcopal Church and participating in some degree -- nothing about knowing and trusting the living God.
We may have quite different senses of humor. The commenters on "Stand Firm" kid each other a lot, and there is usually a "Friday Palate Cleanser" that is fun and/or funny. most of the commenters here, or at "An Inch", or at Jake's seem to be as serious as a heart attack most of the time.
I do see the humor in most of your days of Christmas -- the Turtle Doves, the Partridge in a Pear Tree, and the Calling Birds are a stitch -- but some elude me -- I think that you have something from "The Sopranos," (8 Mobsters Drinking) but since I have never seen that show, I was not sure of the reference.
I suppose that perhaps we are only really lighthearted with those who share our basic perspective -- because humor depends on an unexpected "twist"on reality, and if two people have a different sense of what reality is, they have a hard time seeing the twist.
Thanks, Hiram. It's good to know that you DO have a sense of humor - just different from mine. (What a surprise, right?)
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