What a stupid person!
I know, I’m a pastor, and I shouldn’t think or say things like that.
I repent.
But really, in the moment, I thought … “What a stupid person.”
Here’s the story. I was speaking at a Chonda Pierce concert last weekend when Mr. Awesome asked theater employees for his money back.
Let me get this straight, brother. You want your money because you didn’t come to hear a “preacher.” Unbelievable. Fifteen minutes out of a three-hour block and it was advertised as sponsored by Mocha Club with a special guest speaker and yet he was a jerk about it.
No, I wasn’t worried about the money. That wasn’t a big deal. It was the fact that he stormed into “will call” and made a fool out of himself (and Christians) by blasting the theater employees who weren’t even Christians.
The crazy thing is, the employees were so taken aback by his attitude that they told us they would pay him back personally so the “tour” didn’t have to.
Sometimes we Christians do dumb things.
I know we’ve talked about this before, but it’s one thing to be criticized for loving Jesus and people, but it’s another to be criticized for being moronic. We can do better.
If you’re going to ask for your money back, it’s your right, but at least be nice about it, or remember you are being a witness to Jesus.
OK. Off my soapbox. Hope to never see that happen again. That and these next three things.
Dear Christians, can we please agree to never do these things?
Like, ever ever ever ever?
Please.
1. Tipping with a tract.
No one does this anymore. Please, please, please tell me no one leaves a tract or church flier in place of a tip anymore.
I honestly cringe just thinking about it. Seriously, friends, it’s just embarrassing. I know we want to be “evangelistic,” and I’m cool with that, but if you’re going to leave a flier or the four spiritual laws, can you at least leave it with a huge tip?
It’s one thing to pass out a tract to someone in passing. It’s another to go in their work place, get served and only leave a tract “in the name of Jesus.”
It’s rude and incredibly ineffective. And I bet if someone came in your work place and did that, you would not be very happy.
Please no more. Ever.
2. Ripping off everything under the sun.
50 Shades of Grace. A-Bread-Crumb and Fish. FBI: Firm Believer In Christ.
Can we stop it already? Please. I’m sorry, but I don’t get it. No offense if you love “Christian gear.” Really, I’m not judging you. Well, maybe I am just a little and that’s something I probably need to work on, but can someone please explain the whole “we’re going to rip off anything remotely popular” Christian subculture?
I’m not saying we can’t steal some stuff, because everyone does, but for crying out loud, do we have to rip everything off? And even if we do, does it have to be so cheesy?
Also, what happened to just being creative ourselves? What happened to being innovative about some things? Wait, that’s way too hard, and we like to feel like we have our own thing. I think that’s what irks me the most: the need to create a Christian version of everything so we have “our own thing.”
In some ways I understand why you want your kids to use “God-tube,” but there has to be a line. If you are friends with non-Christians who don’t live in “our world,” you know what I mean.
You understand how awkward it is trying to explain Testa-mints to your friends.
3. Missionary friendships.
The only thing worse than not being friends with any non-Christians is only being friends with non-Christians because you have an agenda.
Share your faith with people? Sure, but at least call it what it is. Don’t pretend to be a friend when you’re not.
People see through that facade a mile away, and more often than not, it does more damage than good.
Missionary friendships? How about just friendships? How about we just genuinely care about people, regardless of whether they accept or reject Jesus?
OK, now I’m really off the box. Your turn.
Am I being too harsh, or do you resonate with any of my frustrations? Got any of your own to add?
