This month

is an anniversary of sorts for me. This month, I observe the fifth anniversary

of writing a weekly column for The Citizen newspapers. I have missed only

two weeks, so, I figure that's somewhere in the neighborhood of 258 articles,

give or take one or two.

Most of the

people who tell me that they read the column give favorable reports. In

fact, I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago and a lady said, "I

read your articles every week and I agree with almost everything you say."

On the other hand, a gentleman at the same meeting said a few moments

later, "I read your articles every week and I disagree with nearly

everything you say."

One gentleman

vehemently disagreed with an article I wrote about an attempt to abolish

incense in some Canadian liturgical churches. I might have found his arguments

valid but he used so many profane words in his letter that I simply deleted

it and declined to reply. I have one faithful reader who regularly e-mails

me with reasons why I am wrong. Once in six or eight weeks she agrees

with me but most of the time I think she thinks I'm a right-wing reactionary.

It's fine,

of course, to disagree with anything that I might write in this column

since it is, after all, an opinion column. The opinion I offer is mine.

Someone asked

me recently if I had written any columns I regretted. I didn't have to

think about that too long. I have written two that I wish I had deleted

before they ever left the computer.

The first one

had to do with Bill Clinton. I pulled into the local post office in 1998

in time to see a car pull out of a parking space that was sporting a bumper

sticker that read, "Thank me I voted Clinton/Gore." I was incensed

to the point that I returned home and wrote a blistering piece about the

President and listed all the things for which I would love to thank the

Clinton/Gore voters. The column was brutal, vindictive, and downright

nasty. I even attacked those that voted for the third party candidate.

Later that

week I was in Kenya when, during the night, I was awakened in a Nairobi

hotel room with the certain knowledge that I had crossed the line. In

fact, I felt convicted that God was exceedingly displeased with the column.

I repented that night and deeply regretted that it was too late to pull

the column. When I returned home, I called the publisher to apologize.

To my great surprise, he said that the article was set to run that week

but had been lost. Thankfully, that article was never printed.

The second

article that I regret writing was one that concerned a situation in a

town several miles away regarding a small church pastor and a large church

pastor. At the time, I was angry when I wrote the article blasting the

way that I perceived that the large church pastor had treated the small

church pastor in a certain situation. The article was unfair. I didn't

contact the large church pastor to get his account of the situation and

judged him without checking the facts.

I didn't use

names, or denominations, or towns but it caused difficulties for both

pastors anyway. In fact, I had a couple of other large church pastors

in my area call me to ask if I was writing about them. I wasn't, but I

realized that other people might think the same thing. In any event, I

shouldn't have written the article. The situation was between the two

men and should have stayed between them. I was wrong to assume that I

had the right to offer an opinion about their private issue.

And, while

I don't regret writing the article about John ("Taliban") Walker,

a reader wrote me and chided me for not even urging people to pray that

Walker might return to his childhood faith of Christianity. The reader

was right. I have begun to pray that John Walker might repent and bow

his knee to Jesus Christ. God is "not

willing that

any should perish," and he is "not holding men's sins against

them," according to the scriptures. May God grant that John Walker

find peace through Christ.

When I write

these columns every week, I am aware that some of them will cause some

people to be distressed or even angry. "Does it bother you?"

someone asked recently. Not really. I don't set out to tick people off,

but I don't shy away from it either.

About fifteen

years ago, someone at the church I pastored began to call me "Slick"

behind my back. It seems that she thought that I was afraid to give an

honest answer to any question for fear that I would offend someone. She

was absolutely right. So, after some soul-searching, I determined to attempt

to be honest, even if it cost me, when people asked my opinion.

And that's

what you read here each week: my opinion. And, I value your opinion, which

is why I include my email address each week. We have a wonderful opportunity

in America to voice our opinion by writing our officials, attending city

council meetings, writing letters to the editor, and, maybe, even authoring

a column. Express your opinion! Some people won't like it, but so what!?

[David Epps

is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church in Peachtree

City.He may be contacted at [email protected] .]