Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Preachin' and tensions

I preached on Sunday and really enjoyed it. The church is about twenty minutes up the road from us, and there was a reasonable crowd of people. Before we went in, the choir and I had a short prayer, which was very encouraging. I feel like when I go to new churches, I frequently meet people of a deep, warm and sharp faith.

I preached about how church people can be open about their faith and invite others to take part, but was careful to point out, too, that it's not about badgering people into submission.

It's a funny tension to live with--being clear about who you are, but not demanding that another person believe and live exactly as you do. For example, today in the lunchroom, a coworker talked about how excited she was to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. For me, I recognize, the drinking and the crowds are really not enjoyable. But then she was talking about bringing an extra bag for all the beads she'd be bringing back. And if you are familiar with how said beads are acquired...
Of course, is it really my job to keep people from all kinds of foolishness? It's not going to be within my power.

Your thoughts on the dilemma of the day?

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