Who wants to

be a millionaire? A million hands and more are raised across American?

Now, who wants

to be offended? Two million hands are raised across America! People are

standing in line to be offended. Especially by men of God standing in

the pulpits. I gather there are genuine Christians (yes, genuine) who

are always on standby to hear and receive any nuance of offenseeven by

accidentcoming from the pulpit.

The result:

hop to another church where Brother Pastor there never offended anyone

in his entire life. Only to wait a while and receive another offense.

Then, hop to another church. Much of the statistical new member growth

reported in our Fayette area churches is from church hoppers. I don't

know a pastor who has not had his fare share.

Webster defines

offense, in the sense of our conversation, as "the state of being

insulted or morally outraged at the slightest criticism."

I remember

so well when we served a church in southern California. As I was leaving

an Albertson's food store, I looked at and greeted a young man waiting

in his car at the store's front curb. You would have thought I had cursed

his mother, father, brothers, and sisters. He gave me a full blast of

invective. I apparently offended him by speaking to him and acknowledging

his presence. People are just waiting for offense. Let me draw your attention

to the chief offender of all times: Jesus Christ.

It seems he

had made a visit to his boyhood home in Nazareth. He taught in Nazareth's

synagogues. The folks asked one another, "Where did this man get

this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is not this the carpenter's son?

Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James and Joseph and

Simon and Judas? . . . And they took offense."(Matthew 13:53f).

Just what offended

them? His powerful teaching? His astonishing preaching? His infinite wisdom?

His miraculous results? No, it was their familiarity with Jesus. They

just could not swallow the fact that a hometown boy was highly successful

in his line of business. Their offense was so great that it translated

into faithlessness that translated into the sick folks remaining sick

(the Scripture says, "And he (Jesus) did not do many miracles there

because of their unbelief. "(v.58).

Now, just how

many churches are powerless because Sister So-and- Go and Brother Blow-and-Go

are always taking an offense? For instance, the preacher proclaims the

Gospel for all people. An African-American couple show up at All White

Baptist Church. Do we hear rejoicing within those walls? Are not the folks

happy that the song they sang as children has come to fruition ("Red

and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves

the little children of the world.") Oh no!

Offense raises

its ugly head.

Or another

for instance. Someone gets offended because the preacher proclaims a commitment

to the bride of Christ, the church. Anytime, anyone proclaims the unadulterated

Word of God, folks will be offended. But, really, would it not be totally

refreshing to have church without the fear of offense in the back of your

sermon?

Some preacher

shout "Amen."

Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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