I was a young pastor when a prominent parishioner said that I needed to be more animated in my preaching. He then referenced several television ministers who used drama to their advantage.
“They are not boring,” he said. “They are alive!”
I decided to heed his advice. During a sermon on “spiritual warfare,” I, who had some martial arts experience, decided to illustrate and dramatize the sermon with a few karate punches and kicks. However, I miscalculated and, to my great horror, put my foot through the wall.
Embarrassed, I brought the sermon to a quick conclusion and tried to escape. My advice giver, however, was not to be avoided.
“Great sermon!” he said. “That’s what I’m talking about. That was alive! That was anointed!” He thought he saw life. What he actually saw was stupidity in action.
Sometimes appearances are deceiving. Many people equate great crowds, huge buildings, large offerings, dramatic preaching, and outward success as “life.” In Revelation 3, Jesus said, “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘… I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” We don’t know why they had a reputation of being alive. But Jesus judges that they were not.
In Georgia, there is a man I know who serves as the founding pastor of a small church planted nearly two decades ago. The community is economically depressed, jobs are in short supply, and the community is isolated in a rural area. Yet, this deeply spiritual and humble man, who will probably never be on the cover of any denominational magazine and will never preach to mega-church multitudes, has a spiritual life and an enthusiasm for God that is contagious. His people are hospitable, generous, and full of love for God and neighbor. He is not alone.
All over the world, life is happening as devout believers endeavor to quietly do and be what God has called them to. They share the Gospel, feed the hungry, provide clothing and shelter to those who are without…they do what Jesus would do. They are the Church. This is where life is found.
Whatever one’s reputation, only what God thinks really matters at all.
[David Epps is the pastor of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Sharpsburg, GA (www.ctkcec.org). He is the bishop of the Mid-South Diocese which consists of Georgia and Tennessee (www.midsouthdiocese.org) and the Associate Endorser for the Department of the Armed Forces, U. S. Military Chaplains, ICCEC. He may contacted at frepps@ctkcec.org.]
