A Pastor transformed himself into a homeless person

[whitehall]

I don't see any reason to make this into any kind of conspiracy theory. I have visited many churches that were very much like the one described in the OP. Those who looked like they would fit in with everybody else are greeted, welcomed and treated nicely. Others not so much. Again the difference between 'doing' church and BEING the Church. All congregations have not learned that.

What does "doing church" mean? Is it about playing the old hypocrisy card where Christians have to live up to a higher standard while agnostics, jihadists, satanists and abortionists escape scrutiny?

 

[1miseryindex]

I don't see any reason to make this into any kind of conspiracy theory. I have visited many churches that were very much like the one described in the OP. Those who looked like they would fit in with everybody else are greeted, welcomed and treated nicely. Others not so much. Again the difference between 'doing' church and BEING the Church. All congregations have not learned that.

Jesus said many are called but few are chosen

Many are attracted to Him and attempt to follow Him but then when the road gets bumpy and it looks like a losing thing to do ALL he said, many bail.

And all who continue to follow Him will experience hardships in doing so, which Jesus warned about, calling it the narrow way. It is not easy "liking" the downtrodden who often are smelly and just unattractive. But as the old rock song put it

Deep inside we're all the same

 

[whitehall]

Jesus said many are called but few are chosen

Many are attracted to Him and attempt to follow Him but then when the road gets bumpy and it looks like a losing thing to do ALL he said, many bail.

And all who continue to follow Him will experience hardships in doing so, which Jesus warned about, calling it the narrow way. It is not easy "liking" the downtrodden who often are smelly and just unattractive. But as the old rock song put it

Deep inside we're all the same

There are really crazy people out there who murder people in houses of worship. If you think you can trust your life to an old rock song you are in for a rude awakening. We are not all the same inside. Try entering the White House or a decent restaurant or a Hollywood movie set while pretending to be homeless. You will find yourself in the street or worse. Nobody can be like Jesus but Lefties quote Jesus when they want accuse Christians of hypocrisy.

 

[Foxfyre]

Jesus said many are called but few are chosen

Many are attracted to Him and attempt to follow Him but then when the road gets bumpy and it looks like a losing thing to do ALL he said, many bail.

And all who continue to follow Him will experience hardships in doing so, which Jesus warned about, calling it the narrow way. It is not easy "liking" the downtrodden who often are smelly and just unattractive. But as the old rock song put it

Deep inside we're all the same

I believe the rock song is wrong. I do not believe that deep inside we are all the same. And the fact is some churches become so focused on doing church they forget to be the Church. That is all I am saying. And I know from long experience that I am right.

 

[Foxfyre]

What does "doing church" mean? Is it about playing the old hypocrisy card where Christians have to live up to a higher standard while agnostics, jihadists, satanists and abortionists escape scrutiny?

No. "Doing church" instead of being the Church has nothing to do with any of the hate language directed at Christianity. "Doing Church" is all about comfort, appearances, ambiance. Everything should be proper, look right and run smoothly. The Pastor is expected to conform to particular expectations. The congregation becomes comfortable with people who dress and think and behave as the others do and those are the ones that will be welcomed warmly into the congregation. Most donations go to hiring the 'perfect staff', maintenance of the property so that the lawn is manicured, the choir is elegantly robed, and the building looks amazing inside and out. Anything that ruffles the surface of a perfect pond is not acceptable.

None of that is bad in itself. But when that is what the congregation mostly is, it is only doing church, not being the Church that feeds the hungry, welcomes the stranger, visits those in prison, spreads the Gospel etc.

 

[whitehall]

No. "Doing church" instead of being the Church has nothing to do with any of the hate language directed at Christianity. "Doing Church" is all about comfort, appearances, ambiance. Everything should be proper, look right and run smoothly. The Pastor is expected to conform to particular expectations. The congregation becomes comfortable with people who dress and think and behave as the others do and those are the ones that will be welcomed warmly into the congregation. Most donations go to hiring the 'perfect staff', maintenance of the property so that the lawn is manicured, the choir is elegantly robed, and the building looks amazing inside and out. Anything that ruffles the surface of a perfect pond is not acceptable.

