Post-clearing Post
In order to clear that pity-party post from the top of my blog, I thought I'd post again. Today is Friday, which means that here in summertime Cville everyone's gearing up for Fridays after Five. Each Friday evening there's a free concert on the downtown pedestrian mall. Last week it was a blue grass band. Tonight will be a Caribbean Orchestra. Huh? Don't ask me. I don't make the schedule. Anyway, we took Charlie last Friday and we had a great time. If nothing else, the people-watching is amazing! We had a second "Rainstick Man" sighting (see earlier post). He was helping some of the street performers by shaking the coins from his pocket. Good times. There were also a lot of crazy people who thought they were master blue grass dancers, including one woman with a hula hoop. We laughed a lot!
We also saw something else that I just can't get out of my mind. It was something I've seen in other places but I hadn't yet seen it in Charlottesville, and certainly not as an interruption to my otherwise pleasant evening. There was a young guy, probably early twenties, standing in the middle of the mall preaching. Again, I've seen this before. Go to any busy pedestrian downtown area and you'll see it. It's usually some crazy looking person preaching the end of the world or spouting other things that make Christians look bad. This time it was a clean-cut guy making what would, in a Bible-educated, devoted Christian crowd, be a good theological discussion. Instead, this guy preaching God's wrath and everyone's danger of going to Hell was met with heavy resistance.
Cville is not a religious town. There are churches, and some people go to them, but the academic, intellectual, and scientific influence if Mr. Jefferson is alive and well here. Yes, he was "religious" but not like you and me. It is common to meet atheists, agnostics, and those who think Christians are just plain idiotic. So, as this young man preached hell fire and brimstone on the mall that night people got mad. One little Emo guy walked by and shouted "F*** Jesus!" My kid's right here. Thanks, Emo guy. That made me mad. Don't talk about my Jesus like that. People were furious, not with those shouting horrible things at the preacher, but because of what the preacher was saying. The thing is, I was furious too. Not that I don't believe what the guy was saying. I do. I do believe that sinners are punished. I do believe in Heaven and Hell and I do believe that people will go there. BUT...if this guy was really trying to reach the people of Cville last Friday night, he had to have known how all that would turn out. Instead, he should have taken a cue from the folks down the way who were holding "Church on the Mall." They just set up camp and sang praise songs, put out a basket with info cards with the opportunity for prayer requests, and presented a loving and welcoming atmosphere.
Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. I think people need to hear and believe that God judges. There are consequences and we will suffer them. I just don't think that people who don't love Jesus will start to love Jesus because they're scared of Him. After all, if I want Charlie to love me, I don't nurture that by constantly telling him how awful he is and how he'll be punished. I hold and kiss him and tell him I love him a thousand times a day. I give him boundaries and let him know when he's crossed them or when he's getting close. I think it's evident from the Gospels that Jesus wants to treat us the same way.
Your thoughts?
10 comments:
I assume the young man that was preaching was nothing like our local street corner preacher, ROY.
I heard that the North isn't as full of believers as the South, but I guess your blog shows a little of that as being the truth.
I would have been very shocked, especially the man cussing the name of Jesus.
Isn't it so embarrassing when people do things in the name of Christ that just repel them AWAY from Christ?? Ugh.
Yah, that's really frustrating. I completely agree with you. I admire his willingness and courage, but definately handled in the wrong way. You wonder what they're thinking! Alaska is not really in the "Bible Belt" either, but everyone's too drunk on the street corners to do any preaching!
I agree with you. Jesus showed his compassion and love for sinners and chose to hang out with them alot. The only people he reprimanded in a harsh way were the religious people of His day. I'm fascinated with all the things ya'll have done since moving. Joe and I have lived in Atlanta for 5 1/2 years and haven't done anything : )
Jennifer
The Preacher definately needs to rethink his way of preaching in order to bring people to Christ. Like you, I would have been FURIOUS if I was sitting there with my kids and someone cursed Jesus' name like the Emo guy did...so frustrating!!!!
Preach on, Siser! In Bible class last week, someone made an interesting statement. He said that he thinks people like that don't really believe that their message will be well-received. They're doing it to receive persecution as early Christian did and to be rewarded in Heaven for it. Just a thought.
Wow, siser. That's an interesting thought. I never thought about that. I also agree with Jenny, I do respect him for his courage. I wonder how people would have responded if he was smiling, yelling about God's love and offering the salvation of Jesus? Sadly, I think a lot of the people in that crowd would have responded the exact same way. They would have cursed him anyway.
I agree with you 100%, Amy. It makes me so sad that sometimes the only Jesus that people see or hear about is the one that is going to "send you straight to hell" (per the lovely preacher-man) if you don't "turn from you wicked ways". I hate it that people like that represent ALL of us. I know it makes Christ sad too. :(
After reading your last two posts, I just wanted to hug your neck and give you some encouragement. I would understand if you felt very alone up there, and I am very sorry! You are making a HUGE sacrifice for your family, and I know Andy is too. Keep your chin up and know that you three are loved and cherished and that this season too shall pass. God has great things in store for your precious family...
I understand that he is being bold, but I just feel like he is going about it completely opposite of how Christ would do it....and aren't we supposed to be modeling our lives after Him? Guys like that make me super mad because I feel like it only hurts "us" (Christians) by pushing non-believers further away with disgust. I also feel the same anger towards those of "us" who fight with each other about petty issues like kitchens, clapping, old songs vs. new songs, etc. because I feel like non-believers must just laugh at how petty and ridiculous we can be. Ok, I'll get off my soapbox and let you know that we will be here for Christmas and you and Charlie are SO WELCOME to come for the day for a home-cooked meal while Andy works... just keep that in mind!!! Hope we can see you guys soon~ let us know some free weekends for you in the next few months.
I took all my religion classes at LCU from Jeff Cary. I remember one in particular when he talked about reaching lost people. He said that we can't keep the truth from them always, but first and most importantly, people need to know that Jesus loves them...everyone, no matter who they are and what they've done. Once they really GET that, then the rest can come.
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