None of that is bad in itself. But when that is what the congregation mostly is, it is only doing church, not being the Church that feeds the hungry, welcomes the stranger, visits those in prison, spreads the Gospel etc.

Look around, Christian ministries feed the hungry and minister to impoverished foreign nationals every day. Tradition and ceremony is important even if you don't understand it. Every sane person wants comfort, ambiance and appearance to count for something. Why single out Christian Churches?

 

[Foxfyre]

Look around, Christian ministries feed the hungry and minister to impoverished foreign nationals every day. Tradition and ceremony is important even if you don't understand it. Every sane person wants comfort, ambiance and appearance to count for something. Why single out Christian Churches?

You are completely missing the point here and I don't know how to explain it any better. Those who know understand perfectly what I am saying. If you had any clue about my background working for the church you wouldn't even suggest I'm singling out Christian Churches. The OP is about a specific Christian congregation that needed a wake up call. I think they got one and will be the much better for it.

 

[whitehall]

You are completely missing the point here and I don't know how to explain it any better. Those who know understand perfectly what I am saying. If you had any clue about my background working for the church you wouldn't even suggest I'm singling out Christian Churches. The OP is about a specific Christian congregation that needed a wake up call. I think they got one and will be the much better for it.

A wakeup call from a specific tolerant Christian Church that offered a clown dressed as a homeless person a place in the congregation? What's the point again?

 

[Foxfyre]

A wakeup call from a specific tolerant Christian Church that offered a clown dressed as a homeless person a place in the congregation? What's the point again?

I don't think you even read the OP. Do have a pleasant evening.

 

[whitehall]

I don't think you even read the OP. Do have a pleasant evening.

You can't let this go and neither will I. I read the O.P and it criticized a Christian congregation for apparently moving an alleged "homeless man" to a different seat during services? Is there anything else?

 

[Foxfyre]

You can't let this go and neither will I. I read the O.P and it criticized a Christian congregation for apparently moving an alleged "homeless man" to a different seat during services? Is there anything else?

If that's all you got out of the story you either didn't read it or you seriously need a crash course in reading comprehension.

 

[whitehall]

If that's all you got out of the story you either didn't read it or you seriously need a crash course in reading comprehension.

Cold and dirty stares? Is that what you base your opinion on? It seems to me that the Christian church goers acted in an appropriate way. What have you gotten out of the story?

 

[Mac-7]

A pastor transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 mins. while it was filling with people for service. Only 3 people said hello to him, most looked the other way. He asked people for change to buy food because he was hungry. Not one gave him anything.
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was told by the ushers that he would need to get up and go sit in the back of the church. He said hello to people as they walked in but was greeted with cold stares and dirty looks from people looking down on him and judging him.
He sat in the back of the church and listened to the church announcements for the week. He listened as new visitors were welcomed into the church that morning but no one acknowledged that he was new. He watched people around him continue to look his way with stares that said you are not welcome here.
Then the elders of the church went to the podium to make the announcement. They said they were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation. "We would like to introduce you to our new Pastor." The congregation stood up and looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle.

That's when all the clapping stopped and the church was silent. With all eyes on him, he walked up to the altar and reached for the microphone. He stood there for a moment and then recited so elegantly, a verse from the bible.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’“
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me.’
After he recited this, he introduced himself as their new pastor and told the congregation what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and bow their heads in shame.
"Today I see a gathering of people here but I do not see a church of Jesus. The world has enough people that look the other way. What the world needs is disciples of Jesus that can follow his teachings and live as he did. When will YOU decide to become disciples?”
He then dismissed service until the following Sunday as his sermon had been given.

Woe to hypocrites

Since you made the story up you should have given it a happy ending